Gumball Rally
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Joined: May 2000
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From: MY00,MY01,RX-8, Alfa 147 & Focus ST :-)
I remember seeing a post from the Wax Wizard about the Gumball Rally - I think we should be told...
I would have paid a lot of money to see the Ferrari's racing up the runway
Chris
I would have paid a lot of money to see the Ferrari's racing up the runway
Chris
Scooby Regular
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 0
Hi Guys
Yes I Gumballed as a semi unofficial entrant running as a support vehicle for the car that we did co sponsor.
We co sponsored Luke Craft and Stuart ? (Editor BMW Car Mag and ex EVO mag) in a borrowed (from BMW Press Fleet) Z3 M Coupe.
I followed in my merc E55 AMG estate.
Graet fun was had by all at all stages of the rally with some realy wild things happening.
One Diablo (1 week old) blew upm re cooling problems, our car ran out of fuel somewhere near the French/Spoanish border, another Diablo wqs stolen from the underground car park at Cannes and as you guess many were caught speeding..me included.
The frogs have speeding well sorted. One minute yer cruising at 145mph and nothing in site and then u come across (for no apparent reason) traffic. Why? as all the locals slow down a good few miles before the tolls so that they are not caught in the radar/camara.
We (all Gumballers) did not click to this fact at all no did many forgiegn drivers (mainly Germans and Belgians) were pulled by the Gendarmes at the tolls Me I was clocked at 140mph and was asked to pay an instant fine of 5000 francs (£500) yet the german girl in a tatty old bimmer was clocked at 110mph was asked for mrely 50 quid.
Well, me and my passenger did not have the cash and we pleaded typical British ignorance the the bill asked if we had credit cards. Easy we thought...oh no they wanted us to withdraw cash from the ATM. We spun them a yarn and told them that we had already withdrew money that day for the hotel and therefore could draw only a maximum of 1000 francs (100 quid). This was greeted with usual french verbal and arm swing displays but they eventually let us go paying the 1000 francs plus my passenger gave the his Lottery ticket (It was 3 weeks old and a none winner but the Gendarme thought he was in luck)
£ cars were stopped (me one of them) at this toll and when fines paid we left in no uncertain terms. Me I had ESP and Traction off and just floored the throttle, rear tyres etc smoking and 2 lovely black lines as did the other 2 cars...much to the annoyance of the gendarmery and much whistle blowing and arm waving.
In Cannes had a good party aboard a lovely gin palace and was invited to a party some 6 boats up the wharf. It was a **** party with filming commencing at 0100hrs. Sadly I was too p***ed to crawl there.
Sunday many of us decided to deviate from the "official route" and drove on the road from Cannes to Grasse and thence to Grenoble. This piece of road is one of the most picturesque that I have driven as well as the most challenging. Having been on a few SIDC meets nothing meets the skills or entertainment value as this road does. According to our mag editor this road is used by all major manufactureres for handling tests etc as well as for general film work. Hairpin bend after hairpin bend with short burst of over 100mph between bends, tyres wincing around every corner. I have just about worn a new set of rear tyres.
Germany was as you can imagine chaos for some drivers acting the luney. As spme have seen ala sunday times the speeds reached were phenominal (200mph plus) and 2 guys clocked on radar at 181mph on the hard shoulder. Personally I think that was highly dangerous and irrisponsible as I too like fast driving but only where its safe to do so. Up the hard shoulder is asking for trouble and its highly dangerous. The funny side though is that the two german police cars (mercs) blew their engines whilst in "Hot pursuit" Cannonball style. The fines these guys got were humungous at 17 grand and 7 grand. One guy paid his fine in CASH and drove his ferrari 355 back to London only to blow the engine whilst revving the b*ll*cks out of it it the finish car park...you should have heard the noise as the motor went bang big style.
Tara Palmer Tomkinson (affectionately known as Tara The Tart) is just that..all skin and bone, no ***** (what my wife says) and acts as though shes stoned pretty well all the time...a right dork in my opinion. Judging by her behaviour shes seen more traffic than the Dartford Tunnel.
One person left their passport in a hotel at Cannes but at a border crossing climbed in the boot and hid. Car eventually passed thru customs etc without having to open the boot!
All in all a good time was had by all concerned. Next year Burt Reynolds will be taking part!
