Toyota Speedway and Event Center
FOUR MORE CELEBRITIES ADDED TO RACING ROSTER
FOR "KIDS AGAINST CANCER" NASCAR RACE-JULY 23
Irwindale, Calif. - - Four more celebrity names have been added to the star-studded cast of the Kids Against Cancer Celebrity Race Presented by Justice Brothers that's set for Saturday night July 23 at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale.
Here, in alphabetical order, are the next four CELEBRACERS who will be putting on the Nomex and pulling on the carbon fiber to raise money for the cause in a few weeks:
BARRY BOSTWICK: Tall (6'4"), agile, energetic, and ever-so-confident as both actor and singer, especially on the Broadway stage, this consummate pro possesses that certain style. Yet, for all his diverse talents (he's a Golden Globe winner and was nominated for the Tony Award three times, winning once), Bostwick is trapped in a "time warp". 35 years after the fact, he is still indelibly associated with the role of nerdy hero Brad Majors in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975). In 1977 Bostwick won Broadway's highest award, the Tony for his work in "The Robber Bridegroom" (1977). Following top roles in the musicals "She Loves Me" and "The Pirates of Penzance", Bostwick turned to film and TV. After winning a Golden Globe for his role as a military officer in the miniseries "War and Remembrance" (1988), the prematurely grey-haired actor found steadier success in sitcoms as a smug comedy foil to Michael J. Fox playing Mayor Randall Winston for six seasons in "Spin City" (1996). He later enjoyed a recurring role as a dauntless attorney on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999). A prostate cancer survivor, Bostwick might also be spotted pitching items in commercials or hamming it up in family-oriented Disneyesque entertainment like "Parent Trap" and "101 Dalmatian" mold
One word sums up Barry Bostwick as a performer: VERSATILE!
JESSICA HOLMES: An anchor for the "KTLA Morning News at 9", this vivacious young Los Angeles TV reporter has a reputation for versatility in front of the cameras that even extended into ariel assignments as an airborne traffic reporter onboard Channel 5's famous HD Telecopter. Beginning her television career in 1999, Holmes interned at Nickelodeon and began co-hosting "Slimetime Live," six months later. In 2002 her rather slippery-named series was presented with an award for Outstanding Children's Program by the Florida Motion Picture and Television Association. By 2003, Holmes moved to New York to host the Outdoor Life Network's "Bragging Rights," a reality game show series where male contestants competed in outdoor sports challenges. Although a native of Cleveland, Holmes spent most of her childhood in Cape Coral, Florida, graduating from the University of Central Florida where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio and Television. Holmes joined KTLA in November 2005 as weathercaster for the station's "Prime News," after winning "The Audition", a reality show-style competition held on the Morning News show that saw hundreds of would-be weathercasters trying out in front of a million-viewer-strong audience where she landed what she calls the job of a lifetime. Her work with the all of the exceedingly personable personalities on the KTLA Morning News can always be described as fun-loving, bright, and engaging but, rest assured, her chops as a straight news reporter are as good as anyone on the show.
CHRISTOPHER McKNIGHT: This actor/Industrialist was born in New York, At the tender age of seven, he began landing appearances in commercials for companies such as Toyota, Tide, and Cheerios and in television shows such as "Gunsmoke" (1955) and "Mannix" (1967). Soon, however, he found himself involved with what would become one of the most successful television shows of all time. Partially because his dark looks matched that of Robert Reed who was already cast as the show's father, McKnight won the part of the middle brother, "Peter Brady", in "The Brady Bunch" (1969). Airing from September 1969 through August 1974, the show was highly popular with teenagers of that era. Although ending thirty years ago, it acquired instant syndication and has never since left the airways. McKnight has starred or otherwise participated in the abundance of Brady films, television movies, series, gatherings, discussions and retrospectives. McKnight also has utilized his celebrity status by serving as host and/or spokesperson for several projects. In 2003, for example, McKnight hosted the series "TV Road Trip" for the Travel Channel. McKnight also was privileged to be the spokesperson for the National Consumer League's "AD/HD Campaign to Inform the Nation," speaking in Washington D.C. at the National Press Club on the sensitive subject of AD/HD (McKnight himself was diagnosed with lifelong ADD at the age of 40). Cognizant of his celebrity status and seasoned by maturity, McKnight is ready and eager to return more fully to the industry that gave him his start and to expand his public identity.
DALLAS RAINES: If you're from southern California and don't know who Dallas Raines is, you've really got to get out more! This peripatetic prognosticator of the probabilities of the weather is not only knowledgeable (he's a real honest-to-millibars, capital "M") Meteorologist. And his nifty nightly weathercasts on ABC7 in Los Angeles are required watching for millions who really want to know how to dress for work and/or the weekend. At it for over 25 years now, the tanned and terrific newsman is considered something of a regional treasure by fellow broadcasters and viewers alike. The winner of a trophy room full of on-air weather-related performance awards, Raines is also something of a performance car aficionado, doing stuff like strapping a supercharger on his already pretty darn hot Corvette. Raines works with many community service agencies and has even taken time off to teach meteorology at Cal State University Northridge. Raines is also known for his stylish wardrobe, always wearing suits and ties that add interest to his persona. Perennially sporting a healthy tan, Raines is a human dynamo and one of the honestly nice guys in the biz.
