Mattel today unveiled a line of toys inspired by the upcoming Pixar movie, “Cars,” the Route 66 movie that will be in theaters June 9. The toys will be on display at the American International Toy Fair in New York City, according to this news release.
Cheech Marin, the voice of Ramone in “Cars,” will be at the fair.

Another news release had some details on one of the “Cars” toys:

– CARS(TM) Fast Talkin’ Lightning McQueen(TM) Vehicle: With animated eyes and vinyl-animated mouth, it’s the ultimate interactive toy inspired by the upcoming Disney/Pixar movie, CARS. Kids can talk to Lightning McQueen(TM) and program him to do up to 15 outrageous stunts and tricks, and “say” more than 30 fun phrases.

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with a P.R. official at the toy show. She told me that some of the “Cars” toys should be in stores by March or sooner, with the rest coming in May.

Also, Leapfrog Enterprises announced it is going to have a “Cars” Leapster learning product on shelves in the fall. Leapfrog’s home page is here.

The British team that drove two 1972 Mk1 Ford Escorts across America, including Route 66, in as a fund-raiser in September presented a check for their efforts — 6450 pounds ($11,231 U.S.) to the Motor Neurone Disease Association, according to The Comet, a British newspaper.

After shipping their cars to the US, the intrepid trio drove from Baltimore on the east coast, through New York City, up to Niagara Falls and then west along Route 66 to St Louis, Tulsa, Amarillo, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon.The last section of the journey saw them driving through Death Valley, California, in temperatures of well over 100 degrees F, up to San Francisco and then back down to Los Angeles.

They went through 13 states on the drive of over 5,600 miles which took nearly three weeks to complete. The cars were then shipped back to the UK via the Panama Canal.

The money raised by the adventure will be used to buy much needed equipment and services for local people suffering from motor neurone disease, a steadily progressive neurological disease which affects the nerves of the body.

More details from the trip can be seen on the group’s Web site.

Asuza Pacific University and R&R Signs of Glendora, Calif., are working together to restore the landmark marquee of Azusa Foothill Drive-In on Route 66 in Asuza, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

According to Rice, about one-eighth of the sign’s 500 bulbs glowed during a Jan. 24 test lighting, and those that did light were either dim or flickering.

The Los Angeles Conservancy nominated the drive-in property for landmark status Aug. 1, 2001, while the 17-acre site was still in escrow. Foothill was the last remaining drive-in movie theater on Route 66 west of Oklahoma.

The drive-in was placed on the California Historical Landmark Registry after the private evangelical college paid $6.1 million for it in the summer of 2001.

APU officials disagreed with the listing but did agree to spend $50,000 to refurbish it. Now it is used for campus announcements in English and Spanish.

It’s hoped the restoration efforts will begin in earnest by May and be finished by the end of the year.