Some of America’s favorite stars of film, television, sports and music will “get racey” to raise funds for charity at the annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.

As the world’s longest-running and most prestigious celebrity racing event, the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race has introduced more than 500 celebrities to the sport of real race car competition.  Pitting popular personalities against professional racers, the 10-lap sprint around the 1.97-mile downtown Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach street circuit gives celebrities the chance to put the pedal to the metal from behind the wheel of race-ready Scion tCs. 

This year’s field is comprised of 18 drivers who’ve distinguished themselves in their chosen careers as performers, athletes, musicians and journalists – and are prepared to take on the high-speed challenge of life in auto racing’s fast lane to support “Racing for Kids,” a national non-profit program benefiting children’s hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County, Calif. 

ADRIEN BRODY, who won an Academy Award in 2003 for his role of real-life Holocaust survivor Wladyslaw Szpilman in Roman Polanski's “The Pianist,” is, to date, the youngest person to have won the Oscar in the Best Actor category.  His portrayal also earned him Best Actor honors from the National Society of Film Critics and the Boston Society of Film Critics.    

Other films Brody has appeared in include “The Village” and “Hollywoodland.”  Brody most recently appeared in “Cadillac Records” and can also be seen in “The Darjeeling Limited,” “King Kong” and “Summer of Sam.” 

With the release of her self-titled fourth solo album on Hollywood Records this year, RAVEN-SYMONÉ continues to prove that she is one of Hollywood's most powerful and talented young stars.  Best known for her roles on the Emmy Award-winning comedy series “The Cosby Show” and her own Emmy-nominated show, “That's So Raven,” Raven-Symoné also voices the role of 'Monique' on Disney Channel's animated action/comedy “Kim Possible.”  Other television appearances include “Hangin with Mr. Cooper.”  On the big screen she has been seen in "The Princess Diaries 2" and "Dr. Dolittle" I & II opposite Eddie Murphy.  She was most recently seen on the big screen starring in "College Road Trip" opposite Martin Lawrence. 

ALEX TREBEK is the five-time Emmy award winning host of the television game show, “Jeopardy!”  Trebek has appeared in more than 70 movies and television shows, most often appearing as himself.  He is a genuine audience favorite and a true American icon. 

Voted “The All Time Greatest Action Sports Athlete Ever” and 2004 Thrasher Magazine’s “Skater of the Year,” DANNY WAY is one of the most respected athletes by core fans and fellow professionals alike.  Way is a multiple world-record holder as well as a multiple X Games Gold Medalist – and is the only person to have ever jumped out of a helicopter on a skateboard.  Way is also the only person to have ever skateboarded over the Great Wall of China, and he did it with a broken ankle, in front of 100 million viewers.    

MARY LYNN RAJSKUB plays CTU Tech Analyst Chloe O'Brian on the award-winning FOX television series, “24.”   An accomplished actress, artist and comedienne, Rajskub’s film roles include “Legally Blond 2,” “Dude Where’s My Car,” “Punch Drunk Love,” “ Sweet Home Alabama” and “Storytelling.”

Currently starring as Dr. Pete Wilder on the hit ABC series “Private Practice,” TIM DALY is a renowned stage, screen and television actor.  Most recently, Daly received an Emmy nomination for his guest starring role on the acclaimed HBO series “The Sopranos” as J.T., a screenwriter in the grips of both a drug addiction and gambling problem.  

In addition to his acting work, Daly is producing the documentary film “Poli-wood,” directed by Barry Levinson, which presents an in-depth look at the 2008 presidential election.  Daly also served as executive producer on the Showtime feature “Execution of Justice,” which won him the GLAAD Award for “Outstanding Made for Television Movie.” 

On the small screen, Daly is the voice of iconic superhero Superman in both the animated series and two animated features.  Daly starred in the critically acclaimed series “The Nine” and as Dr. Richard Kimble in “The Fugitive,” for which he was nominated for a SAG Award. Other notable television acting credits include HBO’s “From the Earth to the Moon,” in which Daly played legendary astronaut Jim Lovell, NBC’s long-running comedy series “Wings” and ABC’s miniseries “Storm of the Century” from creator Stephen King. 

