Elway up to speed despite an 'uneasy' feeling

Rocky Mountain News

Published June 8, 2007 at midnight

Text size

More Denver Broncos

You might have missed it in the wee hours this morning unless you watched Jimmy Kimmel Live to the end, but former Broncos quarterback John Elway advanced to the second round in the ABC reality show Fast Cars & Superstars: Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race.

• The event: Celebrities compete in stock cars for three rounds - time trials (episodes 1-4), accuracy challenges (episodes 5-6) and final (episode 7).

• The track: Lowe's Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.

• The players (episode 1): Tennis player Serena Williams, Elway and big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton. Nextel Cup driver Kurt Busch was their Young Gun pacesetter.

• How Williams fared: She did not advance after turning in a total time of 2 minutes, 5.17 seconds for three laps around the 1 1/2-mile track. Her fastest lap was her last, 136.05 mph.

• How Elway fared: He advanced with a total time of 1:50.23. Starting fast and aggressively, he turned laps of 146.02 mph, 146.26 mph and 148.64 mph.

• How Hamilton fared: He was the top finisher with a total time of 1:48.98. His best lap speed was 149.09 mph, on his second lap.

• In Elway's words (after practice, in which his fastest lap was 138 mph): "I'd never gone that fast. It made me uneasy . . . Any fears I've ever had, I like to go right at 'em. That's, to me, the way you get rid of 'em."

• In Elway's words (after his time trial): "That's as fast as she can go, man."

• Surprise appearance: Elway's girlfriend, Paige Green.

• What's next: Time trials for the other nine celebrities (telecast times: 6 p.m. MDT Sunday and 12:01 a.m. Wednesday). Elway's next appearance will be in episode 5 at 7 p.m. MDT June 17 (KMGH-Channel 7).

• Want more? Go to GYGTV.com

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News