Fast Cars & Superstars: John Cena

CONCORD, N.C. — On TV, John Cena comes across as a ferocious wrestler, filled with fire and top-heavy with intimidation. On the track at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, taking part in Gillette’s “Fast Cars & Superstars” reality show sponsored in part by Cars.com, he showed he’s also a competitor outside the ring, not to mention a car fan looking to find success on a NASCAR track.

Riding along didn’t worry Cena too much. After all, he said, it’s part of the gig.

“Yeah, we got close to the wall, but it’s one of those things,” Cena said after doing his ride-along with NASCAR driver Carl Edwards, one of Gillette’s Young Guns. “This guy’s a professional. And honestly, if he wanted to run me into the wall, I knew what I signed up for.”

Cena’s fascination with cars — he said he’s “absolutely” a car guy — goes back to when he was a teenager in West Newbury, Mass. There, at the ripe age of 15, he bought a 1983 Cadillac Coupe Deville, but his eye was on its powerful engine.

“The only reason I bought it was it had a big block Cadillac in it, and I wanted to rip the motor out and put it in a 1970 Nova shell that I had,” Cena said. “Eventually I blew the tranny on the Cadillac and blew a rod and the motor just driving it around the yard. I had to ditch it.”

With the Cadillac sidelined, he turned his attention to the Nova.

“We had enough room to store a couple of junk cars, and in Massachusetts everything rusts out. I ended up building a small block for the Nova, and that was the first car I put on the road.”

It had a short run.

“Three days after I put it on the road, the frame was so rusted the subframe collapsed on the unibody. So I haven’t had much luck, but now I’m actually getting some stuff I can drive.”

So you’d think a champion WWE wrestler like Cena would tool around town in something flashy, something really expensive. That’s not exactly his story.

“My everyday driver is, believe it or not, the first car I ever paid cash for without some money from the parents … a 1989 Jeep Wrangler," Cena said. "It’s an inline-four and it’s got a little bit of a lift kit on it, and it’s got the same tires. The tires have been through like 100,000 miles. I bought it with 80,000 miles on it, thinking I could maybe get it to turn 100. It’s got 175 and it’s running strong.”

But it’s not sitting by itself in his garage these days. He’s clearly got an affinity for muscle cars: Also in there are a 1970 GTO, a ‘70 Oldsmobile Cutlass and a ‘71 Ford Torino. He’s also got some newer muscle cars parked in there, as well. Among them: a Parnelli Jones edition 2007 Mustang, a 2006 Ford GT and a 2007 Dodge Super B.

“I got a small house and a big-ass garage,” Cena laughed. “They say you know you’re a redneck when you got a garage that’s three times the size of your house.”

Still, he wouldn't label any of those his favorite ride.

“It’s the one that I haven’t found yet,” he said. “I’m looking for a ‘69 Dodge Daytona, 1971 GTX.”

Given his experience driving muscle cars, you might think running on a NASCAR track wouldn’t intimidate him, and you’d probably be right. What does Cena find scarier, coming into the corner at Lowe’s, or coming off the rope onto the canvas?

“Definitely coming off the rope onto the canvas,” Cena laughed. “At least here you kind of control your own destiny. If you’re too late in the turn, or you jerk the wheel, you’re responsible for your own demise. When you hit that rope and you’re face-to-face with 500 pounds of giant, or 400 pounds of Samoan, it’s a bad day anyway you cut it.”

It’s an interesting group of celebrities participating at Lowe’s, from singer Jewel to Super Bowl quarterback John Elway to actor William Shatner, best known as Captain Kirk on Star Trek. Cena said his competitive nature kicks in just the same, even if this isn’t his native territory.

“I have respectively given everyone props for what they’ve done, but this ain’t about what they’ve done, it’s about what they’ve done for me lately,” Cena said, displaying that wrestler voice for the first time in the interview. “We’re here to race cars, not wrestle or play basketball or throw footballs or play tennis or any of that other crap. And it’s good to see that you actually have an even playing field. Nobody has any experience racing cars and everyone’s learning for the first time.”

So naturally, the question arises: What about Captain Kirk? Would you get in a car with him behind the wheel?

“He didn’t necessarily drive the Enterprise, he was just calling the shots,” Cena laughed. “Captain Kirk will be good at pointing at people, ‘Yeah, he can go fast, yeah, she can go fast.’ You get him behind the wheel, I think he’s gonna falter.”

We’ll see when the show airs beginning June 7 on ABC.

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Comments

[ernest]

hi john cena what up my son so you are hot my friend belma likes you john

[Yarsen]

John Cena is very good.

[john gosnell]

he is one hell of a guy. hes really bad ass.great job john.

