Celebrities who also race cars

All of the high horsepower and adrenaline junkies understand the feeling of being in the driver’s seat of a sports car. The road stays behind you, and the only thing you can hear is the sound of driving and the screeching tires. But we have to admit, there is nothing that goes hand in hand as celebrities and race cars. However, while everyone is into it, there is only a handful of skilled drivers. Being rich and famous, everyone can spend a lot of money on buying expensive cars. But knowing how to handle them, that’s a horse of another color. And what a horse it is! With that in mind, I decided to pay respect to all celebrities who also race cars. There are many big names, but let’s look who climbed the top of the list!

Celebrities who also race cars

If you are into racing and cars, you belong to a world not everyone can understand and cherish. While your friends may complain you ramble too much about motorsport information and high-speed cars, now it’s time to relax and enjoy something you like and respect. Let’s see who of the rich and famous shares the same passion as you.

Jason Priestley

Do you remember Brandon Walsh? Younger generations may not know this name, but the hit TV star of the television series Beverly Hills, 90210, has a special place in the hart of those who remember him. He was interested in racing since his 20s and was very successful. He raced in SCCA Pro Rally, IMSA GTS, and he also participated in the first Gambol 3000, among many other celebrities who also race cars. Some of his babies were Celica All-Trac and Lotus Esprit, but he also drove many Mustangs.

Among Celica and Lotus, Jason drove many Mustangs as well

His driving career came to an abrupt end in 2002. During a race in Indy Pro Series, he hit the wall at 180 mph and injured his spine.

Rowan Atkinson

I moved from Illinois to Seattle a few weeks ago. It was a complicated move, but we finally pulled it through. If you ever relocated, you know the hardships and stress that accompany the entire process. So, if you have any cheerful moments, you should use them to lift everyone’s spirit. The morning started in a rush and Verified Movers came to pick us up. We hit the road around 10 AM, and we were soon on I-94 W. At this point you are probably wondering why am I boring you with unimportant details about my move.

As we were driving, past us drove a well familiar car, a yellow one British Leyland Mini. Just like the one that Rowan Atkinson’s character, Mr. Bean, drove in the popular series! I couldn’t believe my own eyes! If you’ve watched his show, you’ll know what car I’m talking about. As soon as I saw it, I immediately imagined Mr. Bean driving our moving truck! I bet that would be a move to remember!

Rowan Atkinson owns a luxury collection of racing cars

Rowan Atkinson is one of the more familiar celebrities who also race cars. A huge connoisseur of racing cars, he owns a collection of luxury vehicles, like Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato, McLaren F1, Acura NSX, 1939 BMW 328, Aston Martin DB2. The list goes on, but you get the point. While he did crash his McLaren F1 two times, he is still a superb driver. Not many people know, but he owns many classes of commercial and racing licenses. Furthermore, he competed in the single-make Renault 5 GT Turbo series for two seasons in a row. While Mr. Bean is a silly character, Rowan Atkinson certainly deserves respect for both the comedy and his driving skills.

Patrick Dempsey

Number one hottie of The Grays Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey, knows more than just how to attract girls. A constant competitor since his early age, he is a truly enthusiastic driver. He recently said he could easily quit acting, and devote himself only to racing. So far he competed in 24 Hours of LeMans, 24 Hours of Daytona, and the Baja 1000. Furthermore, now he owns and competes in Indy Car. Even though there are more skilled celebrities who also race cars, we can clearly see the passion he has for racing.

James Dean

We can’t really talk about celebrities who also race cars, without mentioning some of the biggest names who, unfortunately, are not with us any longer. The first on the list must be James Dean. He was a natural born driver. His talent and ability were proven many times, but he was cut in the prime of his life before really exploring his potential. His sudden death in 1955 was a shock to everyone. James Dean died in a tragic car accident while going to the car races in Salinas.

James Dean was of many celebrities who also race cars

Steve McQueen

Another phenomenal actor who liked the rush of the speed is Steve McQueen. He was a great enthusiast when it comes to motorcycle and car races. It was only natural for him to perform all car stunts in his movies. Although there were some cases when they used a stunt driver, it was mostly because of the insurance. However, it was not easy to find someone who was as skilled in driving as Steve. There was even a case when they used special effects so that he could chase himself on a motorcycle during filming a movie.

He competed in the Baja 1000 and International Endro on a Triumph. In 1978, he was inducted into the Off-road Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Paul Newman had a R30 Skyline named after him

Paul Newman

Who else to complete the list of celebrities who also race cars but Paul Newman. One of the rare actors who had to thank his job profession for his passion for driving. After starring in 1969s sports drama Winning, where he played a race car driver, he was sucked in into the life of cars and races. Some of his biggest successes are four national championships in SCCA. Furthermore, he also raced in Trans-Am series and was first in his class. In 1979 he was second in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He liked racing so much, they even have a special edition R30 Skyline named after Paul. He was inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame in 2009.