And here's the car when it raced:
Photograph by Jerry Stem
Dwight Yoakam: country star, Grammy winner, Hollywood actor. And in 1990, he raced this Toyota Celica.
From 1977 through 2016, Hollywood A-listers and pro racers traded paint in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. It ran in support of the Long Beach Grand Prix.
Toyota supplied the cars–new Celicas initially, but eventually the Scion tC and FR-S–with the older ones eventually cast off and allowed to circulate through the general population. Jerry Stem was simply after something to use for rallycross. He hadn’t yet run a front-drive car, he explains.
“This popped up and at first I thought, cool, it’s already prepped with cage, battery relocated, etc.,” he recalls. “Then, the more I learned what it was, the more I just wanted it as a really cool car with history.” (Yoakam, by the way, started 14th and finished ninth, Jerry notes.)
Since buying the car last year, Jerry has cleaned it up, freshened some of the graphics and fit some white-letter BFGs, documenting all on the GRM forum.
The big question to be answered: One day, can he reunite Yoakam with the Celica?
Jerry's Celica is awesome and just makes me think how we need to bring back celebrity racing. It was always cool seeing how each year one or two people would manage to surprise you and show some real chops. While we're at it let's just go ahead and bring back Battle of the Network Stars. TV was never as good as when Gabe Kaplan and Robert Conrad were knocking each other's teeth out during 3-on-3 football or seeing Telly Savalas in a dunk tank.
Other interesting Toyota Pro/Celeb trivia:
3 celebrities have won the race overall while starting in the "Pro" group, which starts 30 seconds behind the celeb group: Alfonso Ribiero, Adam Carolla and Sean Patrick Flannery. Ribiero is tied with Dan Gurney as the winningest drivers in the series, with four class wins each. Ribiero, however, won all four races he participated in overall, whether starting from the pro group or the celeb group. Gurney was 2-2 for the overall, failing to run down Paul Moyer and Caitlyn Jenner in '88 and '82 respectively.
James Brolin (1978) and Josh Brolin (2000) join Parnelli Jones (1980, 1989, 1991) and PJ Jones (1992) as father/son combos to both score class wins.
The car presents like it's still capable of driving "a thousand miles from nowhere." (Ok, I'll self-ban 24 hours for that one). 
On a serious note, the car looks like it found the right owner, meaning, it looks great.
Whee I'm internet famous! I'm struggling to contact Dwight to get an autograph! You would think in this social media / internet age it would be simple. Nope, he's well hidden behind walls of agents, handlers, etc.
I've tried posts on his FB & IG posts, emailing various agents & management groups, he'll be here in concert next month so I tried 3 different radio stations and the venue itself. Nothing.
In reply to JG Pasterjak :
If we're bringing back the Pro/Celebrity race, I vote they all race Ford Mavericks. 
JG Pasterjak said:Other interesting Toyota Pro/Celeb trivia:
3 celebrities have won the race overall while starting in the "Pro" group, which starts 30 seconds behind the celeb group: Alfonso Ribiero, Adam Carolla and Sean Patrick Flannery. Ribiero is tied with Dan Gurney as the winningest drivers in the series, with four class wins each. Ribiero, however, won all four races he participated in overall, whether starting from the pro group or the celeb group. Gurney was 2-2 for the overall, failing to run down Paul Moyer and Caitlyn Jenner in '88 and '82 respectively.
James Brolin (1978) and John Brolin (2000) join Parnelli Jones (1980, 1989, 1991) and PJ Jones (1992) as father/son combos to both score class wins.
Josh?
Almost forgot, I found another shirt on eBay last week and it showed up Saturday . Wore it today.
Wish Toyota would do these races again with the gr86. I remember watching Entertainment Tonight as a kid and they'd cover the race on who won, etc.
z31maniac said:JG Pasterjak said:Other interesting Toyota Pro/Celeb trivia:
3 celebrities have won the race overall while starting in the "Pro" group, which starts 30 seconds behind the celeb group: Alfonso Ribiero, Adam Carolla and Sean Patrick Flannery. Ribiero is tied with Dan Gurney as the winningest drivers in the series, with four class wins each. Ribiero, however, won all four races he participated in overall, whether starting from the pro group or the celeb group. Gurney was 2-2 for the overall, failing to run down Paul Moyer and Caitlyn Jenner in '88 and '82 respectively.
James Brolin (1978) and John Brolin (2000) join Parnelli Jones (1980, 1989, 1991) and PJ Jones (1992) as father/son combos to both score class wins.
Josh?
Yeah. I fix.
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