( CNN ) -- Pamela Anderson 's career to date may have been more Playboy than pit lane , but the former Baywatch star has decided to dip her feet into motorsport by launching her own racing team . The 44-year-old actress and ex-cover girl is fronting the Downforce1 team , which will compete in the 2012 European Le Mans and International GT Open series . Anderson , more famous for sporting a red bathing suit as C.J . Parker in the hit '90s TV show than racing overalls , launched the venture earlier this month with the aim of competing in the 2013 open-wheel NASCAR series in the U.S. `` Fast cars and fast women go together , '' the former Playmate of the Month said on the team 's website . `` Here we are surrounded by men , I love it . '' The Canadian is described as a fan of motorsport divisions `` from NASCAR to Formula One '' and hailed the venture as `` a dream come true . '' `` I 'm so proud of the Downforce 1 team , '' she said . `` These gentleman have achieved the impossible and built up a team in just four months . `` I can not wait to see my cars on the race track , it 's hard to believe until I see it . '' But Anderson 's dream has been temporarily derailed . The team 's sole driver Markus Fux , who also doubles up as Downforce1 's marketing coordinator , announced they will miss this weekend 's International GT race in France . `` Due to technical issues and circumstances beyond the control of the team , the management of Downforce1 have reluctantly decided , in the interest of the team and its sponsors , not to attend the first race at Paul Ricard , '' read the statement . `` The team now intends to begin its 2012 race program at the GT Open Series round at Portimao on the 28th April . The team apologizes to its many fans and supporters . '' Anderson is not the first female celebrity to be drawn to the track . Socialite Paris Hilton , heiress to the Hilton hotel fortune , co-founded the SuperMartxe VIP MotoGP team in December 2010 .
Actress and model Pamela Anderson is fronting the Downforce1 racing team . The team will compete in the European Le Mans and International GT Open series . Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos:Photos: Celebrities who have starred on reality TV Socialite Paris Hilton co-founded her own MotoGP motorbike racing team in 2010 .