Pro/Celebrity Race Announced for 2015 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
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| Brett Davern (R), star of MTV's "Awkward," and Pro/Celebrity Pro Division winner Al Unser Jr. (L) with their trophies |
| Steve Dawson/Grand Prix Association of Long Beach |
The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach (GPALB) announced today that the 39th Pro/Celebrity Race will take place Saturday, April 18, 2015 as part of the world-famous Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend, April 17-19, 2015.
The Pro/Celebrity Race, the longest-running, most prestigious celebrity race in the United States, will continue to receive support from Toyota, which will provide its Scion FR-S race fleet and technical support for all training, press/practice day and race weekend activities.
"We are grateful to Toyota for their continued partnership, which has included involvement from our first race in 1975 as well as a record 36 years as title sponsor of the race weekend," said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. "The Pro/Celebrity Race is an integral part of our race weekend and we’re delighted to continue that tradition."
Run each year on the streets of Long Beach, Calif. since 1977, the Pro/Celebrity Race is part of a seven-race weekend and features celebrities from the fields of film, television, music and sports racing each other wheel-to-wheel in identically prepared Scion FR-S. Monies raised each year benefit “Racing for Kids," a nonprofit, national fundraising program that supports children’s hospitals throughout the United States. The race will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network with multiple repeat airings.
Over the years, Pro/Celebrity Race participants have included many Hollywood elites such as Keanu Reeves, Ashley Judd, Adrien Brody, Cameron Diaz, George Lucas, Queen Latifah and Jay Leno. Outside the red carpet, participants such as former astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, NFL star John Elway, NBA All-Star Karl Malone, X Games Champion Tony Hawk, Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton and twelve-time Olympic medalist Dara Torres have competed in the 10-lap charity event. This year’s list of participants will be finalized within the next few months.
More than $2.1 million has been donated by Toyota to the Racing for Kids organization since 1991 on behalf of the Pro/Celebrity race and its participants.