Gumball the aftermath

[prova4re]

The final results:


Winner of The Spirit of the Gumball Award: Team 76 - Caterham Series 7

The grand finale of the award ceremony was the coveted Spirit of the Gumball Award, which
went to the Caterham Girls in their first rally. Sue Bellarby and Kathryn Huddart decided
to come on the rally on a whim and bought an open top Caterham 7 just a few days before the
start.

The owners of a cleaning agency (Dustintime) had their credit cards and cash stolen in Budapest,
forcing them to drive under toll booth barriers for the rest of the route. They broke down
seven times between Budapest and Italy and were also stopped seven times for speeding in between
(although got away with no fines).

They were "continuously lost", got frozen and completely drenched due to their lack of a roof
(someone kindly gave them goggles, which they hadn't even brought). Then two hours out of Sicily
their Caterham finally blew up, forcing them to hitch hike the whole length of Italy to Monaco.

As if that wasn't hardcore enough, Sue has volunteered to drive the ice-cream van back to the UK,
as it's owners have to go back to the States and Beaulieu Motor Museum want to exhibit it!

Winner of the Cleanest car on the Rally Award: Team 13 - Golf GTI

Cleanest car on the Rally went to fashion designer Mark Eley's tricked out Golf GTI.

Winner of The Gumball Bling Award: Team 80 - Volkswagen Samba

The Gumball Bling Award went to the boys in the pimped out VW Campervan, with Porsche
engine and suspension.

Winner of The Tough Guys of Gumball Award: Team 103 - Ford F150 SVT Lightning

Tough Guys of Gumball were former London gangster Dave Courtney and his team, driving an
imposing black Ford F150. It's hardly suprising he won when you consider the first line
of his autobiography (Stop the Ride; I Want to Get Off') says:
"One time, this guy came at with an axe in his hand and murder in his eyes. He was proper
annmoyed, let me tell you. Fortunately, I had a sword in my hand. So I stuck it through
him".

Winner of The Copilot Navigation Award: Team 61 - Ice Cream Van

The Copilot Navigation Award went to the ice cream van, who managed to complete the entire
3000 mile route with a top speed of 55mph; narrowly missing out on the Spirit of the Gumball.

Winner of the DC Shoes Lifetime Achievement Award: Team ?? - Nissan 350Z

DC Shoes Lifetime Achievement Award went to Carter Healey, who has been on every Gumball 3000,
this year in a Nissan 350Z.

Winner of A Special Award: Team 31 - Lamborghini Murcialago/Mercedes SL55

A special award went to the driver of the Lamborghini Murcielago who was busted at 194mph
before he'd got out of the UK. That car was impounded, so he took his Mercedes round the
rest of the route, til he blew that up in Italy. He then had his Lambo disempounded and
brought to Italy, where hours later he completely wrote it off and had to hitch hike the
rest of the way to Monaco. He'd wish to remain anonymous for insurance purposes...more
on that story soon.

Winner of the Gumball Enthusiast Award: Team 72 - Lotus Esprit

The Gumball Enthusiast Award went to first timer Mark Muss, who had a slew of problems with
his 1994 black Lotus, but stayed totally on top of it and was up the front of the pack every
day.

Winner of the Quote of the Rally Award: Big Black - Team 41 - Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Quote of the Rally went to Big Black (but for my safety's sake I'm not putting that online
until I've got Big Black's security clearance ha ha!)

Winner of the Best Driver Award: Kim Mazelle

Best Driver went ironically to Kim Mazelle, who has now completed four Gumballs without
ever taking the wheel.

 

[dave22]

busted at 194mph
car was impounded
took his Mercedes round the rest of the route, til he blew that up in Italy.
had his Lambo disempounded
completely wrote it off
had to hitch hike the rest of the way

Wow, what a crappy trip for this poor guy.

But I guess if you have "J LO" on your plates you pretty much had it coming

 

[john@johnhudakracing]

Wow, what a crappy trip for this poor guy.

But I guess if you have "J LO" on your plates you pretty much had it coming

Well, now they both have a face lift.

 

[white&black NSX]

Wow!! thats really crazy.

 

[Meeyatch1]

It is odd how those guys seem so proud of trashing exotic sports cars....maybe I just like my car too much to enjoy the idea of crashing it.

 

[NSXFreak00]

ya but it seems these guys have enough money to buy a parking lot full of ferraris....

