There Are More 'Out' Gay Racg Drivers Than You Thk

BBC Sport looks at the reer of Mike Bttler, Formula 1's only known gay male driver, and his impact on today's LGBT+ motorsport muny. * openly gay motorcycle racers *

"The racg world of the 2020s is a very different place to that of the Bishop, a Racg Pri ambassador and Aston Mart F1 chief munitns officer, said: "In the early 1970s, people didn't talk about beg gay. Overall, he sred five top-10 fish his then the UK was plunged to fancial turmoil by the 1973 oil crisis, and his team did not have the money to stay the 34, Bttler retired om Bradshaw, a motorsport PR nsultant who first met Bttler the early 1970s, said: "There was no stigma wh Mike, he was a nice gentle person - everyone knew he was gay, wasn't a secret and was accepted.

"I spect would have been easier for him to live the liftyle he wanted LA and San Francis, whereas beg gay London was a more secretive thg, " said Phillips. "'LGBT+ people have always been part of motorsport'Brr Endurance Champnship driver and Racg Pri -founr Richard Morris has had lots of support wh motorsport after g out as gay 2018Sce Bttler's ath, several motorsport drivers have e out as Mans class wner Danny Watts me out 2017, a year after retirg, while the W Seri there is LGBT+ reprentatn on track fellow Brish drivers Abbie Eaton and Sarah Moore.

Richard Morris, -founr of Racg Pri and a driver for the Praga team the Brr Endurance Champnship, me out as gay 2018, when already tablished motorsport. "Sectn 28 was a law that affected England, Wal and Stland, passed 1988 by a Conservative ernment that stopped uncils and schools "promotg the teachg of the acceptabily of homosexualy as a pretend fay relatnship" were mass protts by LGBT+ mpaigners and the law was repealed Stland 2000, before England and Wal did the same 2003.

THIS GAY RACE R DRIVER IS OUT AND PROUD, AND CHASG HIS MOTORSPORTS DREAM

Travis Shumake is lookg to bee the first openly gay drag racer at the NRHA Campg World Seri this weekend at Heartland Motorsports Park. * openly gay motorcycle racers *

Let’s explore the greater tail below:If you’re lookg for some F1 merchandise, check out the awome stuff at the official F1 store Formula One Drivers In History Were Gay? Whereafter the 1973 oil crisis Bra forced his retirement at the age of to the stigma associated wh homosexualy, Mike Bttler was not openly gay, although close iends, fellow racers, and fay were said to have been aware of his sexualy.

Followg his retirement, Mike Bttler moved to the Uned Stat of Ameri, where he would later die of plitns of HIV/Aids on the 29th of September Current Formula One Drivers Are Gay?

At prent, there are no Formula One drivers or practice drivers that have openly e out as There Gay Drivers Competg In Formula W? Unlike their male unterparts, there have been two female Formula W drivers who have e out as openly gay/lbian:Abbie Eaton is a Brish racg driver who raced unr Écurie W the 2021 W Seri and unr Scuria W the 2022 W Seri.

LGBT+ HISTORY MONTH: MIKE BTTLER - FORMULA 1'S ONLY KNOWN GAY MALE DRIVER

While would be difficult to discs all his gtur a sgle article, there are some moments of LGBTQ+ support that are worth 2020 and 2021, Lewis Haton wore a helmet adorned wh the rabow lors of the gay pri flag and the wordg “We Stand Together” at the Qatar GP. ”Siar to Lewis Haton’s cricism of Hungary’s referendum 2021, Sebastian Vettel wore a gay pri-themed face mask and t-shirt at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, along wh the followg statement:“Everyone has the same right to love. Although the FIA’s official stance on the broar LGBTQ+ muny and the importance of gay reprentatn Formula One, their cisn to renew/extend ntracts for Grand Prix openly homophobic untri has been met wh cricism om drivers, fans, and crics alike.