Each of the above celebrities will drive identically-prepared S-2 NASCAR Stock Cars built at the RACECAR FACTORY right in Irwindale only about a mile from the track. These are serious, full-size, fiberglass bodied, stock cars with a 350 horsepower Chevy V-8's under the hood, and a full roll cage protecting the driver. Each machine comes "standard" with a looks-easy-when-the-pros-do-it, plop-in-through-the-window opening style entry that gets one's full and undivided attention first time and reminds that this ride is a pro deal every time thereafter.
SPECIAL SPONSOR'S NOTE: There are still a few very attractive special sponsor opportunities available for this very unique NASCAR charity event. $2,500 will not only get a sponsor's name painted very large on one of these sleek S2 stockers, but will include the full VIP treatment for two very lucky, very nice people. That includes a private meet and greet with the celebrity drivers, full NASCAR pit access, and tickets to the sponsor's VIP celebration on the track's exclusive party deck located high above turns 3 and 4. (One phone call to Mary Gonzales 626-358-1100 at the Speedway can set the above package up, just as quick as that.)
All of the above adds up to another "More (NASCAR) Racing For Your Money" Saturday night at Toyota Speedway in nearby Irwindale, California where ticket and parking prices have not changed since opening day 1999, and where racing is just the beginning of all the fun!
The track's gates open to the pubic at 4PM and at 5:45 everyone is invited right down on the track to take part in the Speedway's special time to meet the drivers, see the cars up close, get a snapshot or two, the autograph of a favorite driver and just generally mix and mingle in the pre-race party that we call the King Taco On-Track Autograph Session. Fans are reminded to bring the kids and not to miss this no-extra-charge unique part of the special fan experience at the Speedway!
NOTE: Since this release isn't long enough already here is a re-listing of the first five participants (again, in alphabetical order):
Veteran actor KIM COATES has appeared in over 100 film and TV productions including big screen roles in "Blackhawk Down" and "Resident Evil-Afterlife" as well as appearing as a cast member in "Sons of Anarchy" and "Human Target". Coates will be doing double duty on the July 23rd event night at Irwindale as it is also night of the track's twelfth annual "Harley's on the Half-Mile" gathering of the two-wheel fraternity. Bikers from all over SoCal will be converging on the Speedway to raise funds for 'Kids Against Cancer' and Coates is sure to be a big fan favorite with them.
Whether he's playing a good guy, a bad guy, and just about anything in between, WILLIAM FICHTNER is the walking definition of the word versatile when it comes to description of a working actor. He's done stage, TV, features
Even voice-overs for a popular video game. Fichtner's body of work includes a recurring roles (Phil Yagoda) in "Entourage", "MDs" (Dr. Bruce Kellerman) and in "Prison Break" (Alex Mahone). He was also seen in "The Dark Knight", "Blades of Glory", and in the award-winning ensemble film "Crash" among others. He shares a credit "Blackhawk Down" with Kim Coates. Fichtner raced in the Toyota Pro-Celebrity race at the Long Beach, but this will be his first time on an oval.
RIKI RACHTMAN has been one of the most recognizable figures on MTV & VH1 for over two decades. In the 90's he spent 5 years as the host of the highly rated HEADBANGERS BALL. He also starred on VH1's Charm School , Daisy of Love and hosted the famous Rock of Love Reunions. Rachtman is also a full-bore, flat-out NASCAR Nut. He spent several years on working on Speed Channel shows and for NASCAR.com, these days he hosts the nationally-syndicated radio show "Racing Rocks" currently heard on over 100 stations across the country. Just how much does this guy NASCAR love racing? He recently told us that he's got tattoos of the iconic racing numbers #3 and #43, but he didn't say where.
You know him as Detective Rex Winters on the gripping TV series "Law and Order: LA" where he just completed his fourteenth episode of the popular crime drama. And just ahead of that TV specialist SKEET ULRICH played the same crimestopper on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit". His work on "CSI:NY" was under the character name of Hollis Eckhart in the 2009 season, and from 2006 to 2008 he starred in the gritty western series "Jerico" as Jake Green. He portrayed Jethro Wheeler in the TV Mini-Series "Into The West" and was a regular in the 2003 series "Miracles" where he played Paul Callan.
Fifth, but far from last in this group of young actors is PETER SHINKODA. Now starring in TNT's highly anticipated series "Falling Skies" from executive producer Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks Television. Shinkoda plays as 'Dai,' a competent, yet quiet commando. Staying with the martial arts theme he'll also be seen in the upcoming Warner Bros. produced live-action web series "Mortal Kombat . Shinkoda's television credits include "The L Word" and "Kingdom Hospital", "Supernatural," SyFy's "Sanctuary," and James Cameron's "Dark Angel." On the big screen, Shinkoda has worked in features alongside the likes of: Jet Li, Jason Statham Will Smith, Bridget, Ben Affleck, Aaron Eckhart and Uma Thurman.
Toyota Speedway and Event Center opened on March 27, 1999 and has become one of the premier NASCAR Home Tracks in the country. Featuring virtually every aspect of stadium-style motorsports competition, the facility is clean, family-friendly and features a unique money-back guarantee that refunds any fan's ticket price if they are not 100% happy with the show. Located on the 605 freeway in Irwindale, California, the track is easy to get to from just about anywhere in southern California.
For more information, tickets, or directions: www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com