Pics of my car and our sponsored car will appear shortly on our web site.
Applications now being taken for a co-driver(s) for next years rally. Any takers...if so, email me at info@waxwizard.com (purchased required 1st)
Yes I Gumballed as a semi unofficial entrant running as a support vehicle for the car that we did co sponsor.
We co sponsored Luke Craft and Stuart ? (Editor BMW Car Mag and ex EVO mag) in a borrowed (from BMW Press Fleet) Z3 M Coupe.
I followed in my merc E55 AMG estate.
Graet fun was had by all at all stages of the rally with some realy wild things happening.
One Diablo (1 week old) blew upm re cooling problems, our car ran out of fuel somewhere near the French/Spoanish border, another Diablo wqs stolen from the underground car park at Cannes and as you guess many were caught speeding..me included.
The frogs have speeding well sorted. One minute yer cruising at 145mph and nothing in site and then u come across (for no apparent reason) traffic. Why? as all the locals slow down a good few miles before the tolls so that they are not caught in the radar/camara.
We (all Gumballers) did not click to this fact at all no did many forgiegn drivers (mainly Germans and Belgians) were pulled by the Gendarmes at the tolls Me I was clocked at 140mph and was asked to pay an instant fine of 5000 francs (£500) yet the german girl in a tatty old bimmer was clocked at 110mph was asked for mrely 50 quid.
Well, me and my passenger did not have the cash and we pleaded typical British ignorance the the bill asked if we had credit cards. Easy we thought...oh no they wanted us to withdraw cash from the ATM. We spun them a yarn and told them that we had already withdrew money that day for the hotel and therefore could draw only a maximum of 1000 francs (100 quid). This was greeted with usual french verbal and arm swing displays but they eventually let us go paying the 1000 francs plus my passenger gave the his Lottery ticket (It was 3 weeks old and a none winner but the Gendarme thought he was in luck)
£ cars were stopped (me one of them) at this toll and when fines paid we left in no uncertain terms. Me I had ESP and Traction off and just floored the throttle, rear tyres etc smoking and 2 lovely black lines as did the other 2 cars...much to the annoyance of the gendarmery and much whistle blowing and arm waving.
In Cannes had a good party aboard a lovely gin palace and was invited to a party some 6 boats up the wharf. It was a **** party with filming commencing at 0100hrs. Sadly I was too p***ed to crawl there.
Sunday many of us decided to deviate from the "official route" and drove on the road from Cannes to Grasse and thence to Grenoble. This piece of road is one of the most picturesque that I have driven as well as the most challenging. Having been on a few SIDC meets nothing meets the skills or entertainment value as this road does. According to our mag editor this road is used by all major manufactureres for handling tests etc as well as for general film work. Hairpin bend after hairpin bend with short burst of over 100mph between bends, tyres wincing around every corner. I have just about worn a new set of rear tyres.
Germany was as you can imagine chaos for some drivers acting the luney. As spme have seen ala sunday times the speeds reached were phenominal (200mph plus) and 2 guys clocked on radar at 181mph on the hard shoulder. Personally I think that was highly dangerous and irrisponsible as I too like fast driving but only where its safe to do so. Up the hard shoulder is asking for trouble and its highly dangerous. The funny side though is that the two german police cars (mercs) blew their engines whilst in "Hot pursuit" Cannonball style. The fines these guys got were humungous at 17 grand and 7 grand. One guy paid his fine in CASH and drove his ferrari 355 back to London only to blow the engine whilst revving the b*ll*cks out of it it the finish car park...you should have heard the noise as the motor went bang big style.
Tara Palmer Tomkinson (affectionately known as Tara The Tart) is just that..all skin and bone, no ***** (what my wife says) and acts as though shes stoned pretty well all the time...a right dork in my opinion. Judging by her behaviour shes seen more traffic than the Dartford Tunnel.
One person left their passport in a hotel at Cannes but at a border crossing climbed in the boot and hid. Car eventually passed thru customs etc without having to open the boot!
All in all a good time was had by all concerned. Next year Burt Reynolds will be taking part!
Pics of my car and our sponsored car will appear shortly on our web site.
Applications now being taken for a co-driver(s) for next years rally. Any takers...if so, email me at info@waxwizard.com (purchased required 1st)
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