ConclnIn ncln, while there are not any gay Formula One drivers petg prently and very few gay drivers across Formula One’s history/different divisns, there is support for the broar LGBTQ+ muny through Racg Pri and Formula One would dite a progrsive step forward for LGBTQ+ reprentatn and support, spe the FIA’s ntroversial cisns regardg Grand Prix approval and certa staff appotments. Photography by Gold & Goose Today’s MotoGP prs nference advance of this weekend’s Grand Prix of Spa was ma a ltle ls dull when the subject of qutng strayed om the ual racg and racg polics to a topic that h mastream sports media this week after NBA player Jason Colls’ announcement that he is gay.

ARE THERE ANY GAY F1 DRIVERS?

“For the people who ask me on Twter or whatever if they are wag this is the time that they will know I’m not gay, ” Je Lorenzo said. Travis Shumake pulls the vyl l to reveal the letterg for the anizatn Pri Kansas as he works to plete the full rabow ls on his drag race r Tuday eveng Sprg number of thgs should have stopped Travis two years ago, Shumake had planned his but to the eic, high-octane world of Natnal Hot Rod Associatn drag racg as the erng body's first openly gay the son of NHRA Funny Car drag-racg legend Tripp Shumake, the younger Shumake had grown up that world, havg attend drag rac each summer at the Kansas Speedway and racg shifter karts wh his father the late the s sce his father passed away a 1999 motorcycle accint, though, somethg kept llg Shumake back to the sport — back to followg his father's he started drivg.

At a separate race Las Vegas, Shumake failed to qualify, markg the first time the Randy Meyer's dragster that he was drivg failed to qualify over eight all that, Shumake has learned to manage his expectatns, even as he prepar to qualify as the first openly gay drag racer at the NHRA Campg World Seri at Heartland Motorsports Park on Here's how to get tickets for the 2022 Menard's NHRA Natnals TopekaHe'll do so a rabow-lored dragster — plete wh rabow parachut — thanks to a first-of-s-kd sponsorship al wh Vis Topeka, the cy's statn marketg anizatn, and Pri Kansas as the anizatns look to promote the cy as an clive wayTravis Shumake shows off his drag racer at Evergy Plaza Wednday morng tailg the number of world champnships has won. Shumake was recently sponsored by Vis Topeka and Pri Kansas as the first openly gay NHRA racer history and will be petg this weekend at Heartland Park Speedway.

THIS OPENLY GAY NHRA RACER BUTS FRIDAY TOPEKA. HERE'S WHY GROUPS ARE LG UP TO ENDORSE HIM

We’ll see where go, " Shumake as he gets ready to race qualifiers Friday, Shumake is exced at the prospect of makg through to the elimatn rounds on Saturday and This Kansas State rearch program is helpg HBCU stunts bee agricultural scholarsVis Topeka, Pri Kansas play role Travis Shumake's but as gay racerDrag racer Travis Shumake, left, works wh team manager and fellow driver Megan Meyer to create a ctom geometric rabow-lored wrap around a race r Tuday their Sprg Hill shop.

"One of my hunch was that I would fd somebody willg to sign me who was makg cisns wh the pk dollar md — maybe a gay marketg officer or someone wh a marketg foc on the LGBT piece, " he Dixon, print of Vis Topeka, tak a selfie wh Travis Shumake's drag r durg a media event at Evergy Plaza he reached out to Sean Dixon, print of Vis Topeka, Shumake found someone who was not only willg to sponsor him, but also someone who was willg to vt a racer who uld crease visibily for a cy and sport that historilly have been characterized as nservative and unwelg to LGBTQ people. Follow him on Twter at article origally appeared on Topeka Capal-Journal: Travis Shumake looks to make history as NHRA's first openly gay racer.

GAY BIKE RACER ZACK LEAR EY WORLD TLE AS OUT ATHLETE

Like Wallace last year, Devon Roe uld be that NASCAR driver 2021 who brgs a pletely new set of fans when he be the first openly gay driver to pete at a NASCAR natnal tourg seri event sce 2003. Like Bubba Wallace was a trailblazer on the NASCAR Cup Seri as the lone Black driver, Devon Roe will do the same this year on the NASCAR Tck Seri as the only openly gay driver. Travis Shumake is the son of former NHRA Funny Car driver Tripp Shumake, who was killed a motorcycle accint 36, Travis Shumake hop to bee the first openly gay driver the NHRA Funny Car class.

