Gumball 3000 - A modern, and much more importantly real take on the "Cannonball Run". Some of the finest, rarest, and most intriguing cars on the planet have participated in this prestigious race since 1999. Name any exotic car, and it's probably been on the rally. The name deceptively suggests its a rally, a race, a competition. Many participants do view it as one, and without competition it wouldn't be half as fun, but the 3000 mile race is not exempt from the law.
Speed, oh how tempting it is, can yield the most undesirable results for Gumballers. Fines in the thousands of Dollars are not uncommon for speeds in the excess of 200mph. Luckily for this year's contestants, a hefty fine is probably the most they can expect if racing on the public highway in an alien country. Painfully, penalty points will soon be transferable from country to country, and it will be interesting to see how the star-studded race will change when bending the law will bring much more than just a pricey slap on the wrist.
If you're prepared to battle it out with the most determined armature racers on the planet, spend mad cash on joining the race, and even madder cash on the fines, then you're not even half way there to being Gumball material. A vehicle, be it a $10,000 one-off racing Citroen 2CV or a $700,000 Ferrari Enzo, is what is going to get you a place on the rally. Vehicles range from unreasonably swift diesels to cars with additional fuel tanks for a greater range. It seems that whilst the price-included overnight parties at the world's culture and entertainment capitals are attractive, sitting in the car and being first, is much more of a turn-on. And whose to blame?
Photos by: Ilya Zheludev, 2005, UK.
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