I like john cena,my frindes i like kiss you.

john cena
i love you

[Spanky]

Nothing like a wrestler to bring out the illiterates....iliterates??? Ileterates???Illiterates!!! Shoot...I guess I'm one of them now. GO JOHN CENA:)

i love you cena you are really hot i hope you win the race and keep your championship on your shoulder I love you bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kaylee]

I just want you to know that I hope that
you will win the race on fast cars and superstars .And I hope that you will keep your championship on your shoulder at vengence .I love you bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!from

[kaylee julius]

hay john its kaylee julius from louisville kentucky I just wanted to let you know that i hope that you keep your title at vengeance and i hope that you will win the race on fastcars and superstars!and that you are SUPER HOT!
I LOVE YOU from kaylee julius age 11

my phone number is 9357707

[Ariel]

John Cena is a great person. He's great in the ring and wat I have seen he is great on the track too. I luv u Cena. U r soooo sexy. :-)

P.S I luv that your into cars too. I am too!!!!

[anny]

Hello. John cena . How are you ? I am anny . I want to know your address mail . please tell me

please reply back

[Angul]

Is this the site the real John Cena e-mails people who are fans?

[Angul]

does John Cena read the e-mail on this site?

[Dave T.]

Angul,
This site is run by Cars.com a sponsor of the show, Fast Cars & Superstars. We have no affiliation with John Cena. We simply interviewed him in advance of his appearance on the show. I do believe he has his own page here:
http://www.wwe.com/superstars/raw/johncena/

[Kay]

Cena your the man, congrats on keeping the title, plus the cars are awsome!

[noel carrion]

just lettin you know john cena i support you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

john cena is the champ

[The Extreme Wrestler]

John Cena I hope you beat Randy Orton At Summer slam For your WWE Championship.Plus I like your movie The Marine its a cool movie and I like the other movie John Cena Wordlife its cool to. John I hope You have a great summer.

My name is Cedric and you is my bestest stong man i like the time when you f-ued Bobby Lashley off the Turnbukle on won and i bet you will win at summer slam and your my best superstari have ever seen in my life you are my man I am a hug fan of you i wrestle on my bed and i do wrestling moves just like you i have all your clothing just like you.you rock.I am a boy dud im from Louisiana

[Jovani Esquer]

you are the best can you send me a card to P.O Box 103 Robbins CA 95676

[Vangie Luis]

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Love Alwayz with Love,

Vangie "CENA" Luis

Plz Fill Free 2 Add Me In MySpace if u gots 1????

[kat]

cean i luv u in the rign n i luv u in cars u r the best

[scar]

yo wat up g u fkin ace dude keep it real

[Chris Benson]

Oh John Cena I hate when you are injurd I Wish you came back on Raw I I am From Deridder,louisiana

[verenice]

John cena i really wish you were back on RAW simply cuz you were the main reason i watched raw for i really hope you get better i really really miss you oh and the most important thing you will always be a champ no matter what best wishes and hope you get better .#1 fan,Verenice

[Sonia Cristina Fitzek]

I love John Cena.

[Sonia Cristina Fitzek]

I loooooooooovvvvve you John Cena.

[Alain]

your car is cool

[katty]

Hello jhon know you are the best fighter of the wwe and you never know I admire very much lose a fight and that you have said that you are the best fighter luck

[zack]

do you like the sky line

John Cena I wish you were Here back on raw winning WWE championship was back

Jhon Cena I just want to tell you that I wish I was your bigest fan their can ever be in the hole wide world. And by the way this is Juan Rangel and I am 11 years old and I live in Cuachella California. I hope you can read this message I wrote for you.AND PLEAS READ THIS MESSAGE.

[Natasha howard]

my is natasha.

i love you.

you is my...

[Alba]

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[Trytant]

hello john cena! i am the biggest fan of yours i like you very much i want you to win the wrestlemania 24 and become the WWE champion.

[kyler veltman]

you are the best wwe army solder in the world I love your cars you are my hero;;;;;;;;;;;

[John Puder]

I like the wrestlemania theme from the recall you have to face cm punk at the next wrestlemania 25
cm punk is the best wrestler on the wwe roster
you and him can make the wrestlemania you would make the big wwe you should of went out with maria
see ya du du du John Cena is the Greatest superstar ever

[monika]

hey cena i love the way u wrestle !! hope u get the champion belt back!!! I LOVE U and i hope u stay in wrestling 4 a long long long time and hope that everyone who is talking bad about u will see the real side of u!!!! no ofensce who ever hates him

[charity maness]

DearJohn cena,
I love you moves on raw theos are some cool moves!I love you because you are hot and i like your smart thing that you make on raw like to tarple h. I holp that you gat the putle back and keep it for a log time.

p.s. love charity
date: July3 2008

[marcos]

i cant beleve you lost last night

[berenice]

I LUV UUUUUUUUUUUUUUU JOHN!!!!!!!!!! U R THE HOTTEST GUY ON EARTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LUV U!!!