PRO/CELEBRITY NEWS

Keanu Reeves Wins Celebrity Category of 2009 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race “King of the Beach” Al Unser Jr. is Overall and Professional Winner


LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 18, 2009)  It was auto racing at its most thrilling as actor Keanu Reeves prevailed over a highly competitive group of stars of film, television and sports to win the Celebrity Category of the 2009 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. “The King of the Beach,” six-time Toyota Grand Prix winner Al Unser, Jr., finished first among all drivers and won in the Professional category, followed closely by NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Benson.Despite enjoying the lead for most of the race, world champion pro skateboarder Danny Way’s hopes of gliding into Victory Circle were dashed when he and Fonzworth Bentley, host of MTV’s “From G’s to Gents,” mixed it up in the ninth lap, giving Reeves the opening he needed to cross the finish line in his race-ready Scion tC only seconds before E! Entertainment Television’s Executive News Editor Ken Baker and comedian Carlos Mencia.


Actress/singer Raven Symone was the first of the drivers to discover  the hard way  how difficult the 1.97-mile street circuit through the downtown streets of Long Beach can be to navigate, but the plucky Disney star remained as upbeat after the race as the jovial Mencia, who surprised everyone with his third-place finish among the Celebrities.


It was Reeves, however, who claimed to be “in shock” at his triumph. “It is such a great feeling,” said the new celebrity champ after the race. “Bentley and I had been going at it for most of the race, but when I got to the last lap and came around the fountain turn I almost couldn’t believe it. I figured, ‘I’m just gonna go get it.’”


“This field had the crowd cheering through the entire race,” said Les Unger, Toyota Motor Sales USA national motorsports manager. “Each of the celebrities and the pros were hungry to take home the trophy this year, and they brought their best to the show. Throughout training and practice, they were intensely focused but they also enjoyed the experience, which is exactly what the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is all about.”


In the Professional Category, Unser overcame the pros’ :30-second handicap by the eighth lap and held off the scrappy Benson and Southern California Toyota Dealer representative Tom Rudnai, president of Longo Toyota in El Monte, Calif., who came in third overall. The 2008 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race winner, ESPN/ABC pit reporter Jamie Little, came in fifth among the Pros.


Mencia echoed the feelings of the rest of the drivers, concluding by complimenting Unser, saying, “It was humbling to be in this thing with a guy [like Unser] who has dominated this track for so many years, and still he made us feel great about being here, smiling and giving us tips. He was always smiling…even when he passed us on the track he was smiling!”


FINAL RACE RESULTS:


Pos No. Class Name Laps
1 22 Pro Al Unser Jr. 10 21:41.273
2 25 Pro Johnny Benson 10 21:44.001
3 21 President, Longo Toyota Tom Rudnai 10 21:46.94
5 4 11 Celebrity Keanu Reeves 10 21:46.973
5 2 Celebrity Ken Baker 10 21:49.423
6 18 Celebrity Carlos Mencia 10 21:50.834
7 24 Pro Coy Gibbs 10 21:54.021
8 26 Pro Jamie Little 10 21:56.190
9 14 Celebrity Tim Daly 10 21:56.296
10 5 Celebrity Adrien Brody 10 21:56.414
11 1 Celebrity Eric Close 10 21:56.579
12 19 Celebrity Auction Winner Annamarie Dean 10 21:59.141
13 16 Celebrity Auction Winner Doug Fregin 10 22:04.274
14 8 Celebrity MaryLynn Rajskub 10 22:07.859
15 20 Celebrity Alex Trebek 10 22:11.28
7 16 6 Celebrity Fonzworth Bentley 10 22:14.165
17 9 Celebrity Danny Way 9 19:54.669
18 17 Celebrity Raven Symone 4 10:13.596



Toyota will donate $5,000 to “Racing for Kids” in the name of each celebrity racer, and another $5,000 to the winning racer’s charity of choice. Racing for Kids is a national non-profit program benefiting children’s hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County, Calif. Toyota has donated $1.7 million on behalf of the race and it participants and various children hospitals since 1991.


Additionally, a $15,000 donation was made in conjunction with the annual “PEOPLE Pole Award.” Sponsored by PEOPLE magazine, the award was given to Danny Way, this year’s pole-position winner of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race qualifying session. Way selected the Action Sports Environmental Coalition (ASEC) as his charity, to support ASEC’s mission of progressive eco-education and empowering people to adopt a sustainable lifestyle. Way is hoping the funds generated by the “PEOPLE Pole Award” will enable ASEC to build a “green” skate park for kids in Hawaii.


The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race will be broadcast on Speed Channel next month. (See local listings for time and channel.)

Keanu cleared of paparazzo's assault

Snapper Alison Silva had claimed that Canadian actor Keanu Reeves' Porsche struck her in March 2007, but Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elizabeth A.

Grimes ruled that she could not seek punitive damages against the actor.

But Reeves’ attorneys stated in the court documents that Silva had placed her hand on the actor’s car and tripped while she was trying to take candid shots of him.

And in a signed declaration, Reeves revealed that he stopped the car after Silva had fallen and brought the photographer water, and that she also told him that it was an accident.

"I am a paparazzo. He is a movie star. It was an accident!" Contactmusic quoted Reeves as recounting Silva as saying, in the court documents.

Hearing both sides of the argument, Judge Grimes on September 22 ruled in favour of Reeves, stating that the actor did not act maliciously.

Silva, who claimed that her wrist was fractured in a fall after coming into contact with Reeves'' Porsche, has already undergone one unsuccessful surgery and is scheduled for another.

Keanu Reeves's girlfriend pregnant?

Tuesday, September 23 2008, 06:58 BST

By Michael Thornton

Keanu Reeves's girlfriend Parker Posey is rumoured to be pregnant after the couple were spotted buying baby clothes in LA.

The pair were seen spending £500 at exclusive store Petit Tresor, although a source close to them claimed that the purchases were for a friend.

Reeves is thought to have been dating the Superman Returns star since April.

"They both looked really happy. They were holding hands and laughing as they walked around the shop. Keanu was picking out lots of different things and seemed really excited," said an onlooker.

Reeves was linked to The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee co-star Winona Ryder earlier this year.

KEANU REEVES and PARKER POSEY have sparked rumours they are about to become parents.

By ALISON MALONEY
Published: Today

The couple, who have been dating since April, were spotted shopping for baby clothes in exclusive LA store Petit Tresor and spent over ｣500 on outfits.

They both looked really happy,・said an onlooker.

They were holding hands and laughing as they walked around the shop. Keanu was picking out lots of different things and seemed really excited.・

Earlier in the year Keanu was linked to WINONA RYDER, his co-star in The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee.

Keanu Reeves and Parker Posey Expecting Baby?

Keanu Reeves and girlfriend Parker Posey have sparked rumours they are expecting their first child together.

The couple  who were first romantically linked in April  were spotted spending more than $1,000 on baby products in exclusive Los Angeles store Petit Tresor.

An onlooker said: "They both looked really happy. They were holding hands and laughing as they walked around the shop