“The Amazing Race” has sent countless teams sprinting through airports, deciphering clues, and racing across the globe, but not all of them were everyday adventurers. Over the years, the CBS hit has quietly welcomed some familiar faces, from boy band heartthrobs to pro athletes and reality TV icons. Here are seven celebrities who traded red carpets and spotlights for passports and pit stops.
Mike White, ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 14
This one surprised me, as I didn’t realize Mike White competed on this show. Yes, I knew the actor, writer, director, and creator of “The White Lotus” had competed on “Survivor,” but I don’t remember him competing on “The Amazing Race.”
White competed on the show with his dad, Mel White, and they finished in sixth place on season 14 in 2009. They came back and competed on “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business” in 2011, and finished in tenth place.
Bethany Hamilton on ‘The Amazing Race’
CBSBethany Hamilton is a professional surfer. She competed with her husband, Adam Dirks, on “The Amazing Race.” The duo finished in third place during season 25 in 2014.
Hamilton is known for losing her arm to a shark attack while surfing in 2003, PEOPLE stated. It didn’t slow her down, as she hopped back on her board just one month later. Her 2004 autobiography was turned into the 2011 movie “Soul Surfer.”
Boston Rob & Amber Mariano
Rob and Amber Mariano have spent plenty of time on deserted islands (they have competed a total of eight times on “Survivor”). However, they have also twice traveled the world while competing on “The Amazing Race.”
While both Rob and Amber have won a season of “Survivor,” they didn’t have as much luck on “The Amazing Race.” The pair finished second during season 7, then came back for All Stars in 2007 and finished in eighth place.
Jonathan Knight, Season 26
CBSBoy bands take over “The Amazing Race.” Jonathan Knight, a member of the boy band New Kids on the Block, shot to fame in the late ‘80s.
However, he always wanted to compete on “The Amazing Race,” and he did just that alongside his now-husband, Harley Rodriguez, in 2015. The duo finished in ninth place during season 26.
Joey Chestnut, Season 30
CBSJoey Chestnut may hold over 50 world eating records and be a 17-time Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest champion, according to ESPN, but he couldn’t turn that into a win on “The Amazing Race.”
Chestnut competed with fellow competitive eater Tim Janus during season 30 in 2018. The pair finished in eighth place.
Alexander Rossi & Conor Daly, Season 30
CBSAlso competing on season 30 of the show were professional race car drivers Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly.
Rossi won the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie in 2016. They both currently compete full-time in the IndyCar Series. The pro athlete status did help them to a fourth-place finish that season.
Blake Mycoskie, ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 2
GettyWe are going all the way back to season 2 of “The Amazing Race” for this celebrity. Blake Mycoskie is an entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist who founded Toms Shoes.
Blake competed on the second season with his sister Paige, and they were the youngest team on that season. They made it to the final leg of the race, and it was a closely-contested final leg, but they finished in third place, just four minutes behind the top two teams.
Do you remember these famous faces on “The Amazing Race”?
