Jay Leno to provide commentary during Auctions America’s California sale

Jay Leno will provide color commentary for the live television coverage of Auctions America's California Auction on Aug. 3, which will air during the NBC Sports Network's broadcast of the auction, which will run from Aug. 1-3. The live coverage will run Friday, Aug. 2, from 7-9 p.m. PT and Saturday, Aug. 3, at 1 p.m. PT. Fittingly, the auction will take place at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel on Aug. 1-3, just a few miles from the “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Jay Leno’s Garage” host’s NBC studios.

Auction attendees will be able to watch Leno provide insight and a humorous take on the world of car collecting as he joins NBC Sports Network hosts Bill Patrick and Steve Matchett. The live broadcast of the auction, produced by Roger Wilco Productions, includes more than 400 collector cars ranging from rare European exotics to iconic Southern California Hot Rods along with an exciting series of vehicles with celebrity provenance.

“We are thrilled that Jay Leno will be joining us in Burbank for our debut California sale,” says Auctions America’s Ian Kelleher. “Jay is the perfect person to provide commentary at our first auction in Southern California – while he’s famous for hosting 'The Tonight Show,' his credentials as a collector, curator and driver are impeccable, and we are excited to hear his take on the superb roster of vehicles slated for our Burbank auction block.”

Joining Leno onstage and hosting the auction coverage will be veteran NBC Sports Network broadcasters Bill Patrick and Steve Matchett. Patrick hosted motorsports and automotive coverage on Race Week and has covered every major sporting event during his 25-year broadcasting career, including all four major championships in professional golf, the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, the World Series, the Super Bowl, the NBA Playoffs, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, America's Cup and the 2008 Olympics. Matchett is an automotive and motorsports analyst with a focus on Formula One for NBC and the NBC Sports Network and formerly worked as a mechanic for the Benetton F1 team.

An auction so close to Hollywood would not be complete without cars with celebrity provenance, and Auctions America’s California sale does not disappoint. Among a long list of highlights set to cross the block are a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, given to Robert Stack by Desi Arnaz after winning an Emmy for “The Untouchables”; the 1967 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow driven by Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway in “The Thomas Crown Affair” and the 1951 Mercury Convertible driven by David Lee Roth in his “California Girls” music video. The sale will also lift the gavel on two “General Lee” Dodge Chargers; a 1933 Ford Custom Victoria built by Boyd Coddington for Nicholas Cage; a 1986 Ferrari Testarossa driven by Michael Jackson; the Chip Foose built “Lil’ Foose Coupe” 1932 Ford featured in “Gone in 60 Seconds”; and a 1946 Indian Chief Motorcycle once owned by Steve McQueen, along with several other celebrity cars.

Held at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel, Aug. 1-3, Auctions America’s multi-day California sale will lift the gavel on more than 400 quality collector cars, including a diverse assortment of American and European classics and sports cars, Detroit muscle, hot rods and customs to cater to a broad range of automotive tastes. Full event details, including further information on the exclusive NBC Sports Network coverage and the digital auction catalog are available online at auctionsamerica.com or by calling toll free 888-990-3910.