saymyname
13-06-2005, 10:58 AM
2005 Gumball 3000
Mobile phones. Everyone seems to have one these days, whether you are eight years old and strangely still in nappies, or eighty, and in nappies all over again. For most it's simply a mobile…phone, but for some a mobile oddly appears to be a 21st century recognition of self, an object of individuality for the modern man. And that is precisely what the Gumball 3000 Rally is all about.
Now in its 7th year, the rally has attracted everyone from the humble car-fanatic to entertainment and business heads from all over the planet. The 3000-mile trans-continental race is seen by some as the ultimate automotive expression of self. Think of it this way: how many Ferraris, or Lamborghinis or Porsches have you seen? Tens, hundreds? You may even own one, or know someone else who does, but how many ex-Gumballers do you know?
Practically every car worth mentioning has participated, and this year was no exception. Everything from a military-grade radar-cloaked Mercedes-Mclaren SLR to a fully-functioning Ford Ice-cream van has taken a stab at acquiring the Spirit of The Gumball trophy, awarded to the most interesting and unique vehicle in the race. Bear in mind that while the width of your car's price tag can give you a jolt in the right direction to getting a place on the event, it's the driver's attitude and the uniqueness of the vehicle that grants one the chance to Gumball. With this in mind, it's easy to see why some might choose to enter with a satellite-internet connected 400bhp Overfinch Range Rover or a racing Citroen 2CV over a run of the mill Porsche 911. Of course this does not mean a race full of one-offs. The Gumball will always be able to put even the most prestigious car showrooms to shame.
While the race is not exempt from traffic law, the more eager participants do dice with death at high speeds in the quest for 1st place. Previous rallies have seen participants go well over the 200 mph barrier. With participant numbers usually in the hundreds this is one race that saying: 'It's not about the winning it's about the taking-part' really does apply.
This year's rally started on May 13 in the heart of London, with all the cars on display at Waterloo Palace and Trafalgar Sqaure. The popularity of the rally became apparent when hundreds of spectators came to see all the cars start off. The rally officially started when F1 driver Jenson Button waved the starting flag that evening. Over the next seven days, rally drivers snaked their way through several European countries, passing through checkpoints in Brussels, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Taormina (Sicily), and Rome. Crowds of thousands greeted the rally at each stop, hoping to see the cars as well as well known drivers like Gumball founder Maximillion Cooper, Johnny Knoxville, director Quentin Tarantino, and Jay Kay, as well as dozens of other celebrities. After a week of driving, partying, and a certain lack of sleep, participants who managed to complete the race crossed the finish line in Monaco's Casino Square.
Forking out more than the price of a small city car for a few days of fun may seem unjustifiably extravagant, but how many alternative ways are there to 'race', party and experience the world with dozens of other like-minded people in the pursuit of individuality? Multi-thousand Dollar speeding fines aside, for those who see cars as more than a simple mode transportation, the Gumball provides a perfect atmosphere to bask in automotive grace and admire the souls of these mechanised works of art.
Mobile phones. Everyone seems to have one these days, whether you are eight years old and strangely still in nappies, or eighty, and in nappies all over again. For most it's simply a mobile…phone, but for some a mobile oddly appears to be a 21st century recognition of self, an object of individuality for the modern man. And that is precisely what the Gumball 3000 Rally is all about.
Now in its 7th year, the rally has attracted everyone from the humble car-fanatic to entertainment and business heads from all over the planet. The 3000-mile trans-continental race is seen by some as the ultimate automotive expression of self. Think of it this way: how many Ferraris, or Lamborghinis or Porsches have you seen? Tens, hundreds? You may even own one, or know someone else who does, but how many ex-Gumballers do you know?
Practically every car worth mentioning has participated, and this year was no exception. Everything from a military-grade radar-cloaked Mercedes-Mclaren SLR to a fully-functioning Ford Ice-cream van has taken a stab at acquiring the Spirit of The Gumball trophy, awarded to the most interesting and unique vehicle in the race. Bear in mind that while the width of your car's price tag can give you a jolt in the right direction to getting a place on the event, it's the driver's attitude and the uniqueness of the vehicle that grants one the chance to Gumball. With this in mind, it's easy to see why some might choose to enter with a satellite-internet connected 400bhp Overfinch Range Rover or a racing Citroen 2CV over a run of the mill Porsche 911. Of course this does not mean a race full of one-offs. The Gumball will always be able to put even the most prestigious car showrooms to shame.
While the race is not exempt from traffic law, the more eager participants do dice with death at high speeds in the quest for 1st place. Previous rallies have seen participants go well over the 200 mph barrier. With participant numbers usually in the hundreds this is one race that saying: 'It's not about the winning it's about the taking-part' really does apply.
This year's rally started on May 13 in the heart of London, with all the cars on display at Waterloo Palace and Trafalgar Sqaure. The popularity of the rally became apparent when hundreds of spectators came to see all the cars start off. The rally officially started when F1 driver Jenson Button waved the starting flag that evening. Over the next seven days, rally drivers snaked their way through several European countries, passing through checkpoints in Brussels, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Taormina (Sicily), and Rome. Crowds of thousands greeted the rally at each stop, hoping to see the cars as well as well known drivers like Gumball founder Maximillion Cooper, Johnny Knoxville, director Quentin Tarantino, and Jay Kay, as well as dozens of other celebrities. After a week of driving, partying, and a certain lack of sleep, participants who managed to complete the race crossed the finish line in Monaco's Casino Square.
Forking out more than the price of a small city car for a few days of fun may seem unjustifiably extravagant, but how many alternative ways are there to 'race', party and experience the world with dozens of other like-minded people in the pursuit of individuality? Multi-thousand Dollar speeding fines aside, for those who see cars as more than a simple mode transportation, the Gumball provides a perfect atmosphere to bask in automotive grace and admire the souls of these mechanised works of art.