• by Kevin Ransom , April 12, 2007

ABC and Gillette have come up with a whole new take on the concept of a "great race" reality show. Starting June 7, Gillette will sponsor "Fast Cars & Superstars--Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race," a seven-episode series on ABC that partners Gillette's Young Guns--six death-defying poobahs of the stock-car circuit--with celebrities from music, sports and TV.

The show's high concept is that these hardened, fearless drivers will teach celebs like William Shatner, Jewel and Serena Williams a thing or two about taking hard corners at high speeds while trying to keep 3,000-plus pounds worth of brawny sheet-metal, pumping pistons and gas-gulping engines from spinning out--or going airborne.

In each episode, road-tested professional stock car drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman and Carl Edwards will train the racing-novice celebs on how to navigate those sharp turns, throttle down and decide when to put the pedal to the metal, make their move and whoosh! past their opponents.

In the final episode, the celebrities will actually be coached from the pits by their Gillette Young Guns instructors, as they match wits and speed against each other during a time-trial race.

"I jumped at the chance to be involved in the Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race," says actor William Shatner in a media statement. "It's every American boy's dream to get behind the wheel of a stock car."

The six half-hour episodes and hour-long finale will be co-hosted by ESPN anchor Kenny Mayne and former Cleveland Cavaliers center and current ESPN Nascar analyst Brad Daugherty. The show was co-created by BBDO and Gillette and produced by Radical Media. Corporate sponsors are Alltel, Cars.com, Kroger, Lowe's, Sam's Club, The Scott's Company and Walgreen's.

"I hope these celebrities are ready to feel the real power of a stock car," says Jimmie Johnson, the reigning Nascar Nextel Cup Series champion and member of the Gillette Young Guns, also in a statement. "We're all really excited to share our knowledge of competitive racing to coach these stars. We'll see who has what it takes to be the champion."

"The thing that really excites me about competing in the race is that it brings together some of the best talent in their fields and gives them the opportunity to meet on a common ground," says singer Jewel, quoted in a press release. "And I love the chance to compete against guys!"

Other celebrity drivers will be skateboarding hotshot Tony Hawk, actress Krista Allen, rodeo champ Ty Murray, former Detroit Piston and NBA Champ John Salley, legendary Denver Bronco quarterback and Super Bowl champ John Elway, World Wrestling Entertainment Champ John Cena, volleyball star and model Gabrielle Reece, hangin'-ten surfer Laird Hamilton, and former Pittsburgh Steeler coach Bill Cowher--another Super Bowl champion. Other Gillette Young Guns are Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray.

Some background on the Gillette Young Guns: They're six young drivers who have emerged as the dominant racers on the Nascar circuit and are considered the premiere talents in Nascar's NextelCup series. The Gillette Young Guns program was organized in 2004 to help drive awareness, appeal, trial and usage of Gillette products among Nascar fans.