LONG BEACH, Calif. — An eclectic roster of stars of film, television and sports will strap into brand-new, race-ready Scion tCs to compete in the world’s longest-running, most successful celebrity-racing event, the Toyota Pro-Celebrity Race on April 19 as part of the 34th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
A field of 18 celebrity drivers will participate in the historic, 10-lap race for charity on a 1.97-mile street circuit through the downtown streets of Long Beach in Southern California. The Pro/Celebrity race, one of six featured events during race weekend, gives fans a chance to see some of their favorite stars duke it out on the track.
“We’re looking forward to one of the most competitive races since we created the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race more than 30 years ago,” said Les Unger, Toyota’s national motorsports manager. “The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is renowned for attracting ‘the fast and the famous’ because it offers the unparalleled celebrity-pro challenge of real high-speed racing, combined with a chance to support a worthwhile charity.”
Toyota will donate $5,000 to “Racing for Kids” in the name of each celebrity racer, and another $5,000 to the winning racer’s charity of choice. Racing for Kids is a non-profit program benefiting children’s hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County, Calif. 
Finally, a $15,000 donation will be made in conjunction with the 11th-annual “People Pole Award.” Sponsored by People magazine, the award honors the pole-position winner of the Toyota Pro-Celebrity Race qualifying session on April 18. On behalf of the race and its participants, Toyota has donated close to $1.6 million to various children’s organizations since 1991.
This year’s field includes the following group of fiercely competitive entertainment personalities, sports stars and media: Singer-actor Drew Lachey; actor Raymond Cruz; actor Wilmer Valderrama; NFL Hall-of-Fame running back Erick Dickerson, former NBA star John Salley; actor Daniel Goddard; ESPN/ABC pit reporter Jamie Little; basketball hall-of-famer Nancy Lieberman; film producer-director Brad Lewis; and actor William Fichtner.
The pro division will include: Off-road racer and ESPN pit reporter Beccy Gordon; Olympic-cycling gold medalist Marty Nothstein; former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Mike Skinner; former NHRA Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon; Funny Car driver Whit Bazemore; and Grand Am driver/jewelry designer Sarena Traver.