Despite the absence of a track, the sound of screeching tires and burning rubber nevertheless signaled the start of California Speedway's "Running Wide Open" event on August 29 at Avalon. Host Jeff Gordon and the evening’s performer, Rihanna, arrived together in a Corvette, which Gordon raced through the club’s parking lot, doing high-speed donuts before the pair walked the red carpet.
The vehicular theatrics and Hollywood-based celebration, which took place a few days before the Labor Day weekend's Sharp Aquos 500 Nascar race at the track, were part of Speedway president Gillian Zucker’s efforts to attract bigger and more eclectic crowds to the track and its races.Zucker and the track’s director of entertainment integration, Andrew Francis, turned to Bolthouse/SBE to produce the event, which had Nascar sponsors sitting alongside young Hollywood types including Paris Hilton and dancing to sets spun by DJ AM.
Guests received boxed invitations, which included a limited-edition Jeff Gordon model car, customized with the event’s name and the Speedway’s logo. Kira Evans, who produced the invitations, drained the country’s supply of the collectible cars, turning to distributors and even eBay to turn out the 1,000 invitations.
The vehicular theatrics and Hollywood-based celebration, which took place a few days before the Labor Day weekend's Sharp Aquos 500 Nascar race at the track, were part of Speedway president Gillian Zucker’s efforts to attract bigger and more eclectic crowds to the track and its races.Zucker and the track’s director of entertainment integration, Andrew Francis, turned to Bolthouse/SBE to produce the event, which had Nascar sponsors sitting alongside young Hollywood types including Paris Hilton and dancing to sets spun by DJ AM.
Guests received boxed invitations, which included a limited-edition Jeff Gordon model car, customized with the event’s name and the Speedway’s logo. Kira Evans, who produced the invitations, drained the country’s supply of the collectible cars, turning to distributors and even eBay to turn out the 1,000 invitations.
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash
Photo: BizBash