 

[Meeyatch1]

ya but it seems these guys have enough money to buy a parking lot full of ferraris....

I know that...I just think that there is a difference between a real car enthusiast, and a guy with a huge wallet and no real appreciation for the cars. A real car guy would not be so thrilled with destroying a Lamborghini or other exotic sports car.

 

[Edgemts]

I know that...I just think that there is a difference between a real car enthusiast, and a guy with a huge wallet and no real appreciation for the cars. A real car guy would not be so thrilled with destroying a Lamborghini or other exotic sports car.

I dont think he was "thrilled" about destoying his car, he is obviously somewhat of an enthusiast to be entering the event and to go through the things he had to to keep going. He just has a lot of money and can afford to buy another.
How do YOU determine whether HE has appreciation for the cars or not?
HE may not look at it like shit there went 2 years salary or dammit how am I going to afford to fix this, he obviously doesnt have those worries but that doenst make someone with money any less of an enthusiast.
Yes there are plenty out there that dont appreciate or respect their cars but that is not everyone.

Are you the type of enthusiast that would have your LAmbo sitting in a garage all the time because your afraid something is going to happen to it, or would you be out driving all the time, the way it was designed to be driven, sort of like this guy(minus the meeting with the wall). We all make mistakes sometimes.

 

[White92]

When do the new Gumball videos come out? I have a few from the past, but want to see new ones.

 

[heySkippy]

Obviously there are an infinite variety of exotic car owners, reasons they own their cars, and what they can afford to "waste". I do not judge how others get their enjoyment from their possessions and don't want to be judged myself.

I just hate that they do this stuff on public roads. I don't know a lot about this event or what, if any, precautions are taken but it seems terribly irresponsible. If some participant were to harm a bystander or other innocent I would have no pity.

 

[poet_x]

the mangled cars make me want to weep.

 

[White92]

Obviously there are an infinite variety of exotic car owners, reasons they own their cars, and what they can afford to "waste". I do not judge how others get their enjoyment from their possessions and don't want to be judged myself.

I just hate that they do this stuff on public roads. I don't know a lot about this event or what, if any, precautions are taken but it seems terribly irresponsible. If some participant were to harm a bystander or other innocent I would have no pity.

I agree. They are bastards for doing this on the streets. If they are so rich and think this is so much fun, they should start racing in the 24 hours of Le Mans or something similar. This needs to stay off of the public streets. Has anyone ever died during this event? Participants or bystanders?

 

[AU_NSX]

Now now... you don't have to speed you know....

Winner of The Copilot Navigation Award: Team 61 - Ice Cream Van

The Copilot Navigation Award went to the ice cream van, who managed to complete the entire
3000 mile route with a top speed of 55mph; narrowly missing out on the Spirit of the Gumball.

The event looks like a lot of fun to me, Unfortunately you will always get quite a few total w*nkers when you get people with so much money together all at once!

 

[Meeyatch1]

I dont think he was "thrilled" about destoying his car, he is obviously somewhat of an enthusiast to be entering the event and to go through the things he had to to keep going. He just has a lot of money and can afford to buy another.
How do YOU determine whether HE has appreciation for the cars or not?
HE may not look at it like shit there went 2 years salary or dammit how am I going to afford to fix this, he obviously doesnt have those worries but that doenst make someone with money any less of an enthusiast.
Yes there are plenty out there that dont appreciate or respect their cars but that is not everyone.

Are you the type of enthusiast that would have your LAmbo sitting in a garage all the time because your afraid something is going to happen to it, or would you be out driving all the time, the way it was designed to be driven, sort of like this guy(minus the meeting with the wall). We all make mistakes sometimes.

Okay friend....there are two major points you are missing...but since YOU like to use YOUR caps lock key, so will I:

1.) YOU must not have seen the several videos that I am basing MY blanket statement on. In THOSE videos YOU would see that there are SEVERAL exotic car owners entered in THAT race who DO seemingly detroy their cars for FUN. While this is not ALL of them, I have spoken with people that HAVE entered that race that told me the same thing.

2.) YOU obviously have NO idea who I am, or what kind of enthusiast I AM in order to suggest that I would leave MY car in the garage and NOT drive it. Ask anyone on HERE about my driving habits with MY cars. I drive MINE pretty much ALL the time.

Again, while not ALL people in that race are reckless tools, it is NOT hard to find ones that are.