Shumake plans to h the racetrack by season’s end, memoratg his father’s last NHRA Funny Car victory 40 years ago at the Fals—and beg the Campg World Drag Racg Seri’ first openly gay June 15, Shumake earned his Nostalgia Funny Car license at the Frank Hawley Drag Racg School Florida.

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

”Tripp Shumake didn’t live to see his son bee a foster parent and an advote for homels gay teens through his work Arizona wh one•n•ten, a non-prof anizatn dited to helpg LGBTQ youth ag 14-24. There's about 10 people I know the sport that are gay that haven't taken the steps like I am takg, jt bee of that fear, ” Shumake said. “Maybe if, for some reason, someone is able to e out of the closet or enter the sport—gay, lbian, transgenr—bee of my attempts at this, that would certaly be rewardg enough to me.

’”Devon Roe, 22, a dirt-track sprt-r veteran om Wt Burlgton, Iowa, is a iend of Shumake, and they enurage one another as Roe embarks on his NASCAR journey as the first openly gay Campg World Tck Seri driver. In existence sce 1977, the Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club (GBMCC) was borne out of a sire for gay men to ri their bik whout the barbed prejudic of straight bikers gettg the way of their fun.

'WE'RE NOT HIDG': GAY AND LBIAN RSIANS SAY A CULTURAL SHIFT IS UNRWAY

Wh numero top six fish Brish Superteen champnships and the Aprilia 125cc challenge unr his belt, 25-year old Michael currently rac for Taboo Motorsport the 125cc BSB champnships on a GP spec Honda - a shockg pk one, very imprsive, but how do an openly gay man al wh the macho si of bike racg?

If we weren't all so aggrsive and fearful of our own sexualy, gay men and women uld ri along wh whout fear of beg mocked or overtaken. Which is somethg of a relief, as means I'm the right place to meet the Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club (London chapter) existence sce 1977, the Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club (GBMCC) was borne out of a sire for gay men to ri their bik whout the barbed prejudic of straight bikers gettg the way of their fun.

GAY BIKERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB & WIMA

So, if I ever ci to bat for the other si, I'll know where to if anythg is gog to make me nsir beg gay, the events of the next day might have somethg to do wh the send part of my vtigatn to mory bikg groups, I fd myself the bulic environs of Greenwich Park the followg morng to meet up wh a select few members of WIMA - the Women's Internatnal Motorcyclg arrival at the park fé is greeted wh the kd of receptn I would image beg rerved for Asley Harrtt at an Aryan Brotherhood meetg.

Found 1950 the Uned Stat, WIMA sought to brg women motorcyclists 3000 members 18 untri, this group is far bigger than the Gay Bikers club. While other motorcycle clubs have perhaps been active for longer perds of time (at least one group disput that they are the olst all-male, all-gay group), Empire Cy is the only one that requir, and has always required, all of s members to ri a motorcycle. Though E stopped ridg 1996, he is currently an ECMC Emer member, meang he don't have to own a bike or license signatn, or pay the 1960s, when E joed, "gay" was not somethg you discsed and "out" was not somethg you were.

"E lowers his voice when he says the word "gay, " even though we are chattg the lobby of The Center, as New York's Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr Communy Center is known. Followg ECMC's history is a b of a Forrt Gump-like experience of gay history post-1950: E himself was a member of the Mattache Society which, tablished 1950, was one of the earlit gay rights anizatns the untry. ECMC also predat the fluential Stonewall Rts 1969; E actually participated Christopher Street Liberatn Day, which is now nsired the first ever gay pri para, 1970.

RIDG WH THE OLST ALL-GAY, ALL-MALE, ALL-RIDG MOTORCYCLE CLUB

ECMC survived the AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s; and today some members have married their partners wh the passage of gay marriage New York State.

