The Amazing Race 21 contestants

(photos courtesy CBS)

The Amazing Race 21, the 21st racearoundtheworld for a million bucks, kicks off on CBS on Sunday, September 30. In a welcome change from last season's gay-free Race, this installment sees mixed in among the usual dating couples, twins and...monster truck drivers? three known members of Team Gay.

Up first are a pair who may be familiar to AfterElton readers already. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcel are an engaged couple, farmers from upstate New York. Brent's also a doctor who used to work for Martha Stewart and Josh in a previous incarnation was a fabulous drag queen who's written a novel and a couple of memoirs.

Josh (left) and Brent

Oh, and they also appeared in a little reality show about their life on the farm called The Fabulous Beekman Boys that aired for two seasons on Planet Green and is now headed to The Cooking Channel. One thing that stood out for many Beekman Boys viewers was the level of bickering that Brent and Josh engaged in. If they carry that over to the Race it should make for some entertaining relationship drama, and hey, bickering on the Race never hurt a team, right?

Also bringing the gay (with a side of beef) is Jaymes Vaughan who, with Race partner James Davis performs with the Chippendales dance revue in Las Vegas. TAR is usually pretty reliable about getting Racers' kit off at least once in the course of the Race, so expect to enjoy some gratuitous semi-nudity from Team Chippendale.

Jaymes (left) and James

Interesting note, Jaymes had a club hit late last year with the song “Vampire.” For some reason he reminds us of a frosted blonde Ricky Martin.

As always, the winners of The Amazing Race will receive a prize of one million dollars, but for the first time ever if the team that wins the first leg also wins the entire race, the prize doubles to two million. Will you be there cheering Team Gay to the Finish Line?

The Amazing Race returns to CBS Sunday Sept. 30 8/7c