Some celebrity deaths are so vital that it has us think about them even years after the tragedy happened. One of those celebrity deaths for us has been Flip from ‘Street Outlaws.’
Who was Flip? What Happened to Him?
Most people may not have heard the name Tyler Gene Priddy, but you may have heard his racing name, Flip. He was initially set to be a cast member of ‘Street Outlaws.’
The sad reason Flip never appeared in the series is that he died on May 28, 2013, in Yukon, Oklahoma. ‘Street Outlaws’ racer’s funeral was held a few days later, on June 1, the same year.
Yes, it was also the same year that ‘Street Outlaws’ first premiered. In fact, Flip passed away just a few weeks before the premiere, and that is why Flip only made it to a few appearances in the first season and never raced again.
The racer was only 31 years old at the time of his death.
How did Flip Pass Away?
Flip’s death was widely covered, but sadly the exact cause of Tyler Priddy’s death remains a mystery. We do know a few facts from fiction on the case, though.
Firstly, given that Flip was a drag racer, people have attributed his death to be somehow related to a fatal accident, which is not uncommon in street racing. However, it turned out to be nothing but a baseless rumor.
Similarly, reports suggesting that Flip took his own life were also false rumors. People suspected that Flip committed suicide after his wife, Morgan, has been vocal about the mentally unhealthy act.
“Suicide is so often swept under the rug and I’m ready to share with the world how it shouldn’t be,” she was recorded saying, but her speaking out on a very common issue does not naturally link it to her husband’s death.
It has become even less credible after more false details like Flip suffering from depression. Or finding out about his wife’s affair has latched on to the suicide rumors.
Some sources even went as far as to proclaim that Flip died of a self-inflicted gunshot injury after getting drunk. Just because we cannot find out the exact cause of death about Flip does not mean we will be desperate enough to believe any of these baseless and false stories.
Flip’s Short Bio.
Flip was born on November 30, 1981, in Chickasha, Oklahoma. He was a student at Hinton Elementary School and a graduate of Putnam City High School. He was good friends with Justin’ Big Chief’ Shearer from childhood, with a common love for muscle cars leading them together to the street racing scene in Oklahoma.
His first job was as a storekeeper, followed by ten years of work with heavy construction equipment dealing company, Warren Caterpillar. He slowly saved enough money to build a car and pursue a racing career.
Flip’s Car, Career & Net Worth.
His ride was an El Camino called ‘The Old Slut’ because it was built with begged, borrowed, and stolen parts. It was an unpredictable machine that could blow up at any point in time, but Flip could win races with it even against the likes of $100,000 cars.
The El Camino had garnered a reputation continued by Flip’s longtime friend Chris Day aka, Kamikaze, who brought the Camino back from Big Chief, who kept it for safekeeping for a year.
Flip’s headstone on his grave also bears the likeness of the Camino to give you an idea of how much he loved the car. Flip’s career as a racer can be recognized by how his tribute played out in his funeral.
A large mass of Drag racers and other car fanatics gathered a few weeks after his funeral and organized a massive tire burnout in his memory. Sadly, his life was too short and early for us to compute net worth.
Flip’s Married Life & Wife.
Flip was a family man and thus left behind an entire family, including his loving wife, Morgan Amber Priddy. Morgan got a tattoo of a skull and scroll on top of her wings tattoo in memory of her late husband.
The 31-year-old also a father of 4 children; Tovey Gene, Remey J, Dresdyn Rinot, and Bennett William Edward, who go by the nicknames; Rito, Flemerson, Day Day, and Baby B that he gave them.
We hope that the legendary racer is currently in heaven, racing against God.