Odds-On Celebrity Favorite in 2011 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is Actor William Fichtner, According to World-Renowned Vegas Gaming Expert

Singer-Actor Kevin Jonas Made the Biggest Leap in the Rankings in Odds-Maker Anthony Curtis's Picks in Prestigious Grand Prix-Style Race on April 16

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Apr 12, 2011, 10:14 ET

LONG BEACH, Calif., April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- At the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race practice runs last week, Las Vegas handicapper Anthony Curtis was on hand to personally observe the action in order to update the odds for each driver for the real thing: the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, to be run on Saturday, April 16, as part of the 37th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. And while many of the odds changed in Curtis's update, the celebrity favorite remained William Fichtner. A versatile character actor who's appeared on such television series as "Prison Break" and "Entourage," and recently starred in the Nicolas Cage action flick "Drive Angry 3D," Fichtner impressed Curtis with his steadfast focus and impressive skills behind the wheel. Kevin Jonas, the eldest of the Jonas Brothers, shot up in the rankings from being tied for dead last in the initial list to now finding a respectable middle spot. And former "Malcolm in the Middle" star Frankie Muniz, who turned pro in 2005, is now Curtis's odds-on favorite to take the overall first-place spot.

Curtis, president of LasVegasAdvisor.com and one of the world's most recognized and quoted gambling authorities, has been handicapping the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, which donates money to the national nonprofit charity Racing for Kids, for many years.

"After observing the drivers on the track, there's been a major shake-up in the odds," said Curtis. "No surprise, the biggest moves came from celebrity drivers who proved themselves to be threats in training. Overall, the field remains very tightly ranked—making this one of the most wide-open competitions of the past few years."

After attending the final practice day, Curtis has revised his odds of how the field of 18 celebrities and pros will perform in this historic 10-lap race for charity, which is conducted in race-ready Scion tCs on a 1.97-mile street circuit through the downtown streets of Long Beach in Southern California. He offers his exclusive expert predictions solely for entertainment purposes on www.lasvegasadvisor.com.

Here's how Curtis sees the field of 18 after a day of practice runs at the track in Long Beach.

Celebrities:

William Fichtner (7-1)	The actor maintains his top ranking simply by showing up at practice, jumping in the car and driving his best. His focus on practice day was phenomenal.
Stephen Moyer (8-1)	The "True Blood" star earned better odds after driving on the track—he was seemingly light-hearted out of his car, but got down to business behind the wheel.
Tito Ortiz (15-1)	The ultimate fighting champ made the second-biggest jump in odds, mainly because he brings the same super-competitive attitude to the track as he does to the ring.
Daniel Goddard (15-1)	The actor has an intense desire to win—and an extreme focus—that were supremely evident on practice day. He beat Fichtner in 2008, so don't count him out this year.
Kim Coates (16-1)	The "Sons of Anarchy" star was in great spirits on practice day, and his passion for racing may still be his ace in the hole.
Kevin Jonas (17-1)	The musician made the biggest leap up in the odds—he was tied for last in the first rankings. But he exhibited a strong focus and competitive nature on practice day that helped push him up the list this time.
Megyn Price (20-1)	The "Rules of Engagement" actress is competing for her second consecutive year in a row, and she brought her A-game to practice day. She may surprise us all.
Michael Trucco (20-1)	This "Fairly Legal" star, who has past racing experience, definitely stands a chance. His low-key demeanor may be a calculated front to disarm his competition.
AJ Buckley (25-1)	The "CSI: NY" actor exhibited a laidback attitude that may mean he's not very competitive—or may mean he's saving it for race day. We'll soon find out.
Djimon Hounsou (30-1)	Hounsou may have been having an off day at practice, but he still has a rainy-day advantage. If race day is a wet one, the actor may sit at the top of the pack easily.
Jillian Barberie Reynolds (45-1)	Unfortunately, Barberie Reynolds is still at a major disadvantage and may have a hard time catching up after missing half of the last training day.

The Southern California Toyota dealer seat is being filled by Mike Sullivan, owner of Toyota of Hollywood and Toyota of Santa Monica. Also in the field in this year's race is charity auction winner Jerry Westlund.

Mike Sullivan (12-1)	The Toyota dealer is returning for a third time, and he has access to Toyotas and Scions year-round. With that background, he may just surprise us all.
Jerry Westlund (14-1)	The auction winner is racing for his third time, so he's no stranger to the course. Experience is a plus, so don't be surprised if he places this year.

The celebrity field is set to test its skills against a strong contingent of professionals (and two celebs racing as pros). The celebs might have a 30-second head start, but the professionals will catch up quickly.

Professionals:

Frankie Muniz (7-2)	Muniz edges out professional driver Swanson primarily because of his extensive experience in this race—he's returning for his fourth go-around, but was overheard saying he wished he'd been able to drive faster at the most recent training day.
Kody Swanson (4-1)	Swanson was downgraded from first-place ranking with Muniz—his lowered standing might serve to pump him up for a win.
Ken Gushi (8-1)	Gushi's heart remains in drift racing, so he'll have to really up his concentration level here if he wants to come out on top.
Chris Rado (10-1)	Drag racer Rado seems fully recovered from his knee surgery of just a few weeks ago, but will his time attack driving be enough to put him at the front of the pack?
Brian Austin Green (10-1)	The 30-second disadvantage Green will have as a pro racer this year (after winning the celebrity portion in 2010's race) may be too much for him to overcome.

"Anthony Curtis never disappoints—his handicapping of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race for entertainment purposes really puts a competitive edge on the race," said Les Unger, Toyota's national motorsports manager. "No driver wants to be at the bottom of his list, so it spurs them on to do their best racing; plus, they all have a lot of fun with it."

Toyota will donate $5,000 to Racing for Kids in the name of each celebrity racer and another $5,000 to the winning racer's charity of choice. Racing for Kids is a national nonprofit program that locally benefits children's hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County, Calif. On behalf of the race and its participants, Toyota has donated more than $1.9 million to various children's hospitals since 1991.

Finally, this year—as in many years past—a $15,000 donation will be made in conjunction with the annual People Pole Award. In its 14th year, the People magazine–sponsored award will honor the pole-position winner of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race qualifying session on Friday, April 15.

To learn more about the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, one of six main-event attractions taking place during the 37th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, go to http://www.toyotaracing.com/, visit our Facebook page (Toyota Racing) or follow us on Twitter (@ToyotaRacing).

NOTE: Celebrity odds are provided for entertainment purposes only. Wagering on the outcome of the race is neither encouraged nor implied.

ABOUT ANTHONY CURTIS

Anthony Curtis is one of the world's most recognized and quoted gambling authorities. The president of LasVegasAdvisor.com, he has appeared as a casino expert on "Dateline NBC," "48 Hours," A&E, E! Entertainment, Discovery, the Travel Channel, the Food Channel and the Learning Channel. He has been the subject of articles in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, San Diego Union-Tribune, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel and Discover magazine. Curtis is author of Bargain City—Booking, Betting and Beating the New Las Vegas and The Art of Gambling Through the Ages. Considered one of the world's foremost experts in tournament play, Curtis's top tournament wins include $76,000 in the World Matchplay Blackjack Championship, $125,000 in the Atlantic City Craps Championship, $50,000 in the Las Vegas Keno Championship and $60,000 in the Las Vegas Blackjack Championship.