MILKA DUNO IN TOYOTA PRO/CELEBRITY RACE
Milka chosen to participate in popular Long Beach Grand Prix event with both pros and celebrities such as Angie Everhart and Josh Brolin
LOS ANGELES, CA – March 18, 2003 – Milka Duno will join stars from film, television, music and sports to face off in the world’s longest-running, most successful celebrity auto racing event.
Toyota Motorsports has announced its exciting lineup for the 27th annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race on Saturday, April 12, in Long Beach, CA – and they have asked Milka to participate in this year’s event in the “pro” category. The 10-lap charity race, held on the 1.99-mile downtown Long Beach Street circuit and broadcast to a national TV audience, is annually part of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach race weekend.
Milka, a multi-disciplined race car driver, has recently been focusing her efforts on North America’s premier sports car series – the American Le Mans Series – where Milka became the first woman in history to pilot the world’s fastest sportscars, and throughout Europe and South America in the World Series by Nissan – where she also became the first woman in history to drive the fastest open-wheel cars in Europe, other than Formula One. The World Series by Nissan is the last step on the ladder toward Formula One. Milka has also competed the last two years in the most famous sports car race in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Le Mans, France, where she was the only female driver (amongst 149 male drivers).
Toyota’s expected field of 17 features an eclectic group of entertainment personalities, internationally renowned celebrities, and figures from sports and media.
Stars joining Milka in the race include the following: Angie Everhart (Actress and model), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11 astronaut and 2nd man to walk on the moon), Picabo Street (Olympic Alpine Skiing Champion), Adam Carolla (Co-creator and co-host on Comedy Central’s “The Man Show” and “Crank Yankers,” and host of the nationally syndicated radio show “Loveline”), Jesse James (Host of Discovery Channel’s “Monster Garage”), Carlos Bernard (‘Tony Almeida’ on FOX’s “24”), Gary Dourdan (‘Warrick Brown’ on the CBS hit show “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”), Tommy Shane Steiner (American Music Awards nominee for “Favorite New Artist Country Music”), Peter Reckell (‘Bo Brady’ on NBC’s daytime soap “Days of Our Lives”), Steve Hartman (KCBS-TV and XTRA Sports 690 Broadcaster), and Tony Potts (“Access Hollywood” correspondent).
Josh Brolin (Senator ‘Bill Sterling’ on NBC’s “Mr. Sterling”) and the 2000 Toyota Pro/Celebrity race champion, is returning for this year’s classic. As a former participant, Brolin will compete with three other drivers in the “pro” category this year. In addition to Brolin, Milka was chosen by Toyota to compete in the “pro” category alongside Jeremy McGrath (Seven-time AMA Supercross Champion) and Leilani Munter (NASCAR Touring Series driver).
The Toyota Pro/Celebrity race is renowned for attracting celebrity and professional drivers because it offers the high-speed challenge of real racing,” said Les Unger, Toyota’s National Motorsports Manager. “With stars from film, television, music and sports, this year’s race is sure to provide thrills for the fans.”
As part of the race event, Toyota will help raise more than $100,000 this year for “Racing for Kids,” a non-profit program benefiting Southern California children’s hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County. Toyota will donate $5,000 in the name of each participant, and another $5,000 to the race winner’s charity of choice. In addition, a $10,000 donation will also be made in conjunction with the sixth 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 11. Throughout the past 12 years, the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race has generated more than $1,000,000 for charity.
“I’m very proud and excited that Toyota has selected me to participate in such a popular and worthwhile event,” said Milka. “I am so happy to be part of an event that raises money to help children in need. I’m also looking forward to racing with and against these popular personalities!”