 

[dynatac]

Ask anyone on HERE about my driving habits with MY cars. I drive MINE pretty much ALL the time.

Feel free to ask his passengers too.
Mitch - you're my hero.

 

[White92]

What, no 5 point harness for that precious cargo?! :smile:

 

[Edgemts]

Okay friend....there are two major points you are missing...but since YOU like to use YOUR caps lock key, so will I:

1.) YOU must not have seen the several videos that I am basing MY blanket statement on. In THOSE videos YOU would see that there are SEVERAL exotic car owners entered in THAT race who DO seemingly detroy their cars for FUN. While this is not ALL of them, I have spoken with people that HAVE entered that race that told me the same thing.

2.) YOU obviously have NO idea who I am, or what kind of enthusiast I AM in order to suggest that I would leave MY car in the garage and NOT drive it. Ask anyone on HERE about my driving habits with MY cars. I drive MINE pretty much ALL the time.

Again, while not ALL people in that race are reckless tools, it is NOT hard to find ones that are.

I am not infering anything about you, it just seemed that you were making a blanket statement that everyone who had a misfortune in the Gumball or whatever event were not car enthusiasts because they had money and possibly drove them hard.
I dont disagree with your last statement either, but thats no different than the general population.
SO, I am not sure sure what your original statement is saying, unless you know that individual driving(or crashing) his exotic car.
AGAIN- if you know this individual personally- then I am dead wrong, you would certainly know if thats the case. I just dont like when people make blanket statements to try and characterize all the people in an event or in a group.

How would you feel if a Prime member got drunk, drove his/her NSX into another car killing someone, then people said that all the people on NSX prime who drive NSX's are drunken tools that dont give a shit about anyone and dont appreciate there cars.

 

[Sig]

Okay friend....there are two major points you are missing...but since YOU like to use YOUR caps lock key, so will I:

1.) YOU must not have seen the several videos that I am basing MY blanket statement on. In THOSE videos YOU would see that there are SEVERAL exotic car owners entered in THAT race who DO seemingly detroy their cars for FUN. While this is not ALL of them, I have spoken with people that HAVE entered that race that told me the same thing.

2.) YOU obviously have NO idea who I am, or what kind of enthusiast I AM in order to suggest that I would leave MY car in the garage and NOT drive it. Ask anyone on HERE about my driving habits with MY cars. I drive MINE pretty much ALL the time.

Again, while not ALL people in that race are reckless tools, it is NOT hard to find ones that are.

I don't think Edgemts' post was intended as a personal attack on you. Perhaps the harshness of your response was a bit too biting.

Either way, it's a shame to see beautiful cars destroyed, especially in a reckless way on public roads. However, if you happen to be a billionaire... a few hundred K does not even qualify as a 'rounding error'. At that point, their cars are disposable.

 

[Meeyatch1]

I don't think Edgemts' post was intended as a personal attack on you. Perhaps the harshness of your response was a bit too biting...

Perhaps my reply was a bit harsh....if I misinterpreted the post of Edgemts then I am sorry. It is always possible for me to be wrong, especially when sleep deprived as I was this morning.

Edgemts.....apologies for any harshness in my reply. Getting calls this morning at 4:52 A.M. about a car we had for sale and then another one at 5:54 A.M. had me cranky as hell. On that note, I will buy you a beer if we ever meet sometime...cool?

 

[Meeyatch1]

Feel free to ask his passengers too.
Mitch - you're my hero.[/IMG]

Thank you....I will be signing autographs after the show....

 

[Sig]

On that note, I will buy you a beer if we ever meet sometime...cool?

Should be convienent to serve plenty of beers, as it looks like you have the newly released SOS Keg Holder installed in your passenger seat :biggrin:

*** assuming the car in the pic was yours.

 

[Meeyatch1]

Should be convienent to serve plenty of beers, as it looks like you have the newly released SOS Keg Holder installed in your passenger seat :biggrin:

*** assuming the car in the pic was yours.

LOL!! Yes, the car in the pic is mine. I am probably one of the more laid back NSX owners on here. I have used my NSX for beer/keg runs, as a work truck, as a daily driver, to haul 3 PEOPLE (do not ask how or why), and as several other things that make fellow NSX owners cringe. The funny thing is that I still have one of the most meticulously maintained NSX's around as I service the car WAAAAAY more than I really need to and clean it all the time. If you want the design for the 'keg holder' just let me know.