Tricia Day, widely recognized by her street racing moniker "Midget," serves as the anchor of the Memphis team featured on the Discovery Channel hit series Street Outlaws. While her husband, Jonathan "JJ Da Boss" Day, usually commands the media spotlight, Tricia operates as the tactical backbone of their racing family. She combines elite driving skills with deep mechanical knowledge, managing the intense pressure of high-stakes asphalt competition while raising a large family.
Understanding her impact requires looking past the television edits to examine her actual racing roots, her pivotal role within the Memphis street racing community, and how she helps sustain the Day family household.
Early Roots and Entry Into Street Racing
Long before cameras started rolling for reality television, Tricia grew up immersed car culture around Memphis, Tennessee. Her compact frame earned her the lifelong nickname "Midget," but competitors quickly learned that her physical stature had zero bearing on her reaction times behind the wheel.
- The Early Days: She began driving and racing in local unsanctioned events during her youth, mastering rear-wheel-drive muscle cars on rough asphalt.
- Building a Reputation: Unlike drivers who rely purely on big-budget shop builds, Tricia learned hands-on wrenching out of necessity, mastering the mechanics required to keep older Chevy models competitive.
- Signature Rides: Over the years, she's become most famous for piloting cars like her iconic Chevy Nova variants, going toe-to-toe against seasoned drivers who underestimated her capabilities.
Life Behind the Scenes on Street Outlaws
When Street Outlaws: Memphis premiered, viewers witnessed a tight-knit clan that operated differently than other regional crews. They didn't rely on flashy corporate sponsorships; instead, they pooled resources, trusted family ties, and raced for keeps. Tricia stood at the center of this dynamic.
She frequently acts as the voice of reason and strategy during team meetings, helping JJ manage egos and decide which matchups make financial and competitive sense. Beyond strategy, she turns wrenches alongside the crew, ensuring cars like Ole Heavy or her own entries are dialed in before hitting the starting line. Her presence challenges the outdated stereotype that motorsports reality shows relegate women to sideline cheering sections.
Family Dynamics and Overcoming Hardships
The Day household is remarkably large and unconventional by modern television standards. The couple shares a blended family that includes eleven children and multiple grandchildren.
- Balancing Parenthood: Tricia is the biological mother to four of their children, while actively co-parenting and helping raise JJ's other children from prior relationships.
- Overcoming Adversity: Long before their television fame, the family faced severe challenges, including JJ's lengthy federal incarceration. During those eight years, Tricia held the household and local commitments together, establishing a foundation of resilience that later defined their approach to reality television pressure.
- Navigating On-Screen Accidents: High-speed street racing carries inherent dangers. Tricia suffered serious injuries—including a severe hip fracture—during high-profile production accidents while filming franchise spin-offs, requiring intensive surgery and grueling physical rehabilitation before returning to normal daily life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tricia Day's racing nickname?
She is widely known on the streets and across television broadcasts as "Midget," a moniker derived from her short stature that turned into a badge of honor among top-tier racers.
How long have JJ Da Boss and Tricia been together?
The pair have been together for well over a decade, officially tying the knot in 2009 after years of sharing a mutual passion for local Memphis car culture.
Does Tricia actually work on her own race cars?
Yes. Unlike personalities who only step in to drive, Tricia participates directly in teardowns, engine tuning, and pre-race maintenance alongside the rest of the Memphis crew.
How many children do they have?
They manage a blended family of eleven children total, which includes four children they share together alongside JJ's children from previous years, plus several grandchildren.
