I would classify Scott Taylor as a “good ol’ boy” as they come. A kind heart, deep rooted family man, and a savvy business man to say the least. Scott’s love for the sport runs thick as the Mississippi itself. His father was one of the best known drivers in the state, driving a 1967 Camaro. Everyone loved him and looked up to him and Scott idolized him. Scott’s father even warned him to not to get into the sport, but of course he did not heed his warnings. The minute Scott graduated from high school it was game on and he hasn’t looked back since.
Busy as a bee it’s hard to figure out how Scott finds time for Street Outlaws with all that he does. He owns Taylor Towing and manages Hub City Dragway, both in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Sadly Hub City will be shutting its doors due to the property owners looking to outsource it for other means. Which that is a true heart break for Scott and many others. This was the track he took his first pass ever in. This was also his father’s and other family member’s hometown track. Scott is also co-partner of Dirty South No-Prep Series which he operates with Mike Murillo. He’s been known to be quite the salesman too. At any given chance he has 3-10 vehicles in his possession that he runs, fixes and sells. He has had somewhere in the ballpark of 200 vehicles to date that has been graced with his ownership and then sold.
According to Scott one of the most foreshadowing things that’s ever happened to him, was one of this last text messages he had received from his father, was to check out Street Outlaws on T.V. Just a few months after that, Scott was invited to join the Street Outlaws list. They gave him one week to be street ready, and for Scott it was a challenge he gladly accepted. This is where John Doe, the 1992 Cutlass was born. John Doe is a Frankenstein’s Monster in a matter of pulled together parts. Once Scott had the invite he realized he didn’t have a car. He had one week to find something and make it work. He called around and found the body in Texas. Art his tow truck driver, was sent to pick it up, and also had him pick up an engine on the way home. Scott got the transmission, and they put it all together. When Street Outlaws asked for the name of the car, he and one of his buddies had no idea what to say. They joked around how it was a car no one knew yet, it was like a John Doe of all cars, and so the name John Doe stuck. From there came all the Doe’s, Track and Jane. Track Doe is a 1998 Firebird and Jane Doe is a GTO. He has been going nonstop since that invitation and it has been 4 years now with no plans of stopping. Scott knows that his father would be so proud.
Many people ask the difference between Track Doe and John Doe. Track Doe is strictly for the drag strip and John Doe is made for the street and small tire. John is his favorite to drive, he says it is like riding in a Cadillac and Track Doe is the equivalent of driving on ice. Many of our drivers prefer the street racing over the strip, and Scott is not one to argue with them. Even though he prefers the street more, he does not like the idea of promoting something so dangerous and illegal to those who look up to him and the others. He doesn’t want to see anyone getting hurt doing something they saw him do on T.V. “There’s so much that goes into street racing that no one takes into consideration. We are responsible street racing”.
Fast forwarding to today, Scott prefers the idea racing at the drag strip. He feels that he can be a better role model for the younger generations and also help keep the sport alive and well. Now that he is in a controlled drag strip, Scott prefers the 1/8 mile distance. “It’s plenty room to go fast and shut down safely as well”. In the off season he has been working on the car nonstop, both inside and out. He has put in a ProCharger, FuelTech injection, added a bunch of horsepower and cleaned it up nice adding carbon fiber. It is now a pretty remodel. His future plans is to get some street racing in with his 98 Camaro that is all stock with an aftermarket motor and suspension upgrade.
Scott also will continue with his Dirty South No-Prep Series that he is partnered up with Mike Murillo. “We travel with it, as points racing series. We were the first guys to ever do that for no-prep racing”. They were also the first to give away big prizes. In the first season they gave away enclosed trailers. However, they have had to cut back this year due to the No Prep Kings schedule. And only doing 4 instead of 8 races. Right now they both want to put everything they have in NPK to make sure they give it their 100%.
Aside from Hub City Dragway, Scott loves being at Bristol Dragway. Says it gives you the best feeling in the world that you can’t fully describe. “You feel like an ant and a toy car on a full size race track.” If there is one thing that Scott wants to do it is to help pass down racing to his family like his father did with him, reluctantly or not. He knows it’s in their blood and forever will be. This once saxophone band member turned football jock has a very competitive nature and hopes the world can see it. Scott strives hard every day to be the best he can and use any combo he can think to help get him to the next round and next week. According to him and rest of the drivers, he will switch between the procharger, nitrous or turbo, he’s the wild card in that aspect.
Standing at 6’2 his stature is nothing compared to the size of his heart he has for his family and fans. Scott talks about his wife like the godsend and trooper that she is. While he is out racing and can’t be home, she takes care of their 8 year old twins and runs the towing business. The twins come to as many races as they possibly can when school is not in session, it is entirely a family affair with Scott. Even when they can’t make it to the track the kids are John Doe to the core and wear their daddy’s t-shirts to school. His mother who had just recently passed this last November would also come to the races and be his biggest cheerleader out there. His brothers and nieces and nephews make it out there to show support for their uncle. In Scott’s words, “family support is a huge gift”.
“We are living the dream, and work hard but it’s tough”. During his traveling, Scott has a solid two people on his team. For the every-day guys who work for a living, it’s hard to get the time off from work and still keep the job which he fully understands. That fact makes him even more grateful for those he does get to work with and can count on. Don’t let this all fool you into thinking there isn’t time for shenanigans with he and his crew. One week the hot water heater blew in the trailer, not a big deal it was fixed rather quickly, but he didn’t share that information with all of his guys. On a balmy 28 degree weather day Chris was dreading his shower. Scott and Lloyd could barely keep it together as they even told him not to turn on the hot water since it would smell terrible. Chris bit the bullet and went for it, Scott and Lloyd heard screams and then silence. They grew mildly concerned, and figured they should tell him the hot water really worked. But because jokes never end, the poor guy didn’t believe him and continued on with his cold shower. It’s a good thing they are all good sports and can still laugh about it to this day.
Scott’s fan base is known track wide as being the nicest groups out there. On more than one occasion the track manager after an event will come up to him and thank him for the crowd he has supporting him. The managers tell him they clean up their garbage and there are no fights afterwards, but still everyone is cheering and having a great time. Scott loves talking to all his fans and tries to respond to as many comments that are sent to him in social media. The fact that this is becoming a family event and the kids looking up to him, is something he couldn’t be happier with. Scott gets to race at the track and he can be more of a role model for something he enjoys doing. He hopes he can do it for as long as the world will let him.
