Gay Race Car Driver Zach Herrin Makes NASCAR Debut
Gay motorsports racer Zach Herrin will make his long-awaited debut in a NASCAR-affiliated race in Phoenix later today, but doing so on his own terms.When the green flag drops to start the ARCA Menard Series race at the Phoenix Raceway, Herrin will be in the 25th position off the pole.
While he’ll be starting near the back of the pack, taking part in the race will be a big step forward for the 26-year-old who only recently returned to the sport he loves following a ten-year hiatus.As he told Outsports, he’ll be making his NASCAR debut as an out gay man.“I know I have a lot of eyes on me, and all I want to do is get out there and blur everything out so I can have a great debut race,” Herrin explained. “Everyone’s debut races are ones that tend to stick around a little bit for drivers.
For me, I just want to get out there and let my talent shine and actually show I am deserving to be there, and all of this work is paying off.” Herrin has been racing most of his life, first starting with motorcycles at the age of five.
By the age of 16, he was racing professionally in the hyper-masculine and very dangerous sport. But being a closeted male in the hypermasculine world of racing proved too much for the young man.
