Drivers Announced for "Glitz, Glamour and Glory" 2012 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

Drivers Announced for "Glitz, Glamour and Glory" 2012 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

Adrien Brody, Eddie Cibrian, Christopher Meloni, Kate del Castillo and More Compete for Charity

LONG BEACH, Calif., March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For the 36th year, the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race will field a glamorous array of Hollywood's elite in an action-packed race for charity--and the glory of the winner's circle. On Saturday, April 14, stars from film, television, music, sports and fashion will get behind the wheels of identically prepared, race-ready Toyota Scion tCs to drive the historic 10-lap, 1.97-mile street circuit through the streets of downtown Long Beach, Calif.

This year's field will compete in what has become the world's longest-running, most prestigious celebrity racing event, and includes the following popular entertainment, media and sports personalities:

* Jillian Barberie Reynolds Television personality and co-host
of Emmy Award-winning, top rated
Fox morning show "Good Day LA" for
the past 15 years.

* Adrien Brody Best Actor Oscar winner for his role
in "The Pianist." Other film credits
include, "King Kong," "The Village,"
"Darjeeling Limited," "Summer of
Sam." Most recently seen on screen
in Woody Allen's Academy
Award-winning "Midnight in Paris"
and "Detachment."

* Kate del Castillo One of Mexico's most acclaimed
actresses, popular for roles in
telenovelas "La Reina del Sur" and
"Muchachitas," as well as the
Showtime series "Weeds." She was
named by People en Espanol as one of
its "50 most beautiful."

* Eddie Cibrian Television and film actor best known
for roles in "CSI: Miami," "Ugly
Betty," "Vanished," "Invasion,"
"Third Watch," "Sunset Beach," "The
Playboy Club" and "Baywatch Nights."
He next appears in the Tyler Perry
movie "Good Deeds."

* Kim Coates Film and television actor known for
his intense performances in "Sons of
Anarchy," "Resident Evil: Afterlife"
and "Black Hawk Down." He will be
seen on the big screen in the
upcoming movies "Goon" and "The
Truth."

* Eileen Davidson Actress beloved for more than 20
years as Ashley Abbot on "The Young
and the Restless" and "The Bold and
the Beautiful." She also appeared in
"Days of Our Lives" and "Santa
Barbara" and has written a series of
mystery novels.

* Hill Harper The acclaimed television, film and
stage actor currently stars in the
hit crime-procedural "CSI: NY." He
is an author and Harvard grad who
has appeared in "For Colored Girls,"
"The Handler," "City of Angels,"
"Loving Jezebel" and "The Visit."

* Brody Jenner The reality-TV star was a central
character in "The Hills" and has
appeared in his stepsisters' show
"Kourtney & Kim Take New York." His
Olympic athlete father, Bruce, has
driven in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity
Race five times, winning twice.

* Christopher Meloni The television and film actor is best
known for high-profile starring
roles on "Law & Order: SVU" and the
gritty HBO prison drama "Oz." He is
returning to HBO, as a cast member
in the upcoming season of the
network's hit series "True Blood."

* Scott Porter Actor best known as injured QB Jason
Street in the critically acclaimed
series "Friday Night Lights." After
a story arc on "The Good Wife," he's
now a regular on the CW's "Hart of
Dixie" and will next appear in
cineplexes in "The To-Do List."

* Bill Rancic Entrepreneur and television
personality viewers first met as the
winner of the inaugural season of
"The Apprentice." Currently stars in
the Style Network reality series
"Giuliana & Bill," which was
recently renewed for a fifth season.

* Cain Velasquez Former UFC Heavyweight champion,
Velasquez has lost only one fight in
his professional career. The
Mexican-American mixed martial
artist has appeared on the Spanish-
language TV networks Telemundo and
Univision.

* Rutledge Wood The host of "Top Gear USA" is also an
auto-racing analyst on the Speed
Channel.

Pros vying for the title include Scion drift driver Fredric Aasbo; former USAC National Midget champion and 2012 driver of Toyota-powered USAC teams, Bryan Clauson; and Jim Jonsin, Grammy award-winning record producer, "American Idol" mentor and owner of Rebel Rock Racing.

"It's been astonishing to see how many entertainers and sports personalities have been transformed by the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race--not just by the event itself, but by the fact that it benefits chronically ill children. I have yet to meet a participant who hasn't been appreciative and sincerely affected by the children's hospital visit that we organize ahead of race day," said Les Unger, Toyota's national motorsports manager. "It's one of the reasons that this race remains such an immense draw for celebrities and athletes--and for the fans who get to see their favorite stars really having a ball. Honestly, I don't know who has more fun--the drivers or the spectators."

Rounding out the field are charity auction winners Doug Fregin, co-founder and former vice president of operations for Research in Motion (RIM),and nightclub owner Jerry Westlund. The final seat on the track, reserved each year for a Southern CaliforniaToyota dealer, is being filled by Biff Gordon, general manager of Quality Toyota, in Corona, Calif.

Prior to the race, the celebrity drivers will get on-the-track training to fully prepare for the adventure of race day. In addition to the thrill of the sport, this event benefits children in need. Toyota annually donates $5,000 to Racing for Kids on behalf of each participant and another $5,000 to the winning racer's charity of choice. Racing for Kids--a national nonprofit program benefiting children's hospitals throughout the country--was created as a way to connect these children with their favorite celebrities and race-car drivers. Toyota has donated more than $2 million to the Racing for Kids organization since 1991, on behalf of this race and its participants. The two specific children's hospitals that benefit from the Toyota Pro/Celebrity race are Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach, Calif., and Children's Hospital of Orange County.

In addition to Toyota's contributions, a $15,000 donation will be made in conjunction with the 15th-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 13.

To learn more about the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, one of six main-event attractions taking place during the 38th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, go to www.toyotaracing.com/, visit our Facebook page (Toyota Racing), follow us on Twitter @ToyotaRacing or join the conversation with the participants at #TPCR.

Contacts:
Morgan Calef Sharon Noot
212.367.6949 714.527.7735
morgan.calef@eurorscg.com sharon@nootinc.com

SOURCE Toyota Motorsports

Toyota Motorsports

Web Site: http://www.toyotaracing.com

-------
Profile: intent