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Gumball 3000

The Gumball 3000 rally is an annual 6-day, 3000 mi (5000 km) car race.

Contents

History

In 1933 legendary motorcycle racer Mister Baker, had crossed the United States coast-to-coast in 54 hours, earning him the nickname Cannonball. He had had an annual race ever since 1914 (when he needed 11 days), and bettered his time ever since. In the 1970s motor journalist Brock Yates of Car and Driver magazine had started the Cannonball Baker Sea To Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash in honor of Cannonball. The first race was held on April 1, 1971, and first prize was a Gumball dispenser. The first race was won by him and former race driver, Formula One and Le Mans winner Dan Gurney in a Ferrari. They needed about 35 hours from New York to L.A. These events inspired the 1976 movies Gumball Rally and Cannonball, as well as sequels such as Cannonball Run, Cannonball Run 2, etc. The original Gumball race was finally canceled in 1979. Drawing inspiration from the 1970s race, the movies and Smokey and the Bandit, Maximillion Cooper started the modern edition of the game in the summer of 1999.

Races

1999

The original race featured 50 among Cooper's friends, and went from London, UK to Rimini, Italy and back, passing through Paris, Chateau d'Esclimont , the Le Mans circuit, the Mas du Clos Ferrari Museum, the Grand Prix Circuit in Monaco, the Ferrari Factory in Modena, the Ambras Palace in Austria and the Hockenheim Grand Prix Circuit in Germany. The winner drove a 1963 Jaguar E-Type. Other drivers included actors Billy Zane in a 1964 Aston Martin DB5, Jason Priestley in a Lotus Esprit V8 and Dannii Minogue in a Porsche Boxster.

2000

The second race was held in May 2000 . The race started at Marble Arch in London and went to Stansted Airport, where all entries were airlifted to a private airport in Spain. The race then continued through Bilbao, Cannes, Milan, the Buhlerhohe Castle in Switzerland, the Nürburgring GP circuit and Hamburg before returning to London.

2001

The third race, held in April 2001, featured 106 cars, including the cast of Jackass. The race went from Hyde Park Corner in London to Berlin, Vilnius, Saint Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen before returning to London. Kim Schmitz finishes first in his Brabus EV12 Megacar . Bruce Reynolds , known for the Great Train Robbery of 1963 entered the race driving a Bentley.

2002

The fourth race was held in April 2002, the first to be run outside Europe. The race goes from New York to the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, passing through Nashville, Graceland, Dallas, Cadillac Ranch, Santa Fe, the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. A peak 175 cars enter the contest.

2003

The fifth race was held in May 2003, from San Francisco to Miami, passing through Reno, Las Vegas, Tucson, White Sands, San Antonio and New Orleans.

2004

The sixth race was held in May 2004, back again in Europe. The race went from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to Biarritz, Madrid, Marbella, then crossed over to Africa, to Marrakech in Morrocco, before returning to Spain and Barcelona, finishing in Cannes.

2005

The seventh race is planned to start on May 14, 2005. It will go from London to Brussels, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and then to through Dubrovnik in Croatia. The cars will then be transported by ferry to Bari, in Italy, then to Taormina and Palermo in Sicily, then back to mainland Italy, Rome, and finally finish off in the Monaco Grand Prix Circuit.

External links

  • Official homepage http://www.gumball3000.com/


Last updated: 03-02-2005 13:13:20