Shumake Reaches Semifinals in Spokane, Climbs into NHRA Heritage Series Top 10
SPOKANE, Wash. (June 27, 2026) – Travis Shumake continued his momentum in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series with a semifinal finish at the Sunset Drags at Qlispé Raceway Park, earning his best qualifying performance to date in Nostalgia Funny Car competition and climbing into the top 10 in championship points.
Shumake qualified fifth in the eight-car field, his highest qualifying position since joining the Heritage Series, setting the stage for a breakout weekend aboard the legendary Johnny Loper "Little Hoss" Funny Car.
In the opening round, Shumake squared off against Spokane hometown favorite Chris Davis. Shumake gained a decisive .053-second advantage at the starting line and never trailed. Midway through the run, the car encountered violent tire shake, forcing Shumake to pedal the throttle before making the shift into high gear nearly 1,000 feet downtrack. The veteran recovery produced a winning 7.03-second pass at 155.96 mph, sending Shumake to the semifinals.
There, Shumake faced No. 1 qualifier and eventual event winner Derrick Moreira. Once again battling tire shake on the challenging racing surface, Shumake was unable to advance, but the semifinal finish marked his strongest overall performance of the season.
The weekend's results vaulted Shumake into the top 10 in NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series championship points with four races remaining on the 2026 schedule.
"Spokane was a huge step forward for our team," said Shumake. "Qualifying fifth is the best we've done, and winning a round against a hometown favorite on a difficult race track says a lot about the progress we're making. Tire shake kept us from showing our full potential, but we're learning every time we unload this car. Every round we make builds confidence in this team, and I know we're capable of competing for wins before the season is over. I'm incredibly grateful to Carlyle Tools and Le Tour Wines for believing in what we're’re building and helping make this journey possible."
Shumake and the Le Tour Racing team return to action August 6-8 at Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho, for the next stop on the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series as they continue their climb toward the top of the championship standings.
About Travis Shumake
Phoenix native Travis Shumake is a second-generation professional drag racer competing in both NHRA Top Fuel and the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series. The son of legendary Funny Car driver Tripp Shumake, Travis combines his family's racing legacy with a modern approach to motorsports marketing, helping brands connect with new audiences through authentic storytelling, community engagement, and high-performance competition.