Rum Bum Brings the Heat

© Neal Montgomery

Bailey Whitaker at the start.

Things are heating up at the NHRA World Finals, and Rum Bum is lighting the fire! Both racers achieved career bests Saturday at the Pomona Raceway, and Rum Bum Racer, Shawn Gann, long jumped his way to the front of the pack. At the end of the day, Gann was ranked 2nd out of 24 racers – six spots above his ranking on Friday – with an outstanding performance that upset the scoreboard faves.

“I knew I was going fast,” said Gann, trying to recap his 6.951 race that bought him two bonus points and settled him in medal range entering the final eliminations. At 191.57mph, he was; Gann had just completed the fastest run of the session so far and raced faster than he’d ever raced before. “I was racing against Hines,” he said of his very worthy opponent, “and I just beat the %*@& out of Hines, so there ain’t no telling how I run!” In short, Gann’s feet haven’t touched the ground since. Through a grin, the racer said, “People see me turning it on at the end of the season when most people don’t have anything else left to turn on.”

Bailey Whitaker, the self-proclaimed “Surf Bum on the Rum Bum Race Team,” set another remarkably high point on Saturday with his impressive time of 7.047 at 187.83 mph.  Whitaker has won at the Pomona Raceway before, and Saturday’s race stood a personal victory this time as he ran the fastest he’s ever run in his pro stock motorcycle drag racing career. “I’m really proud of him,” said Whitaker’s teammate, Gann, who has seen him improve immensely over the course of this season.

Both Rum Bum Racers have one last chance to work it on the track before the season ends.  Whitaker’s awesome qualifying time ranked him 16th among the competitors, and allowed him a spot to run in the final eliminations on Sunday.  Gann enters the eliminations ranked 2nd – higher than he has all year so far.  For both racers, this weekend’s performance at the World Finals is certainly deserved of their unbelievable efforts of the season.  Gann remarked, “When you dedicate your whole life to doing something, and you succeed at doing that one thing, words just can’t touch it.”

Best of luck to our Rum Bum Racers on Sunday Eliminations!  You make us proud!