Actor Perry King Unhurt After Racing Accident In Pro Rally at Maine Forest

    RUMFORD, Maine, July 31 Perry King, star of Aaron
Spelling's upcoming television drama series "Titans", walked away from an
off-road excursion at the wheel of an "extreme sport" Hyundai Tiburon at the
Maine Forest ProRally this past weekend.
    
    King, who has an extensive background in auto racing, was entered in the
Production Class for round five of the 2000 Sports Car Club of America's
ProRally Championship driving a specially prepared Hyundai Tiburon.  King had
successfully completed the first night of racing when he went off the road at
speed on Saturday, wedging the car between two trees high-centering it on a
rock.  He was philosophic after the crash, telling a rally spokesperson that
he ran out of talent before he ran out of road.

    "I came over a crest and didn't expect to a washout in the road.  I tried
to avoid it at speed, but it was too late and I slid into a ditch.  I'm fine,
and the car wasn't really damaged, but it took two hours to free the car and
we were time-barred -- thus disqualified -- from the event," said King, who
would like to run another rally if the opportunity arose.

    In Sports Car Club of American (SCCA) ProRally competition the objective
is to cover the rally route as quickly as possible, but there's one little
hitch.  Neither the driver nor navigator gets to see the rally instructions or
the course until just before they are scheduled to leave the starting line.

    The timed special stages are run on dirt roads or fire roads and the cars
are sideways more than straight as the drivers follow the instructions of the
navigator. While on the outside it appears the cars are careening wildly
though the forest coming within inches of bushes and trees, the story on the
inside is quite different as the driver smoothly coordinates the steering
wheel, throttle pedal, brake and clutch in a thundering mechanical ballet.
 
   "I'd give up acting to race full-time in a heart beat," said King. "But if
I quit acting, I doubt I'd have the wonderful opportunities to race so many
great machines."

    King's new show, "Titans" centers around the turmoil swirling inside a
wealthy Beverly Hills family and co-stars two beautiful actresses, Victoria
Principal and Yasmine Bleeth.  His acting career includes the hit 1980s
television series Riptide, as well as starring roles in numerous feature
films, television shows and mini-series.

    King's Hyundai co-stars and teammates, are talented drivers and series
rivals Paul Choiniere and Noel Lawler, who finished first and second overall
at the Maine Forest Rally.  The two, along with their respective co-drivers
Jeff Becker and Charlie Bradley raced identically prepared 2000 Hyundai
Tiburons, powered by 2.0-liter, 381-horsepower turbocharged powerplants. A
more docile 2.0-liter, DOHC in-line four-cylinder, 140-horsepower engine
powers the Production Class Hyundai Tiburon King drove in the event.