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Carl Lewis To Participate in Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

16 March 1999

Track and Field Legend Carl Lewis To Participate in the 23rd Annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

    LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BW SportsWire)--March 16, 1999--Nine-time Olympic gold medal winner Carl Lewis is ready to trade in his running shoes for racing gloves and a chance to jump behind the wheel of a race-ready Toyota Celica.
    One of the greatest athletes of the 20th Century, the track and field champion and world record holder has agreed to participate in this year's 23rd annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race in Long Beach, Calif. on April 17. Part of the 25th anniversary Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach race weekend, the prestigious race pits celebrities and professional drivers in a bumper-to-bumper battle through the streets of downtown Long Beach.
    Slated to compete in the celebrity category of the race, Lewis continues the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race's tradition of attracting legendary sports figures. Former participants include NFL Hall-of-Famer Walter Payton, future Hall-of-fame inductee Joe Montana, Olympian Bruce Jenner, and three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond.
    Lewis will compete head-to-head with a host of other top-name stars including film star Vince Vaughn, renowned extreme sports athlete Shaun Palmer and 1991 champion Donny Osmond.
    Highlights of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race will be broadcast on ABC, Sunday, April 18 during the telecast of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (4 p.m. EST). The 10-lap race, held on the 1.85-mile Champ Car track, features a field of approximately 18 drivers and will be broadcast in its entirety on ESPN, Sunday, April 25 at 5 p.m. EST.
    As part of the race event, Toyota helps raise close to $100,000 for "Racing for Kids," a fundraising program benefiting Southern California children's hospitals in Long Beach, Los Angels and Orange County, by donating $5,000 in the name of each participant. Another $5,000 will be awarded to the race winner's charity of choice.
    In addition, a $5,000 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 16. Throughout the past eight years, the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race has generated nearly $600,000 for charity.