Travis Shumake Bio
Travis Cody Shumake (born August 10, 1984) is an American drag racer, team owner, and LGBTQ+ advocate. He competes in the NHRA Top Fuel category and is recognized as the first openly gay driver to regularly compete in the top level of any global touring motorsports league. Beyond the cockpit, Shumake runs his own team, Shumake Racing, while building a national profile as a visible voice for inclusion in motorsports.
Early Life and Background
Shumake was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. He is the son of NHRA Funny Car legend Tripp Shumake and Susie Shumake, a skilled mechanic and member of the Arizona Drag Racing Hall of Fame. Growing up in a household steeped in drag racing culture gave him early exposure to the sport long before he returned to it as an adult.
After his father’s passing in 1999, Shumake stepped away from racing and turned his attention to competitive cheerleading. That path eventually earned him a collegiate scholarship at Northern Arizona University. At NAU, he served as student body president and was active in Sigma Chi and campus athletics.
Shumake earned several university honors, including the True Blue and Gold Award, Homecoming King, and Greek Life Man of the Year. Those formative experiences in leadership and athletics helped shape the public profile he would later carry into professional motorsports and advocacy work.
Path to NHRA
Before returning to the dragstrip, Shumake built a career in nonprofit development, holding leadership roles at organizations such as one•n•ten, the Clinton Foundation, and the Ali Forney Center, where his work focused on LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness. He also served on multiple boards, including Phoenix Suns Charities 88 and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona.
Inspired by his late father’s legacy, Shumake returned to racing in 2021. He trained at Frank Hawley Drag Racing School and completed a series of 250 MPH plus NHRA licensing runs at major venues including Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Firebird Motorsports Park, Gainesville Raceway, and the Texas Motorplex.
Travis Shumake Career
Top Alcohol Dragster Debut (2022)
Shumake made his Top Alcohol Dragster debut in 2022 driving for Randy Meyer Racing at the Menards NHRA Nationals in Topeka, Kansas. At that event he became the target of a protest by the Westboro Baptist Church, and he responded by leaning into his identity, debuting rainbow parachutes sponsored by Grindr.
In his second Top Alcohol start, Shumake drove the Sheetz dragster and advanced to the semifinals of the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in Reading, Pennsylvania, securing back-to-back hole shot wins. The strong early showing put him on the radar of top NHRA teams.
NHRA Top Fuel Breakthrough (2023–2024)
Shumake earned his Top Fuel license in the fall of 2023 behind the wheel of a dragster he purchased from Scrappers Racing, the team owned by Mike Salinas. He made his professional Top Fuel debut at the 2024 NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix, marking the start of his national-level career.
Shumake finished 23rd in the 2024 Top Fuel Points Championship, a solid result for a first full season in the category. In 2023, he was named Compete Magazine Professional Athlete of the Year, reflecting both his on-track progress and his growing influence off the track.
Shumake Racing Era (2024–Present)
In March 2025, Shumake posted the Top Speed of Eliminations at the Arizona Nationals with a 330.88 MPH pass in the first round against former world champion Doug Kalitta. The performance established him as a legitimate speed threat in the Top Fuel category and earned him broader recognition inside the NHRA garage.
Shumake Racing currently operates as a team car to Jasmine Salinas under the Scrappers Racing umbrella. He is pursuing additional sponsorship to run more events during the 2025 season, with the goal of building toward a full Top Fuel campaign.
Driving Style and Strengths
Shumake’s early Top Fuel results show a driver comfortable making aggressive passes and embracing big-match moments. His background as a fast-twitch athlete, first in cheerleading and then in drag racing, has translated into the kind of quick reaction time and confidence needed to face veteran opponents like Doug Kalitta on the tree.
Notable Races and Milestones
His professional Top Fuel debut came at his home track, the 2024 NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix. His 330.88 MPH run at the 2025 Arizona Nationals stands as his signature Top Fuel moment to date, and his semifinal run at the 2022 Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in Reading remains his deepest Top Alcohol finish.
Travis Shumake Career Wins
Travis Shumake is still building his win ledger at the top of the NHRA ladder, with his most notable achievements coming through qualifying speed and round-by-round performances rather than victory circles. His progress from a 2022 Top Alcohol debut to a 330.88 MPH Top Fuel pass in 2025 reflects steady gains in equipment, team, and experience.
Top Fuel Highlights
Shumake has notched one standout speed milestone in Top Fuel: the Top Speed of Eliminations at the 2025 Arizona Nationals at 330.88 MPH. He closed the 2024 season ranked 23rd in the Top Fuel Points Championship, a strong baseline as he expands his 2025 schedule.
Other Wins and Performances
In the Top Alcohol Dragster ranks, Shumake advanced to the semifinals at the 2022 Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in Reading, Pennsylvania, picking up back-to-back hole shot wins along the way. He also posted competitive license runs above 250 MPH at four major NHRA venues while preparing for his Top Fuel transition.
Travis Shumake Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Shumake’s father, Tripp Shumake, is remembered as an NHRA Funny Car legend, and his mother, Susie Shumake, is a skilled mechanic and member of the Arizona Drag Racing Hall of Fame. Their legacy in drag racing is what drew Travis back to the sport in 2021 and continues to fuel his Top Fuel program.
Personal Life
Shumake is openly gay and has been a visible advocate for inclusion in motorsports. He was featured in the 2024 Out 100 list and was named the 2024 Stonewall Columbus Champion of Pride, and he regularly appears in publications including The Advocate, Outsports, Queerty, and the Human Rights Campaign Magazine. He became engaged to his partner, Daryl, on Christmas Night 2024 on the deck of New York City’s Staten Island Ferry, and the engagement was covered by Outsports and other LGBTQ+ outlets.
2025 Season Performance
Shumake opened the 2025 NHRA season by setting the Top Speed of Eliminations at the Arizona Nationals with a 330.88 MPH first-round pass against former world champion Doug Kalitta. The run quickly became one of the talking points of the early season and helped raise his visibility across the NHRA paddock.
Off the track, Shumake was profiled in April 2025 in the annual list of Drag Racing’s Movers, Shakers, and Deal Makers, with the article spotlighting both his recent on-track success and his rapid rise into the top of the sport. He continues to run his program as a team car to Jasmine Salinas under the Scrappers Racing umbrella.
Shumake is actively pursuing sponsorship to add races to his 2025 Top Fuel schedule. With his speed credentials now established, the focus in 2025 is on expanding his run count, gathering more in-season data, and pushing for his first round-win streak in Top Fuel elimination rounds.