Celebrities get behind the wheel and charity at the Toyota Grand Prix

The real winners are the kids when professional racers and celebrity drivers take race-ready Scion tCs similar to the one at left for a 10-lap drive through downtown Long Beach in the 2008 Toyota Pro / Celebrity Race on Saturday, April 19. For the event -- part of the 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach -- Toyota is donating $5,000 for each celebrity racer, plus another $5,000 in the name of the winner to Racing for the Kids. The local nonprofit benefits children’s hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County.

Follow these pages to cast your vote on whether performers like singer-dancer Drew Lachey, “Prison Break’s” William Fichtner or athletes such as Olympic silver medalist Nancy Lieberman and former Laker John Salley have a chance at beating pro racers Mike Skinner of NASCAR and NHRA Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon, among others.

To purchase tickets for this year’s Grand Prix, go to https://www.gplb.com.