Home » Archives » April 2007 » Eye Candy - Wall Banging Edition
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04/13/2007: "Eye Candy - Wall Banging Edition"
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This weekend marks the 33rd Annual Long Beach Grand Prix, or as they like to call it, the "World's Fastest Beach Party". The formula cars of the ChampCar series and several support races will challenge the concrete canyons created in the streets of downtown Long Beach, and along the way will shed their share of parts as they bump and grind their way around the course.
For all but two of they events, the most unique support race has been the Toyota Pro Celebrity Race. A dozen or so celebrities and charity auction winners spend a weekend learning how to drive specially prepared street cars out at the Willow Springs Race Track before being set loose on course at the LBGP to compete for ten laps. Just to make things interesting, they include a couple of professional racers who, after giving the celebs a 30-second head start, race after - and through - the pack. It makes for an interesting spectacle, if not great racing.
In the '80s and '90s, I spent 15 years working with the race management team at the LBGP. For the three days of the race weekend, RM takes over all the normal logistical duties performed by the city - crowd control, security, fire, medical, etc. It provided a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes of the event, at least until the lawyers got in involved and slowly whittled away the access opportunities. It was hard work, but fun.)
Anyway, one of my most enjoyable assignments over the years was working in the Celebrity Paddock, where you got to meet and work with the celebrity drivers. I found that some were there for fun, but some were definitely there to win. All had their own pre-race routines, but none as interesting as this year's participant, Emily Proctor of CSI:Miami, who seems to be trying to bond with her car. We'll let you know how she does in the race on Monday.
UPDATE: According to our petite but loyal MB following, there is apparently some concern reqarding this individual as acceptable Eye Candy material. Actually, I don't think it's the person as much as it is the outfit - a fully zipped firesuit. Now while this is the appropriate way to wear it to insure maximum protection in the case of a crash and ensuing fire, I can see where it does leave something to the imagination - apparently, an item that is lacking amongst the average MB reader.
Personally, I think the face is enough to justify the entry alone, but I don't want to alienate an already-too-small readership. So here's another shot of the aforementioned Miss Proctor, wearing a different kind of uniform. I think this should resolve both issues - the quality of the face and the contents of the uni ... 
