/24-7PressRelease/ - ALLENTOWN, PA, March 11, 2008 - Former Olympic Gold Medal cyclist and current NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Marty Nothstein will drive in the 32nd Annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race on Saturday, April 19, 2008 in Long Beach, California.
The 10-lap race, featuring identically prepared, race-ready Toyota Scions, brings together celebrities from television, film and sports, and raises money for children's hospitals in Southern California. The Toyota Pro-Celebrity Race is a support race for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
"It's an honor to be a part of this race that does such great things for kids" said Nothstein, who will be driving the non-profit Follow A Dream/Permatex Top Alcohol Funny Car this season. "Driving in an event like the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race fits perfectly with my current team owner Jay Blake's message of the power of positive thinking and self-determination for America's youth."
Jay Blake, who is the founder and crew chief of the Follow A Dream racing team, was blinded in a 1997 industrial accident that also left him without a sense of taste or smell. Blake is the only blind crew chief in the world of motorsports.
On March 11, 2008 Toyota officials will announce the names of the other celebrities and professionals taking part in this year's race. Former winners of the celebrity race include actors Gene Hackman, Stephen Baldwin, Lorenzo Lamas, Jason Bateman, James Brolin and Alfonso Ribeiro, plus singers Donny Osmond and Ted Nugent.
The list of celebrity racers in 2007 included George Lucas ("Star Wars" creator), Emily Proctor ("CSI: Miami"), Robin Quivers ("Howard Stern Radio Show"), Chris Klein ("American Pie"), Joshua Morrow ("The Young and the Restless") and tennis great Martina Navratilova.
About Blitz Group LLC
Blitz Group is a boutique media company specializing in media strategy, event planning and television production.
About Marty Nothstein
Marty 'The Blade' Nothstein is one of the most recognized cyclists in the world having won an Olympic Gold Medal in the 2000 Games in Sydney and Silver in Atlanta in 1996. Nothstein is America's most decorated track cyclist with 35 U.S. National titles, three World Championships, four Pan-American Games Gold Medals, plus he's a World and Olympic record holder. Since retiring from professional cycling in 2006, Marty is focusing his need for speed in the world of drag racing. 2008 will mark Marty's third season in a Top Alcohol Funny Car. Nothstein will drive for Jay Blake, the Founder and Crew Chief of "The Follow A Dream Team". Blake is the only totally blind crew chief in the world of motorsports. After a successful rookie season in 2006 in his Top Alcohol Funny Car, Nothstein found the winner's circle twice during the 2007 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season.
About Follow A Dream
Established in 1999, Follow A Dream is a non-profit 501 (3) organization. The organization's message is uniquely delivered through NHRA drag racing as its medium. As racing's only totally blind, race crew chief, Follow A Dream Founder, Jay Blake draws upon his personal experience of overcoming adversity and achieving his dream of auto racing, and shares his inspiration with others. For more information go to http://www.followadream.org.
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