16 Celebrities Who Are Also Race Car Drivers
These famous celebrities all have that drive and passion. They may be movie stars first, but for many of them racing was more than just a pastime hobby—it was a way of life.
Here are 16 celebrities who are also race car drivers.
16 George Lucas
Everyone knows who George Lucas is, the man behind Star Wars, but did you also know that he was a race car driver when he was younger? Indeed, during his late teen years while still in high school, Lucas was very interested in drag racing in particular. He even planned to become a professional race car driver before his movie career skyrocketed. He raced an Autobianchi Bianchina (a minicar) as a teenager. He spent much of his high school years racing on the underground circuit at fairgrounds.
15 Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Atkinson is another funnyman, known for playing Mr. Bean and being an overall goofball onscreen. But he’s got some serious talent and capability behind the wheel of a race car. In the ‘80s, Atkinson raced a Renault 5 Turbo in a manufacturer spec series, and he also regularly attends and races at the Goodwood Historic races and other events around Britain, where he lives.
14 Patrick Dempsey
Before he became famous for playing the dreamy doctor on Grey’s Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey was a huge movie star in the late ‘80s and ‘90s. He’s also an accomplished race car driver, racing in a total of 68 events, including four starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He’s stepped away from the sport, but not before winning nine podiums during the IMSA SportsCar Championship, at races like 24 Hours of Daytona and Sebring 12 Hours. He also runs his Dempsey-Proton team.
13 Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman is an incredibly talented actor and two-time Oscar winner (Best Actor in 1972’s The French Connection, and Best Supporting Actor in 1992’s Unforgiven), and he’s also a great racer. He’s known for his raw driving talent and raced in Formula Ford races in the ‘70s in a Toyota Celica. His driving abilities were translated to the screen well, such as in The French Connection, where he performed 60% of his own stunts.
12 Frankie Muniz
Frankie Muniz is best known for playing the eponymous role in Malcolm in the Middle as a child star, before sort of disappearing from the film industry. He’s had a cult following since then, and he’s also an accomplished race car driver. He raced in the Atlantic Championship series three years in a row, from 2007 to 2009, and was part of three different teams: Jansen MotorSport, Pacific Coast Motorsports, and Team Stargate Worlds.
11 James Garner
Although many people might not know the name James Garner today (on the left), in the ‘50s through the ‘70s he was a huge name, playing in the 1950s western series Maverick and the 1970s private detective show, The Rockford Files. He was told he was good enough to race full-time by racing legend Graham Hill, and he took it to heart, competing in Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring. He also was heavily involved in off-road racing, which got him inducted into the Off-Road Racing Hall of Fame in its inaugural year.
10 James Dean
The other James on this list, Mr. Dean, is definitely better-known, with a cult-like following, though he had less overall screen time than Garner. The suave James Dean was a natural behind the wheel, and though his life was cut short by a tragic car accident, he placed first in his class in his first-ever professional race, and second overall. A month later, he placed first again, third overall. His dream was to compete in the Indianapolis 500, but it was never realized. We’re sure he would have done well.
9 Steve McQueen
Probably the second-most famous celebrity race car driver after Paul Newman has got to be the legendary, iconic Steve McQueen. The man who played Bullitt, the King of Cool, once said, “I’m not sure whether I am an actor who races or a racer who acts.” His true love was motorcycle racing, but he also competed in a number of car events, like Sebring. He raced in the prestigious off-road races such as the 1964 6-Day International Motorcycle Enduro, the Baja 1000, and the Mint 400.
8 Eric Bana
Eric Bana (pictured on the left) is known for his films The Castle (1997), Black Hawk Down (2001), Troy (2004), Hulk (2003), and more. The Australian wanted to leave school at 14 to become a mechanic, and at 15 he purchased his first car, a 1974 XB Ford Falcon, which he raced in Targa Tasmania 1996. His 2009 documentary, Love the Beast, talks about the car and his life in racing. He’s taken part in events like Australia’s Porsche Challenge, and has had many top-ten finishes.
7 Caitlyn Jenner
Before she was known as Caitlyn Jenner, and way before the Kardashians, Bruce Jenner had a fantastic racing career after an incredibly Olympic run. During the ‘80s, she competed with Roush Racing in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. She won her class at Sebring in 1986 and finished fifth overall. Today, as you can see, Caitlyn still enjoys being behind the wheel of a race car.
6 Jason Priestly
Jason Priestly is an actor known for Beverly Hills, 90210, Call Me Fitz, and Private Eyes. The Canadian actor also has established himself as a proper race car driver, competing in events put on by the SCCA Pro Rally Series, in which he drove a Toyota Celica All-Trac ST185 during the early- to mid-1990s. He’s also the co-owner of his own team, FAZZT Race Team. He transitioned to circuit racing in 1996, competing in the Gumball 3000. He’s also provided commentary and interviews for ABC’s TV coverage of IndyCar racing.
5 Ajith Kumar
Ajith Kumar is a famous Tamil cinema actor and motor car racer who first participated in the MRF Racing series in 2010. His career in film began in the 1990s, establishing himself as an action hero. After a one-off race during the Formula Maruti Indian Championship in 2002 (finishing fourth), he signed a contract with Formula BMW Asia in 2003. He took a six-year sabbatical from racing before returning in 2010 to the FIA Formula Two Championship.
4 Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite is one of the most famous newsmen of all time, but he isn’t just known for telling America the latest info—he also had an extensive amateur racing career. He raced a Volvo throughout the Northeast, and in 1959 he raced and reported on the Sebring 12 Hours, using a Zagato-bodied Lancia Appia. He even managed to take fifth place in his class in the race, despite doubling duties as a reporter for the event.
3 Paul Newman
Paul Newman is undoubtedly the most successful celebrity race car driver of all time, if not the most famous. He competed in tons of SCCA races and even won four national championships. He raced in Le Mans in 1979 and placed first in his class and second overall in his Porsche 935, which is an enormous feat. He mainly drove Nissans for Bob Sharpe Racing through the ‘80s, then started a Can-Am team. He even won in his class at the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona at the age of 70.
2 Adam Carolla
The comedian Adam Carolla, best known for The Man Show with Jimmy Kimmel, is podcast expert as well as a celebrity racer. He’s participated in the annual Toyota Pro-Celebrity Race numerous times, and has won in the “Pro” and “Celebrity” categories. He’s competed in vintage racing events (often using Paul Newman’s own cars), and in 2016 he raced in the Goodwill Festival of Speed Hillclimb in a Nissan 300X.
1 Paul Walker
It’s no secret that Paul Walker loved racing—he did most of his own stunts in the Fast and the Furious movies before his tragic passing. His financial advisor was also a pro-am racer, and Walker was the co-owner of a high-end vehicle performance shop, Always Evolving. He competed in the Redline Time Attack series on the AE Performance Team, driving a BMW E92 M3. Before his death, he’d been preparing for an auto show. He also had a collection of about 30 cars, many of which were used in the Fast and Furious films.
References: blog.myclassicgarage.com, imdb.com, motorbiscuit.com, thrillist.com.
Main Source – thethings.com.
