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Ingo Rademacher Takes Pole Position for the 29th Annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

General Hospital Star Receives People Magazine 'Pole Award', the Inside Track, and $15,000 for His Charity of Choice

LONG BEACH, Calif., April 8, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Ingo Rademacher turned the fastest lap in today's qualifying session at the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race to take the pole position for the 29th Anniversary of the fan-favorite event on Saturday, April 9. The top professional driver was Rhys Millen, with a lap time of 1:47.344.

In addition to winning the coveted inside front-row position for the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, Rademacher also was awarded the eighth 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 winner's charity of choice. Rademacher designated Green Peace, Water Keeper and Heal the Bay, a trio of charitable organizations dedicated to protecting the environment, to benefit from the People Pole Award.

The starting grid for Saturday's Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is as follows:

 Celebrity Category                  Qualifying Time

 1.    Ingo Rademacher               1:47.079
 2.    Mark Steines                  1:49.273
 3.    Patrick Dempsey               1:49.374
 4.    Aaron Peirsol                 1:49.710
 5.    Frankie Muniz                 1:49.897
 6.    Paige Hemmis                  1:49.922
 7.    Justin Berfield               1:50.722
 8.    Amanda Beard                  1:52.494
 9.    Misty May                     1:52.514
 10.   Karl Malone                   1:53.085
 11.   Mike Sullivan                 1:54.585
 12.   Meat Loaf                     1:56.629

 Professional  Category              Qualifying Time

 1.  Rhys Millen                     1:47.344
 2.  Ryan Arciero                    1:48.079
 3.  Matt Scranton                   1:48.911
 4.  Christopher McDonald            1:49.229

 -- The Professional Category will start 30 seconds
    behind the celebrities on Saturday.

The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race will begin at approximately noon on Saturday, April 9 with a field of 16 drivers. The 10-lap race will be broadcast in its entirety on Speed Channel on May 1 at 12:30 p.m., EST.

People, with a readership of 37 million, has covered all facets of the human experience for more than 30 years.

CONTACT:  Euro RSCG Magnet     
          Kara Knutson/Greg Young  
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