Toyota Pro/Celebrity

Brown will give the "start your engines" command and then be driven around the track to precede the start of this historic, 10-lap race for charity through a 1.97-mile street circuit through the downtown streets of Long Beach. The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, one of six featured events during race weekend, gives fans a chance to see their favorite stars duke it out on the track during exciting action-packed competition.

A Fan-Friendly Fanfare

Among the celebrity drivers are Drew Lachey, second-season winner of Dancing with the Stars; Wilmer Valderrama from That 70's Show; NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson; NBA legend John Salley; Prison Break's William Fichtner; ESPN pit reporter Jamie Little, Academy Award-winning producer/director Brad Lewis and soap-star Daniel Goddard, to name a few. Fans can log onto www.raceschool.com/toyotaraceblog and www.lasvegasadvisor.com to see how Anthony Curtis, president of LasVegasAdvisor.com and one of the world's most recognized and quoted gambling authorities, has sized up the field’s chances. Visitors to his site also can vote for how they think their favorite stars will finish.

'Mr. Raider' Still Coming Through

While completing his Bachelor's degree in Business from Notre Dame University, Brown won the Heisman Trophy, collegiate football's highest honor. He went on to spend a record-setting 17 years with the Oakland Raiders, during which he established himself as one of the National Football League's most prolific wide receivers and earned the title, "Mr. Raider."

However, it is his tireless philanthropic efforts that make him the ideal choice as Grand Marshal of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. Brown is currently the founder and CEO of Locker81, Inc., the umbrella company of Tim Brown Foundation, Fundraising Solutions and Tim Brown Racing, a future NASCAR team which hopes to raise the level of diversity in auto racing. Tim Brown Racing was established in 2006 with the goal of finding an African-American, Hispanic or female driver as the star of its team. Brown also has been actively reaching out to a wide array of diverse sponsors to support this goal and has worked out a technical alliance with a well known powerhouse in the sport of NASCAR.

Brown's on-field excellence has always been mirrored by an off-the-field career in various successful ventures including telecommunications, Internet services, sports apparel and sports management. He is the national spokesman for Athletes and Entertainers for Kids, 911 for Kids and is a trustee for Victory Temple Church of God in Christ.

"Tim Brown is a gridiron legend who has dedicated himself to helping children and enhancing the sport of auto racing," said Les Unger, Toyota's national motorsports manager. "We are pleased to have him as Grand Marshal of the 32nd Annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, and it will be a thrill to hear 'Mr. Raider' shout, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Scion Engines!'"

Ticket and Race Information

Tickets for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, featuring six racing events including the second round of the 2008 Champ Car World Series, can be purchased from the Grand Prix ticket office by calling the toll-free ticket hotline at (888) 82-SPEED. A handy fan guide – which includes circuit map, grandstand and parking locations, ticket prices and order form – can be obtained by calling the ticket hotline. Tickets also are available online at www.longbeachgp.com or www.ticketmaster.com.