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Audi Announces Celebrity Attendees of Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle



- Audi and Best Buddies Team up for First Fund-Raising Event of Partnership
- Rob Lowe to Drive Audi RS Friendship Pace Car

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Audi, in conjunction with
Best Buddies International today announced the anticipated celebrity
attendees at this year's Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle on
September 8. With Audi as a first-time host and title sponsor of this
annual charity bicycle tour, Audi of America's Western Region director
Michael Cagle, and other senior executives will welcome celebrity guests
and riders, including Maria Shriver and her husband, California's governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger, legendary actor and director Clint Eastwood, Lacey
Chabert of Mean Girls and TV's Party of Five, The Bachelor's Andy Baldwin
and Tessa Horst, celebrity trainer Kim Lyons, Gunter Schlierkamp from
Beerfest and The Hulk, The Ex-Wives Clubs' Marla Maples, actor Greg German
and Adrian Pasdar from TV's Heroes to the historic Hearst Castle in
northern California's San Simeon Hills. Actor Rob Lowe (Brothers and
Sisters, The West Wing) will lead the peloton through the first 20 miles of
a challenging 100 mile ride along the Pacific Coast Highway in an Audi RS4
Friendship pace car, hand painted by noted Brazilian artist Romero Britto.
Audi will also provide 35 cars to shuttle guests to and from the event.
The Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle is a bicycle tour taking
riders from Chateau Julien in Carmel to the Hearst Ranch in San Simeon.
California's First Lady, Maria Shriver, will serve as Honorary Chairperson
and will also ride in the event. In addition to celebrity riders, an Audi
team composed of customers, executives, and members of Audi's ad agency
Venables, Bell and Partners will participate. Notable cyclists such as Axel
Merckx, Aaron Olsen, Kimberly Baldwin and Kim Anderson will join Audi and
Best Buddies, as well. Olympic medalist and former world champion Mari
Holden will return to the Audi Best Buddies Challenge for the third
straight year.
"Since our partnership with Best Buddies began in June, the Audi Best
Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle is the first major event we've had the
opportunity to help lead," said Johan de Nysschen, executive vice
president, Audi of America. "Just as Best Buddies is leading its field
through innovation and a pioneering spirit, Audi's constant dedication to
engineering the best cars in the world makes our organizations a perfect
fit. Nowhere is Audi's commitment to social responsibility better showcased
than in extraordinary events such as this, which join luminaries across
many industries to a tremendous charitable cause. We are excited to welcome
Audi and Best Buddies supporting guests, including California's Governor
and First Lady Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, legendary actor and
director Clint Eastwood, Lacey Chabert of Mean Girls and TV's Party of
Five, The Bachelor's Andy Baldwin and Tessa Horst, celebrity trainer Kim
Lyons, Gunter Schlierkamp from Beerfest and The Hulk, The Ex-Wives Clubs'
Marla Maples, actor Greg German and Adrian Pasdar from TV's Heroes and many
others to help us raise money to further Best Buddies' great work."
Actor Rob Lowe, current star of hit ABC television series Brothers and
Sisters, will lead hundreds of riders through the first 20 miles of the
course. "I believe strongly in Best Buddies' cause, so the opportunity to
drive a high-performance Audi through Northern California and lead so many
people that I admire both personally and professionally was one I couldn't
pass up," Lowe said.
Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver, Best Buddies is a nonprofit that
provides opportunities for one-to-one friendship and integrated employment
to participants in more than 1,300 chapters in 32 countries. Audi and Best
Buddies proudly announced their new partnership in June of 2007. For the
next five years, Audi will be the exclusive automotive sponsor of Best
Buddies within the Americas and support numerous projects and fundraising
events in Europe and overseas.
"Best Buddies is thrilled to welcome Audi as a title sponsor for this
event," said Anthony Kennedy Shriver. "Audi's commitment to social
responsibility is unparalleled, and Best Buddies is incredibly grateful for
the dedication the entire company has shown to our mission of friendship
and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities. With its
incredible fleet of automobiles and stable of celebrity supporters, the
Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle promises to be one of the most
important charity events of the year."
Riders depart Chateau Julian at 7am on September 8th. An exclusive
post- ride celebration held at the Hearst Castle Ranch will feature a
barbeque cookout and private concert by classic rock icons Cheap Trick for
all ride participants and special guests.
ABOUT AUDI OF AMERICA
As of June 2007, Audi is the exclusive automobile sponsor of Best
Buddies International in the United States, Canada and Latin America. Audi
is the title sponsor for all cycling/ride events benefiting Best Buddies,
and will provide all official vehicles for Best Buddies fundraising and
special events in these markets.
Audi of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Audi's history in America dates to 1969, when the brand was first
introduced to the U.S. market. Today, a network of over 260 Audi dealers
currently offers a line of premium vehicles that include the Audi A3
premium compact; the sporty A4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high
performance S4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high-revving RS 4
sports sedan; the design-leading A6 sedan and Avant; the all-new Audi Q7
performance SUV; and the all-aluminum Audi A8; and the new V10-powered S6
and S8 performance sedans. For more information, please visit
http://www.audiusa.com.
ABOUT BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL
The Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle benefits Best Buddies
International, a nonprofit organization Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy
Shriver. Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has
grown from one original chapter to more than 1,300 middle school, high
school, and college campuses across the country and internationally. Best
Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 United States and
have accredited international programs on six continents; with additional
country programs under active development. The six formal programs - Best
Buddies Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, e-Buddies and
Jobs - positively impact more than 350,000 individuals.



SOURCE Audi of America, Inc.

TwentyValveB5+S4

not me

Zaub02A6

I received an email invitation from Audi around the middle of August. Apparently they sent out between 500 and 1000 emails, but only had 10 spaces available. The spaces were filled within 4 minutes.

I will do a bigger write-up this evening, with some pictures, but:

The event was basically like this:
Friday night - Arrive at Quail Lodge in Carmel

Saturday
wake up at 4:30am
leave hotel at 5:30 to head to starting line
leave starting like 1t 7:00 (we were supposed to lead the cyclists, but there was some confusion on that part)
drive down to Cambria, made some stops on the way. Audi had the Romero Britto RS4, an R8 and S5 leading the way.
Checked into the Cambria Pines Lodge around 10:30, and then made our way over to the finish line at Hearst Beach for lunch.
At 1:30 we had a private tour of the castle (we got to drive our cars up the road to the castle, no buses for us )
At 3:30 there were tandem races with celebrities and some of the Best Buddies "buddies"
from 5:00 - 9:00 was an amazing BBQ with open bar ending with a private concert by Cheap Trick. Pretty surreal to be at a concert with Rob Lowe on one side of you, and Arnold 15 feet on the other side.

It was a very long, full day, but absolutely amazing. The group of us that were lucky enough to attend really did feel lucky.

So, sign up for Audi's email newsletter if you don't already get it, and read them, who knows when the next event will be.

Brian
02 A6 2.7