Travis Shumake Striv to Bee First Openly Gay NHRA Funny Car Driver

Contents:

• THE DAY FUNNY CAR’S DON GAY, JR. NEARLY DIED AT DENVER 30 YEARS AGO
• DON GAY
• DON GAY RACED AT DD
• TRAVIS SHUMAKE STRIV TO BEE FIRST OPENLY GAY NHRA FUNNY CAR DRIVER

THE DAY FUNNY CAR’S DON GAY, JR. NEARLY DIED AT DENVER 30 YEARS AGO

Among those the p area was a young Don Gay, Jr., whose father, Don, Sr.

The send-generatn Gay had peted prevly Competn Elimator and Top Alhol Funny Car, where he’d won three tim before steppg up to the nro ranks 1989.

DON GAY

The then-20-year-old Gay, Jr. Wh mimal experience a vehicle of this liber unr his belt, Gay, Jr. The Safety Safari, unaware that Gay, Jr.

In a still-ighteng scene all the years later, the fire bottl the nose of the chassis, which were never released by Gay, Jr., me unr creasg prsure om the heat of the fire and epted like a pair of bombs — thankfully dog so before the Safety Safari uld return to the scene.

In a heroic move, Pdhomme, still clad his fire su and helmet, climbed om his mache and dove to what remaed of the burng Pontiac, assistg the Safety Safari removg Gay, Jr. The footage ptured at the scene went far closer to the panmonium than what was shown on the Diamond P verage, pturg great tail the Safety Safari’s race agast time to brg Gay, Jr.

DON GAY RACED AT DD

Gay, Jr.

His brother, Shane Gay, later raced Super Comp and Top Alhol Dragster.

TRAVIS SHUMAKE STRIV TO BEE FIRST OPENLY GAY NHRA FUNNY CAR DRIVER

’s reer-endg accint, the Gay fay had teamed wh the Angel brothers to found the Hoton Raceway Park, another of the new super-tracks of the sport along wh the all-new Bandimere facily. The Gay fay remaed volved at the Hoton track until the early 2000s.

Don Gay, Jr.

The day Don Gay, Jr. This is the story of Don Gay’s awful funny r fire at the 1989 NHRA Mile High Natnals and is as tough to watch now was was 30 years ago. As you will see, Gay Jr.