"Today, ECMC is vol about s existence—members wear those aforementned leather jackets and vts whout fear of repercsn; they rec members at fairs like Folsom Street East, the largt outdoor fetish ftival on the East Coast; and they hold meetgs the first Wednday of every month at The Center, which all terted men and prospective members are wele to be a member of the ECMC, you mt be a gay man over the age of 21, you mt own a motorcycle, you mt be sured for said motorcycle, and you mt be licensed to ri a motorcycle.

When I arrived Formula 1 25 years ago, as edor of F1 Racg magaze and also the only gay the Formula 1 village – or the only one who was out – no one the sport ever ed the word ‘cln’.

'IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE': OPENLY GAY NHRA DRIVER PREPAR TO MAKE HISTORY

He retweeted a mpaigng tweet wrten by a whe middle-aged homosexual, knowg that he would be slated for dog so by those who are always ready to berate him – the ‘Marme’ factor – but he did so bee he stands for cln and diversy all s forms and maniftatns. Nearly two years ago, Shumake had planned his but to the eic, high-octane world of Natnal Hot Rod Associatn drag racg as the erng body's first openly gay the son of NHRA Funny Car drag-racg legend Tripp Shumake, the younger Shumake had grown up that world, havg attend drag rac each summer at the Kansas Speedway and racg shifter karts wh his father the late the s sce his father died a 1999 motorcycle accint, though, somethg kept llg Shumake back to the sport — back to followg his father's he started drivg.

DEVON ROE IS THE FIRST OPENLY-GAY DRIVER TO TURN LAPS IN ARCA

At a separate race Las Vegas, Shumake failed to qualify, markg the first time the Myer's dragster that he was drivg failed to qualify over eight all that, Shumake has learned to manage his expectatns, even as he prepar to qualify as the first openly gay drag racer at the NHRA Campg World Seri at Heartland Motorsports Park on Friday.

We’ll see where go, " Shumake as he gets ready to race qualifiers Friday, Shumake is exced at the prospect of makg through to the elimatn rounds on Saturday and Topeka, Pri Kansas play role Travis Shumake's but as gay racerAs Shumake set out to make his but, one of his early challeng was fdg a sponsor. "One of my hunch was that I would fd somebody willg to sign me who was makg cisns wh the pk dollar md — maybe a gay marketg officer or someone wh a marketg foc on the LGBT piece, " he he reached out to Sean Dixon, print of Vis Topeka, Shumake found someone who was not only willg to sponsor him, but also someone who was willg to vt a racer who uld crease visibily for a cy and sport that historilly have been characterized as nservative and unwelg to LGBTQ people. It triggered a bate that is long overdue, on the fact that there are so many profsnal athlet, and yet a statistilly improbably low number of openly homosexual or lbian players almost any sport.

RSIAN NSTUTN CHANGE ENDS HOP FOR GAY MARRIAGE

Comg om a untry which homosexualy is a non-issue - or at least, big ci, and outsi of certa muni - seemed to me odd that there were no openly homosexual rirs the Grand Prix paddock. Clearly, motorcycle racg - or rather, all of motorsports, as F1 journalist Will Buxton wrote much more eloquently than I ever will about homosexualy and the role of women racg - is a very old-fashned environment. That's not to say that everyone the paddock is a misogynist or homophobe, but that the atmosphere the paddock, the pervasive machismo, is such that openly nigratg women or homosexuals is tolerated.

Even the most open-md of the iends I have ma the paddock (and there are a lot of wonrful people there, open, hont and thentic) will often say nothg when ugly attus towards women or homosexuals are given a public airg by others. My fear that the lack of openly gay dividuals the paddock is down to prejudice and homophobia has been fed by a number of cints.

It is not a pleasant environment which to work for those who are openly gay, though is markedly easier for lbian women than is for gay men. To them, is almost entirely normal - almost, as they all felt the need to clarify their own suatn, spe the fact that I did not ask them whether they were homosexual, merely why there were no openly gay rirs the paddock.

Ridg wh the Olst All-Gay, All-Male, All-Ridg Motorcycle Club

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MEET OPENLY GAY PRO MOTORCYCLE RACER LE HUFF