Kim Coates Earns Pole Position in Wet Practice Session for the 2012 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

LONG BEACH, Calif., April 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kim Coates was awarded the celebrity pole position based on the morning practice session for the 36th annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. Coates, star of the F/X series "Sons of Anarchy," becomes the first driver to be named the top starter in the race without finishing the qualifying session. Based on unsafe track conditions following torrential rain throughout the afternoon, the starting positions were determined by driving times in the morning practice session. But best lap times were amazingly close, indicating that the competition on the big day will be fierce. Among the other celebrity drivers whose times were differentiated by less than two seconds are Adrien Brody, Adam Carolla, Eddie Cibrian, Brody Jenner and Rutledge Wood.

"Kim drove well," said Les Unger, national motorsports manager with Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. "He returned to the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race this year to improve his performance—and he succeeded. But all the drivers deserve congratulations; they were troupers on one of the wettest and windiest days we've seen on this track in years."

Coates named the charity One Heart Source (in Africa) as the designee for a $15,000 donation awarded in conjunction with the 15th annual People Pole Award. "I am so happy to win this donation for One Heart Source (in Africa)," said an elated Coates at a news conference in the afternoon. "If I can win the race tomorrow, that's gravy—but this is the victory that really counts. That $15,000 is going to be put to such good use in an organization my daughter is active with; I couldn't be more thrilled."

In odds given by professional handicapper Anthony Curtis, Coates was consistently in the middle of the field, but during the practice session the actor kept pace with his driving buddy William Fichtner. Curtis has been studying and handicapping the drivers throughout March and April. He offers his insights solely for entertainment purposes on www.lasvegasadvisor.com. (There will be no actual wagering on the outcome of the race.)

In the professional category, Fredric Aasbo scored the fastest driving time in that same session, followed closely by Fichtner (last year's overall race winner, driving this year in the pro category), Bryan Clauson and Jim Jonsin.

Toyota will donate $5,000 to Racing for Kids in the name of each participant and an additional $5,000 to the winning racer's charity of choice. Racing for Kids is a national nonprofit program benefiting children's hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County, Calif. Toyota has donated more than $2 million on behalf of the race and its participants to various children's hospitals since 1991.

Saturday's race starts at 11:40 a.m. PDT.

To learn more about the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, one of six main-event attractions taking place during the 38th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, go to www.toyotaracing.com/, visit our Facebook page (Toyota Racing), follow us on Twitter @ToyotaRacing or join the conversation with the participants at #TPCR.

SOURCE Toyota