April 28, 2011

Pixar's 'Cars 2' stars are coming
Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater and Finn McMissile to make stop in Allentown.
Pixar's Lightning McQueen, his buddy Tow Mater and a new friend, British spy Finn McMissile, will make a pit stop in Allentown next week.

The life-size models of "Cars 2" characters will stop first at Mack Trucks' Customer Center off Lehigh Street next Friday for a viewing by Mack employees. They will then move on May 7 to America On Wheels, the transportation museum, where the public can see them for free 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The visit is one of more than two dozen stops on the promotional tour, called "Agents on a Mission." It kicked off at the Minneapolis Autos Show on March 10 and will end in Northern California in late June. Its last stop before Allentown is the New York City International Auto Show, where it's now on display.

The "Cars 2" models are transported on the tour by a Mack Pinnacle truck. Mack assembles all its trucks at its Lower Macungie Township plant.

This won't be the first time Lightning McQueen and Mater have been in Bulldog Country. They stopped by Mack Trucks World Headquarters in April 2006 to promote the first "Cars" movie and to help Mack celebrate its role in the movie.

"Mack," Lightning McQueen's trusted long-haul driver, is a character based on a Mack truck. "Mack" is voiced by actor John Ratzenberger, best known for his role as Cliff Claven on TV's "Cheers."

The original "Cars" had another Lehigh Valley connection. Nazareth's Mario Andretti voiced a character, a light blue 1967 Ford Fairlane, during the Piston Cup championship race in "Cars" five years ago. Andretti is not listed in the cast for "Cars 2."

Each "Cars 2" character model is about 15 feet long and 7 feet high and weighs between 1,760 and 2,700 pounds.

"Agents on a Mission" at America On Wheels promises to be as family-friendly event as the Disney/Pixar movie, which opens June 24.

"Kids are going to love this," said Linda Merkel, America On Wheels' executive director. The "Agents on a Mission" display will be outdoors in the museum's parking lot, surrounded by Disney-themed activities outside and inside the museum, including inflatables, games and giveaways.

Families will be able to take pictures with McQueen, Mater and McMissile and go on a spy mission for a chance to win prizes.

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