We’ve seen it more and more lately: Race car drivers turning up on TV as celebrities. NASCAR star Jeff Gordon has co-hosted Live with Regis and Kelly 11 times, open-wheel stars Mario and Michael Andretti were practically semi-regulars on Home Improvement, and just yesterday, NASCAR driver Jeff Burton appeared on General Hospital.
For decades, though, it has worked the other way, too. Plenty of show-business celebrities have tried their hand at motorsports.
And some have been pretty successful…. Details
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Car enthusiasts may be in for a real treat Saturday in Columbiana.
An official of the Porsche Club of America’s Alabama region is urging its members to drive their Porsches to Columbiana on Saturday to watch the filming of a commercial which a Birmingham advertising company hopes Porsche will purchase and use to advertise its cars.
“This is very spur of the moment,†said Brynley King, vice president of the Alabama region of the Porsche Club of America. As vice president, King helps organize events, like car shows, dinners and wine and cheese tastings, for Alabama’s 350 members of the club.
“Anything that has to do with promoting Porsche, we try to get involved with,†he said…. Details
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Paul Newman The fact that virtually every motorsport publication noted the passing last September of
the Oscar-winning actor suggests the respect Newman, 83, garnered in the racing community. He got the bug while filming the 1969 movie Winning, and went on to win four national championships in the Sports Car Club of America series, and raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona. He also co-owned a Champ Car and Indy Car team that has over 100 wins. He is also credited with inspiring other celebrities to become involved in racing, including talk show host David Letterman, who co-owns an Indy Car team.
Steve McQueen While much of McQueen’s racing was on two wheels, he spent quite a bit of time in auto racing, including…Â Details
Acura rolls out its new prototype—designated the ARX-02a—in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in what may be the most interesting sports car race of the year.
The 57th running of the classic endurance race in central Florida will bring together Acura, Audi and Peugeot for the first—and probably only—race this year in the most technologically advanced sports cars on earth…. Details
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