SportsHollywood Exclusive

2002 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race
at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

Long Beach, California -- Major stars from film, television, music and sports are set to face off in the world's longest-running, most successful celebrity auto racing event. Since 1977, a major highlight of every Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach has been the Toyota Pro/Celebrity race -- spotlighting a star-studded field of personalities from the worlds of sports and entertainment as they "put the pedal to the metal" in a 10-lap sprint to raise money for charity and thrill the thousands of spectators lining the 1.99-mile Champ car track.

Previous winners include Gene Hackman (1980), Ted Nugent (1983), Lorenzo Lamas (1985), Rick Schroder (1989), Stephen Baldwin (1990), and Andy Lauer (1998).


Patrick Stewart prepares for Warp Speed.
Toyota Motorsports today announced its exciting lineup for the 26th annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, held in Long Beach, Calif. on Saturday, April 13. The 10-lap race, held on the 1.99-mile Champ Car track, will be part of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach race weekend.

The expected field of 17 features an eclectic group of entertainment personalities, internationally renowned celebrities, and figures from sports and media.

Stars driving in the race include: Patrick Stewart, ("Star Trek's" 'Captain Picard'), Goran Visnjic ('Dr. Luka Kovac' in NBC's "ER"), Bryan Cranston ('Hal' on FOX's "Malcolm in the Middle"), Bill Goldberg (Actor, Former WCW Champion Wrestler), Dulé Hill ('Charlie Young' in NBC's "West Wing"), Patrick Warburton ('Agent T' in the upcoming "Men in Black 2," 'Puddy" on "Seinfeld"), Christopher Kennedy Masterson ('Francis,' FOX's "Malcolm in the Middle"), Christopher Titus (FOX's "Titus"), Jacob Young ('Lucky Spencer,' ABC's "General Hospital"), and Dara Torres (Olympic Gold Medal).

Returning to defend his title is the 2001 Toyota Pro/Celebrity race champion, Tom Rudnai, the first Toyota dealer to win the race. Rudnai, the VP and GM of Longo Toyota and Lexus in El Monte, Calif., will compete in the professional category at this year's race.

Additionally, four other professional drivers competing for the checkered flag are Sarah Fisher (rising Indy Racing League star), Danica Patrick (rising open wheel star), Tommy Kendall (Four-time Trans-Am Champion) and Mark-Paul Gosselaar (ABC's "NYPD Blue" and a former race participant).

"The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is renowned for attracting top-name celebrity and professional drivers because it offers the high-speed challenge of real racing," said Les Unger, Toyota's national motorsports manager. "With stars from film, television, and sports, this year's race is sure to be a blockbuster."

Also included in the current field of drivers are Keith Crain (Publisher Automotive News, AutoWeek), and Dave Pasant, who earned a spot by making a bid of $65,000 for the 2002 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race seat at last year's Toyota Grand Prix Charity Ball auction.

The 10-lap race will be broadcast in its entirety on ESPN, Sunday, April 28.
As part of the race event, Toyota will help raise more than $100,000 this year for "Racing for Kids," a non-profit program benefiting Southern California children's hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County. Toyota will be donating $5,000 in the name of each participant, and another $5,000 will be awarded to the race winner's charity of choice.

Finally, a $10,000 donation will also be made in conjunction with the annual "PEOPLE Pole Award." Sponsored by PEOPLE magazine, the award honors the pole-position winner of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race qualifying session on Friday, April 12. Torres won the PEOPLE Pole Award in 2001, the first female pole winner in race history. Throughout the past 12 years, the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race has generated more than $1 million for charity.



Training
Manual

2001
Race

2003
Race

Race
Results

Racing photos are posted courtesy of Toyota Motorsports.

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