Out racecar driver and auto enthusiast team up with Saab for The Fireball Run
The Fireball Run, a cross-country race where 100 drivers trek from Orlando to Los Angeles, sounds like a take-off of the hit 1980 film The Cannonball Run. This 3,500-mile long adventure of a lifetime has a new entry this year that is adding some diversity to the colorful cast of characters competing for the first-place honors. Out racecar driver Evan Darling and Gaywheels.com founder and CEO Joe LaMuraglia will be racing in a Saab 9-3 convertible as Team G.L.A.M. in this year's run.
"I can't wait to get out there and rip on the open road across country in the Saab 9-3," said Darling, whose career in racing has spanned more than 14 years. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to race for a good cause in a great car and let people know that a couple of gay guys do know a thing or two about cars."
Team G.L.A.M. (Gay & Lesbian Automotive Maniacs) is the first openly gay team to compete in an event of this kind. Sponsored by Gaywheels.com, Saab Automobile USA and GLEE.com (a gay and lesbian social networking site) the team of Darling and LaMuraglia will be racing to raise awareness of missing children, the designated charity for the Fireball Run.
Their car will sport a decal of 7-year-old Jonah Ferrell from Clarksburg, West Virginia, who has been missing since May 2007. In each of the cities they stop in along the route, they will put up posters and hand out flyers to help in the search for Jonah. Each of the teams in the Fireball Run will be racing for their own individual child.
"Gaywheels.com not only educates lesbian and gay consumers about gay-friendly automakers, but also relishes the opportunity to show the world that we are as avid about automobiles as any other enthusiast," said LaMuraglia. "There is no better way to do that than by taking the checkered flag in this year's Fireball Run."
LaMuraglia's company, http://Gaywheels.com, is a one-of-a-kind Web site that provides detailed information to LGBT car-shoppers. The site features information and reviews on vehicles from gay-friendly auto manufacturers. The site also has a dealer directory to help consumers locate dealerships that are especially welcoming to LGBT customers. Darling and LaMuraglia will be racing in the Saab 9-3 Aero convertible. It's no coincidence either that the team's car sponsor Saab also has one of the top-rated and researched cars on Gaywheels.com.
"Saab, and its parent company GM, have been strong supporters of the LGBT community for many years and we're glad to have them on board as a sponsor," LaMuraglia explained. "We're looking forward to driving cross-country in the swift and stylish Saab 9-3 convertible." GM's other makes include Cadillac, Saturn, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Hummer and Chevrolet.
The Fireball Run kicked off in Orlando on Sept. 29, and the nine-day race made stops in cities including Baton Rouge, Houston, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and Henderson, Nev. as the racers make their way to the finish line in Los Angeles. For more details on the race go to fireballrun.com and to learn more about LGBT-friendly auto companies or to meet other auto enthusiasts, visit http://Gaywheels.com and http://glee.com.
Race Outcome: We made it!
2nd Place in Luxury, 11th Overall
Excerpt form http://GayWheels.com interviews with GLAM participants
Well, we made it. While I would have preferred that the title claimed our overall victory in the inaugural Fireball Run, I am very pleased with our final results. The score was based on a multitude of factors and to be very honest, the rules kept changing as the event progressed. When you get 45+ teams of highly competitive individuals, loopholes will be found and rules will be challenged. At the end of the day, Evan drove our G.L.A.Mobile within an inch of its life on the track and earned the respect of every other driver out there. The Saab impressed as well. We never once dreaded getting into its wonderful seats and were amazed at how well it put up with the beatings at the track and then performed flawlessly on the highway. The other Fireballers were impressed as well.
Many people have asked us why we took part in this race and why we had to make a point of being the first out gay team. There is no simple answer to that question. To be honest, we did it for many reasons. First, it was for a great cause. The Child Rescue Network faces huge challenges in their goal to find missing and abducted children. We were honored to be a part of that quest and help raise awareness as we drove across the United States. Secondly, Evan and I wanted to inspire GLBT youth (of all ages!) and show them that you can follow your passions and be out. If we can inspire at least one person out there that is struggling with their sexuality and thinking it conflicts with their desires to be a race car driver/business person/accountant/actor/mechanic etc, it was worth our time.
Check out the video (of the week long trek) online at www.gaywheels.com for a final compilation of our representation at the track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
