Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race auction winner

Jerry Westlund was the winning bidder to drive in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity race during the Long Beach Grand Prix in April.
Westlund, a 41-year-old nighclub owner from Long Beach, won with a bid of $70,500. The money will go to the Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach which, since its inception, has contributed more than $2 million to charitable organizations throughout the greater Long Beach area.
"I'm a lifelong Long Beach resident," Westlund says. "I've been going to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach for around 30 years and I've always wondered how I'd do if I ever got in the Pro/Celebrity Race."
Westlund will join the celebrity and professional field for four days of driver's training conducted by Fast Lane Driving School at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond. Qualifying for the Pro/Celebrity race is on April 13. The race, 10 laps around the 1.97-mile street course, starts at 11:45 a.m. April 14.
"A friend of mine mentioned the auction to me. I gave it some serious thought and, after some prodding from my employees, I jumped in," Westlund said. "I was surprised at how fast the bidding went up, but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did. I can't wait to start training and line up on what is basically my home track."