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World Class Driving Partners With Ferrari Phenom Mika Salo to Offer One Lucky Enthusiast a Drive of a Lifetime in 2009 Gumball 3000 Rally

Posted on: Monday, 13 April 2009, 18:19 CDT

Exclusive eBay Auction Offers Chance to Bid on Mika Salo's Brand New Ferrari F430 Scuderia and Take on World Famous Cross Country Drive Alongside the Risi Competizione Driver

SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- World Class Driving, the preeminent authority in experiential driving, is proud to partner with Risi Competizione Driver Mika Salo to create the ultimate experience for one lucky enthusiast looking to take on the 2009 Gumball 3000 Rally. With five percent of the proceeds benefiting Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Charity, World Class Driving will be holding an online auction through eBay to offer online bidders a chance to own Mika Salo's brand new Ferrari F430 Scuderia. Along with one of the best performing limited edition Ferraris of all time to drive in the Gumball 3000 Rally and take home post event, World Class Driving is also offering the chance to drive alongside Salo for seven days.

Known worldwide as a driving phenom after winning the 12 hours of Sebring in 2007 and 2009 for Risi Competizione, as well as being responsible for major 2008 victories at the 24 hours of Le Mans and the Petit Le Mans, Salo is no stranger to Ferrari. In 1999, Salo replaced F1 champion Michael Schumacher after an injury sidelined him and raced for Ferrari that year. And now, for the 2009 Gumball 3000 Rally, Salo will be driving his own new Ferrari F430 Scuderia, a car his former Ferrari team member, Schumacher, helped engineer and design. And after the rally, Salo looks forward to giving the keys to his F430 Scuderia to one lucky auction winner.

Imminently familiar with Ferrari having raced for the Italian powerhouse in F1 and Risi Competizione, Salo looks forward to slipping behind the wheel of his new Scuderia and driving with the winning enthusiast over the 3000 mile cross country road course. With the Gumball 3000 Rally beginning in Santa Monica, CA on May 1st and ending in Miami, FL May 8th, the online auction hosted by World Class Driving through eBay will begin Monday, April 13th with bids starting at $405,000.

The exclusive auction includes a completely unique package of items for the winner; beginning with Mika Salo's Ferrari F430 Scuderia. For the Gumball 3000 Rally, the high-performance Ferrari will be outfitted with a special wrap highlighting Risi Competizione and World Class Driving that will protect the Scuderia's paint during the drive. The World Class Driving Gumball 3000 Charity Auction will also include a full racing suit, helmet, and gear provided by Oakley signed by Mika Salo for the winner. Pirelli Tires, the proud supplier of both Ferrari and World Class Driving, will be showing its support for the winning bidder as well upon finishing the event in Miami.

The World Class Driving Gumball 3000 Charity Auction is a rare chance not only to own one of Ferrari's finest creations in the F430 Scuderia, but also satiate auto enthusiasts' appetite to drive like a pro, with a pro, all on one of the most hyped, celebrity attended road races ever created.

Salo's race-ready Scuderia is imbued with the latest Ferrari technology, equipped with Enzo-caliber performance that allowed the red hot Scuderia to lap the world famous Fiorano track in a scant 85 seconds. With the Scuderia's sleek styling made to envy with performance to match, and one of the most skilled Ferrari drivers in the world in the driver's seat with the auction winner, the exhilarating coast-to-coast Gumball 3000 should allow for the experience of a lifetime thanks to World Class Driving and its partners.

The bidding for the World Class Driving Gumball 3000 Charity Auction will officially commence on April 13th, with an opening bid of $405,000. Interested and serious bidding parties should log on to www.ebay.com/worldclassdriving for more information. Bidding for the auction will close at 4 PM (PDT) on April 20.

About World Class Driving

Established in the U.S. in 2006, World Class Driving is the preeminent on-road driving experience. In addition to offering exciting half-day exotic driving experiences, World Class Driving has also established creative and unique automotive adventure programs such as the 200 MPH Xtreme, Viva Italia Tour and Indy Road & Racing track events. For more information on the World Class Driving Gumball 3000(TM) Auction, or any other World Class Driving experience please dial (877) 597-6403 or log on to www.worldclassdriving.com

Press Contact: Dan Weikel Brand Partners Tel. 818/936-2630 dweikel@insignia-bp.com

SOURCE World Class Driving

Source: PR Newswire

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