Max Papis Long Beach Pro/Celebrity qualifying notes

Max Papis Takes Overall Pole Position for Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race
Tony Potts Takes The Celebrity Pole Position
Winner Receives "PEOPLE Pole Award" and $15,000 for Charity

LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 16, 2004) -- Access Hollywood correspondent Tony Potts turned the fastest lap (1:48.364) in today's qualifying session at the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race to take the pole position for the 28th Anniversary of the fan-favorite event on Saturday, April 17. The top professional driver was Lexus-powered Grand-Am driver Max Papis, with a lap time of 1:46.883.

In addition to winning the coveted inside front-row position for the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, Potts also was awarded the seventh annual "PEOPLE Pole Award." Sponsored by PEOPLE Magazine, the award honors the top-celebrity qualifier for the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race with a $15,000 donation from PEOPLE to the pole sitter's charity of choice. Potts designated Haven Hills, a charitable organization that provides shelter for battered women and children, to benefit from his Pole Award.

The starting grid for Saturday's Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is as follows: <pre> Celebrity Category 1. Tony Potts 1:48.364 2. Andrew Firestone 1:49.118 3. Chris McDonald 1:50.096 4. Sean Astin 1:50.418 5. Carlos Bernard 1:50.707 6. Andrea Parker 1:51.372 7. Jill Pasant 1:52.345 8. Cliff Cummings 1:52.625 9. Melissa Joan Hart 1:52.912 10. Frankie Muniz 1:53.277 11. Laila Ali 1:53.303 12. Liza Snyder 1:55.362 13. Lil' Kim 1:59.471

PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY
(WILL START 30 SECONDS BEHIND THE CELEBRITIES ON SATURDAY) 1. Max Papis 1:46.883 2. Peter Reckell 1:48.084 3. Dara Torres 1:48.196 4. Mike Follmer 1:48.402

</pre> The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race will begin at approximately noon PDT on Saturday, April 17 with a field of 17 drivers. The 10-lap race will be broadcast in its entirety on The Speed Channel on May 2 at 1:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., May 3 at 2:30 a.m., May 7 at 10 p.m., and May 9 at 2:30 p.m. All broadcast times are EST.

PEOPLE, with a readership of 36 million, has covered all facets of the human experience for 30 years. The magazine is celebrating its 30th anniversary in April 2004.

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