Ian Ziering says he is owed $100,000 for hosting a television series that is already airing on The CW. The Beverly Hills, 90210 actor’s company has sued the producers of The Great American Road Rally: Celebrity Edition, alleging that they missed a scheduled payment.
iMan Productions Inc. filed the complaint November 6 in Los Angeles County Superior Court. It names producer Eric Richey, The Great American Road Rally LLC and 7 Bridges Media Group LLC, according to Entertainment Weekly, which obtained the lawsuit.
Ziering’s company says he had already performed substantial work, including voiceover sessions, preproduction and filming in Santa Monica, at a car dealership and at a California desert location.
Entertainment Weekly sought comment from a representative for the production. Its November 9 report did not include a response to the claims.
His $260,000 Hosting Agreement Deferred Most of the Payment
According to the complaint, Ziering agreed to a $260,000 fee and received $60,000. The remaining compensation was divided into two equal installments, due no later than August 23 and October 21, 2026.
The lawsuit identifies the October installment as unpaid. The available reporting does not establish whether the earlier payment arrived.
iMan Productions is seeking compensation for the alleged breach and the reasonable value of Ziering’s professional services. Its requests also include damages for related losses, interest on the overdue installment, litigation costs and attorney fees.
A Shelby Truck, Challenger and Corvette Were Listed as Security
The contract identified three vehicles as collateral for the deferred compensation: a 2016 Ford F-150 Shelby Super Snake, a 2014 Dodge Challenger and a 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z51. Ziering’s company says none was ultimately made available to secure his pay.
According to the complaint, the vehicles were registered in Tennessee and located in Nevada. His company alleges that they belonged to 7 Bridges Media Group rather than The Great American Road Rally LLC, the entity identified in the arrangement, and that sufficient ownership rights could not be established.
The suit also challenges the latter company’s status when the agreement was signed. It alleges that Tennessee’s secretary of state administratively dissolved The Great American Road Rally LLC on September 22, 2025, four days before Ziering entered the hosting contract.
Ziering Promoted the Series as More Than a Road Trip
Months before the lawsuit, 7 Bridges Media Group publicly announced Ziering’s involvement. Its July 7 release described a program pairing celebrity teams with charitable organizations as they traveled Route 66 during the highway’s centennial year.
Ziering contributed a statement calling the project “so much more than a road-trip series.” The announcement said participants would visit communities, undertake challenges and introduce viewers to the organizations they were supporting.
His duties extended to leading the convoy. In a September 14 account, participating arts organization Carpe Artista said Ziering drove the pace car. Its board chairman, Rob Evras, and chief executive, Ron Alley, also traveled with the rally, representing the organization’s partnership with the James Burton Foundation.
The Next Episode Takes the Rally From Albuquerque to Flagstaff
The production’s official fact sheet dates the journey to August 6 through 15, 2026. Its 2,211-mile route began near Chicago and ended in Santa Monica, with a detour through Las Vegas. Celebrity participants included Erik Estrada, John Schneider and John O’Hurley.
Schneider documented part of the trip on his own YouTube channel. An August 13 upload featured him and his wife, Dee Dee, checking in from Albuquerque and discussing the cars, participants and charitable causes involved.
The series premiered September 16, and six episodes aired before a two-week break, according to its official schedule. The next installment, “The Divide,” follows a 325-mile stretch from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Flagstaff, Arizona, crossing the Continental Divide. It is scheduled for November 11 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.