ERIC CLOSE currently co-stars on the top-rated CBS hit “Without a Trace” as FBI agent Martin Fitzgerald.  His feature film work includes roles in “American Me,” “Taking Liberty,” “Safe House,” “Alvarez & Cruz,” “The Sky is Falling” and “Liberty, Maine,” in addition to television appearances on “Steven Spielberg's Taken,” “Now and Again,” “Dark Skies,” “Sisters”  and “The Magnificent Seven.”

KEANU REEVES is best known for his portrayals of Neo in the action film trilogy “The Matrix,” Ted Logan in “Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure” and “Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey,” and Officer Jack Traven in “Speed.”  His other notable performances include “Little Buddha;” “My Own Private Idaho,” “Johnny Mnemonic,” “The Devil's Advocate,” “Dangerous Liaisons;” “Chain Reaction,” “Constantine,” “Point Break” and most recently, “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”

Reeves also played bass guitar in the grunge band Dogstar during the 1990s, and more recently in the band Becky.  In an ET online survey in 2006, he was included in the "Top Ten of America's Favorite Stars.”

CARLOS MENCIA stars in the hit Comedy Central series, “The Mind of Mencia.”  A veteran of Hollywood’s Laugh Factory and The Comedy Store, Mencia was named "International Comedy Grand Champion" by Buscando Estrellas (the Latino version of “Star Search”) and received a Cable ACE Award nomination for “Best Stand-Up Comedy Special” in 2002 for his HBO special.  His film appearances include “The Heartbreak Kid” as well as the independent films “Outta Time” and “29 Palms.”

Executive News Editor of E! Entertainment, KEN BAKER is Hollywood’s pre-eminent expert on all things celebrity.  He also is a radio correspondent for “On-Air With Ryan Seacrest” and the author of three books:  Man Made: A Memoir of My Body, which describes his 12-year battle with a brain tumor; They Don’t Play Hockey in Heaven: A Dream, a Team and My Comeback Season, and his debut novel, Hollywood Hussein. 

Another author in this year’s field, BENTLEY who caught the world's attention several years ago as the flawlessly dressed personal assistant to Sean “P. Diddy” Combs.  With his recently released book, Advance Your Swagger: How to Use Manners, Confidence and Style to Get Ahead, published by Random House, and his eagerly-awaited debut album, CoolOutrageousLoversofUniquelyRawStyle (C.O.L.O.U.R.S.), Bentley has stepped out from behind Combs to unleash his many talents.

Competing in the “Pro” category of the race is JAMIE LITTLE, 2008 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race Winner and ESPN/ABC pit reporter for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.  Little is the first female reporter on “Motoworld,” regularly covering Supercross and Motocross competitions on ESPN and ESPN2.  She also has worked on the Summer and Winter X Games since 2002, serving as a reporter for all disciplines within Moto X.

Returning to compete against Little in the “Pro” category is AL UNSER, JR., the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, two-time CART Series Champion and overall winner of the 1985 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.  Dubbed “King of the Beach,” Unser holds a record six wins at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

COY GIBBS, the youngest son of NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach and Championship NASCAR Team Owner Joe Gibbs, is the driving force of the JGR professional supercross and motocross program (JGRMX) and the third driver in the “Pro” category.  Coy made his racing debut in 2000 in the NASCAR Truck Series and then went on to compete two years later in the Nationwide series with Joe Gibbs Racing, where he finished his rookie season with two top-10 finishes.  Since then, the Nationwide program has grown into a key element of the JGR organization, now fielding a multi-car effort with its own 100,000-plus-square-foot race shop.

The final driver in the “Pro” category is 2008 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion JOHNNY BENSON, son of former Michigan Modified Driver John Benson Sr.  The younger Benson is a fan-favorite, winning the Truck Series title as “Most Popular Driver” in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Representing the Southern California Toyota Dealers Association is TOM RUDNAI, winner of the 2001 celebrity race and president of Longo Toyota in El Monte, Calif., an affiliate of Penske Motor Group.  Rounding out the field are the online charity auction winner DOUGLAS FREGIN, co-founder and retired vice president of operations for Research in Motion (makers of the Blackberry), and the Boys and Girls Club charity auction winner ANNAMARIE DEAN, each of whose charity donations earned them a chance to challenge the celebrities and pros in this year’s race.

The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race takes place on Saturday, April 18, 2009.  Aside from participating in a practice run on April 7 and qualifying on April 17, the star-studded group also visits a local hospital to spend time with critically ill children.  On behalf of the race and its participants, Toyota has donated over $1.7 million to various children’s hospitals since 1991.