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 as the Gumball 3000 road rally. Gumball 3000 has since gained the reputation as road race for the modern era and has captured the attention. With celebrity participation the public have been bought closer to the race by witnessing it on everything from MTV to reading about it in Vanity Fair.
Races
1999
The original race featured 50 among Cooper�s friends, and went from London, to Rimini, Italy and back, passing through Paris, to the beautiful Chateau d�Esclimont, before lapping the Le Mans race circuit, followed by a checkpoint at the Mas du Clos Ferrari Museum, then Monaco Grand Prix circuit in Monaco, the Ferrari Factory in Modena, the Ambras Palace in Austria and the Hockenheim Grand Prix Circuit in Germany before returning to London to cross the finish line on Park Lane. 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 cars and people were airlifted to a private airport in Spain. The race then continued through Bilbao, Cannes, Milan, Hotel B�hlerh�he Castle near Baden-Baden (Germany), the N�rburgring GP circuit and Hamburg before returning to London. Notable entrants included Drum and bass legend and James Bond baddie Goldie in an Aston Martin V8, it-girl Tara Palmer Tomkinson in a Jaguar XK8, Great Train Robber Bruce Reynolds in a Bentley, the indie band Placebo in a Lagonda, the Happy Mondays all crammed into a 2+2 Jaguar, and Maximillion in the famous Bentley Arnage 1WO.
2001
The third race, held in April 2001, featured 106 cars, including Johnny Knoxville, Steve O and the rest of the cast of Jackass driving an 80s rusted out Jag, as well as F1 World champion Damon Hill driving a Lamborghini, comedian Vic Reeves in a AMG, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu in a Blower Bentley and Maximillion in an original AC Cobra. 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. The race was made into an hour long Jackass Gumball 3000 Special on MTV and received the highest viewing figures of the year. Ruby Wax also ran in the event covering it for terrestrial TV in the UK on BBC1.
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 a checkpoint at the Whitehouse in Washington DC, onto Nashville, Tennessee for lunch in Elvis Presley�s Mansion, Graceland, before getting a Dallas Cowboys welcome in Texas, onwards to Cadillac Ranch, Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, Nevada]] before reaching the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills where Hugh Hefner and playmates awarded trophies. 175 cars entered the contest, including a 60s Corvette painted in the Stars and Stripes that won best car award, the 1959 Ferrari California Spider from the movie Ferris Buellers day off that was bought at a cost of over $1m just to take part in the Gumball, as well as old American muscle cars taking to the road with modern day supercars. Fashion designer Donna Karan, models Amy Wesson and Rachel Hunter, and actor Matthew McConaughey were amongst the stars.
2003
The fifth race was held in May 2003, with 175 cars from San Francisco, California to Miami, Florida, passing through Reno, Nevada, Las Vegas, Tucson, Arizona, White Sands, New Mexico, San Antonio, Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana. This one was made into �Gumball 3000′ The Movie and starred Jackass� Ryan Dunn racing a rental car alongside skateboard legends Tony Hawk in a Dodge Viper and Bucky Lasek, Motocross World champions Travis Pastrana and Carey Hart, supermodel Jodie Kidd all driving the most amazing mix of Ferrari F50s, Lambo�s, the 242mph Swedish Koenigsegg Supercar and other exotica, to West Coast Choppers Jesse James in a custom VW Campervan.
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 as guests of the King, before returning to Spain for the Barcelona Grand Prix, finishing in Cannes at the famous film festival. 192 amazing cars took part, but the car that stole the show was a little old Citroen 2CV painted like the General Lee. Ex Boxing world champion Chris Eubank drove a truck, whilst The Pianist Academy winning actor Adrien Brody favoured a Porsche and the �Ai Ya� Boys just rented a Winnebago. On Gumball its seems just about anything goes.
2005
The seventh race started at Trafalgar Square on May 14, 2005. It took over 3000 miles from London to Brussels, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and then to Dubrovnik in Croatia. The cars were then transported by ferry to Bari, in Italy, then lap the old Targa Florio circuit in Sicily, before they headed north to Rome, and finally crossed the finish line in the Monaco�s Casino Square prior to the F1 Grand Prix. Participants included Gumball veterans, skater Rob Dydrek, rock stars and supermodels driving everything from a Dukes of Hazzard General Lee themed Ferrari to Carrera GTs.
2006
Starting in London and finishing 8 days later in Los Angeles�this one is just NUTS, 120 amazing cars driving 3000 miles across 3 Continents in just 8 days! Last year the crowds on route were HUGE, and this year we want even more of you to cheer us on. We�ve got more supercars, superstars and rock n� roll parties than you can imagine!
Seems the Gumball 2007 route is going to be interesting.
London to the Middle East!
28th April to the 6th May 2007
The cost for Gumball 2007 is �24k (its �28k for new Gumballers) so �12k each.
What you get for your money? - A 7 day, 3,000 mile rally, 120 cars ranging from a Ford capri to the new Bugatti Veyrons (looks as though we may have three sign up for Gumball 2007). 5 Star hotels at every stop, outrageous parties (we are teaming up with Ministry of Sound this year to help take care of this!), 3 major concerts and racetracks en route. Gumball HQ is already in talks with some of the worlds biggest music artists as we speak. You will also have to expect the now customary insane receptions en route with fans cheering you on from every bridge and street corner.
The projected route for Gumball 2007:
London-Paris-Venice-Dubrovnik-Thessaloniki-Istanbul-Beirut.
Quite a challenge especially with the unstable situation in the middle east. We will see what Gumball 2007 brings�
noah, care se baga?
cam cea mai misto/amuzanta "echipa" e cea a lui Alex Roy, are a trecut de la un ///M5 la un Bentley GT
poze si filme AICI
