The Black Crow – Reliving Big Chief‘s Disastrous Crowmod Crash in Street Outlaws Season 12

The opening episode of Street Outlaws in January 2020 will go down as one of the toughest moments in Big Chief‘s racing career. The Oklahoma street racing icon wrecked his brand new 1969 Pontiac LeMans "Crowmod" during its very first test run. Let‘s look back at the startling crash and its implications.

Episode 1 Sets the Stage for an Eventful Season 12

It all went down in the aptly named episode "The Black Crow" which kicked off Street Outlaws Season 12. This set the stage for a turbulent but entertaining season of the hit Discovery Channel show.

Right out of the gate in Episode 1, we witnessed Big Chief utterly destroy his pride and joy – the meticulously built Crowmod – in a devastating high-speed crash.

Chief‘s New Crowmod Goes Up in Smoke

After retiring his previous 1969 Pontiac LeMans known as the Crow at the end of 2018, Big Chief got to work building his next ride. His goal was to create an even faster, more powerful Pro Mod-style machine using the classic Pontiac muscle car platform he loves.

The result was the gorgeous black beast known as Crowmod. Under its sculpted carbon fiber body lurked a twin-turbo charged Keith Berry 565 ci engine reportedly pumping out over 3000 horsepower.

This was poised to be Chief‘s ticket back to the top against rivals like Kye Kelley. But tragedy struck on the Crowmod‘s first test run when Chief lost control at speeds over 150mph.

The Crowmod disintegrated into a ball of twisted metal and carbon fiber fragments. It was a shocking outcome after so much time, effort and money had been invested in the build.

Racers Face Real Danger

While Street Outlaws often focuses on the drama and rivalries between drivers, episodes like this are a stark reminder that there is very real danger involved at these extreme speeds.

The recent on-set death of Ryan Fellows aka Hailie Deegan in Las Vegas serves as further evidence. So do Chief‘s previous crashes.

Physics does not play favorites. At 200+ mph in the standing mile, any mistake can turn fatal in an instant. While fans watch for the entertainment, the risks faced by these racers should not be underestimated.

A Major Setback

Beyond the safely implications, the Crowmod crash represented a major competitive setback for one of Street Outlaws‘ biggest stars.

Chief had hoped his new twin-turbo Pontiac would help him regain dominance in the 405 after young guns like Kye Kelley had ascended during his recent hiatus from racing.

Kelley even mockingly referred to Chief as "Old Man" after handing him multiple defeats. With his previous car The Crow retired, the Crowmod was Chief‘s best shot to get back on top of the OKC scene.

So to lose his state-of-the-art ride on its very first outing was a bitter pill to swallow. But anyone who has followed Chief‘s career knows you can never fully count out the wily veteran.

By the Numbers: Chief vs Kye Kelley

While 15 years younger at just 28, Kye emerged quickly once he started competing in OKC with his pro-modded Camaro Goliath. Their rivalry has become a central storyline in recent Street Outlaws seasons.

As the table shows, Kelley has had Chief‘s number lately. But the wily veteran has proven ability to adapt and come back stronger. This sets up an intriguing storyline after the Crowmod‘s demise.

Can Chief get back on top? Or will Kye cement himself as the new #1 in Oklahoma City? Only time will tell!

What‘s Next for Big Chief?

Knowing Big Chief‘s determination, it‘s almost certain he will channel the Crowmod disappointment into motivation to build an even more outrageous Pontiac for his next Street Outlaws return.

Some reports indicate he is collaborating with automotive legend Chip Foose to design the next incarnation of the Crow.

While details remain scarce, we can expect Chief‘s next ride to once again push the limits of mechanical grip and horsepower. The question is – will it be enough to dethrone Kye Kelley as the 405‘s new ruler?

For me, I believe Big Chief still has enough veteran savvy to adapt his style and find a way back to the winner‘s circle. But Kye certainly has time on his side and continues improving at a scary rate. Their next high-stakes battle promises to be a Street Outlaws instant classic!

In the meantime, let‘s hope Chief and the rest of the Street Outlaws cast continue to weigh the risks and take every safety precaution possible. While the crashes make for dramatic television, the drivers‘ lives matter far more than settling a score.

Here‘s wishing Big Chief better fortunes when he inevitably rolls out his next outrageous pro-mod Pontiac! And may the Street Outlaws racers continue driving fast but safely.