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MISS TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG
BEACH
Photos and a Look Behind the Scenes
PubClubette Jessica Hamel stood out to be crowned Miss Long Beach GP.
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2008 Miss Grand Prix Contest–
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PubClubette Jessica Hamel, 24 of Long Beach, is the 2008 Tecate Miss Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
• Marisa Rodriguez, 24 of Los Angeles, is first runner-up
• Elena Diaz, 24, of Costa Mesa, is second runner-up
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Meet the 2007 Miss GP Race Team
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PubClub's Annual Long Beach Grand Prix Party Bus
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Grand Prix Main Page
Congulations to Jessica Hamel, a PubClubette who is featured in the 2008 PubClubette Party Calendar, for being crowned the 2008 Tecate Miss Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
She was part of the Tecate Miss Grand Prix of Long Beach
presented by Race Team, which spends three full days and nights in and around the annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
The girls are like rock starts, getting photographs taken by fans and media, holding an autograph session, meeting the drivers and standing on the grid for several of the weekend's races.
This is a behind-the-scenes look at building of the team, their activities and adventures, from the prelims to the champage bath on Sunday after the main Champ Car race.
Start to finish – The prelims (top) and Victory Circle.
Bottom photo: Simon Leung, Face of Champ Car.com
The 2008 Tecate Miss
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach context was developed and executed
by the pros at Australia-based Procon Leisure International (www.proconleisure.com).
Being a Miss Grand Prix girl is tiring!
Stephanie Guiterrez hams it up in a DJ booth at a Long Beach club.
Miss Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach '07 Melissa Paz.
At The Track
The group and on their way to grid for the Champ Car race.
It is certainly easy to notice 16 beautiful
girls walking around the Grand Prix in their distinctive orange grid
suits. They cruise around posing for photos in the GA areas, the paddock
and pits.
They are with the Champ Car drivers during the Friday autograph session
in the paddock, conduct their own autrgrpah session on Saturday in the
Convention Center expo and serve as Grid Girls for the Toyota Pro/Celebrity
race (Saturday), the stepping-stone Atlantic race (Sunday morning) and
the Champ Car main show on Sunday afternoon.
Stephanie Guiterrez, like Jessica a PubClubette, won the simulator contest, a driving game that featured the Long Beach track.
Jessica Hamel gets a lift in Graham Rahal's car before the race.
Melissa Paz on the starter stand with the checkered flag.
The cowboy hats added to the girls' attraction.
Jessica, Marisa and Elena on the starter's stand and posing for Simon.
Stephanie and Monique Palma smile on the grid.
Olma Javonillo (bottom) couldn't beat Stephanie (top) in the fake race.
The rest of the time, they are in private rehersals. They are constantly
on the go, prompting a former winner at a similar event in Toronto,
Lynne
Kush, to remark the experience is "boot camp for models."
On Friday and Saturday, the reigning Miss Toyota Grand Prix of Long
Beach is on the move, conducting media interviews – 2006 queen
Lauren McDonald was live on KABC TV-7's Morning News and Uncle Joe Benson's
KLOS radio show Friday afternoon in 2007 – pausing with photos
with fans, getting pace car rides and enjoying the festive atmosphere
that is the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach..
The Contest
 
The Top Three and Stephanie Gutirrez in the swimwear and After 5
For the girls – and many fans –
the Finals are the obvious highlight of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long
Beach experience.
 It is held on the Main Stage (in front of the fountains) on Saturday
evening. Here, the girls are going through the final judging process
– After-5 wear. By this time, they have already completed 2/3 of
the competition. While the looked poised, they are indeed nervous at
the same time, having to impress judges for the last time and also woo
the crowd.
The
swimwear judging takes place on Thursday night at a Long Beach nightclub.
On Saturday afternoon, when many fans are gearing up for the Finals
by spending time at the trackside cantinas, the girls are going through
probably the toughest part of the entire adventure - the interview judging.
Each girl has three minutes to talk with – and impress – a
panel of judges. After all, looks may have gotten her here but it's
a girl's composure and attitude that will make her the next Miss Toyota
Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Then it's the Finals, which lasts one exciting, exhilarating hour.
The girls come out in their After 5 wear as a group, then individually.
They change into their swimwear to please the thousands of fans, then
line up in their grid suits to await the announcement of the winners.
The event is set to music and dance coordinator Alexandra
Janicek – herself a former contest winner – compiles
an intricate and entertaining routine to showcase the girls.
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