The Gumball 3000

The Gumball 3000 started out in 1999 and has successfully combined art, automobiles, music and film to create a unique aspirational lifestyle brand. Headed by Maximillion Cooper, the Gumball 3000 Group now operates eight companies with offices in Europe and the United States.

With a pioneering spirit and an attraction that transcends social barriers our mission is to build a global lifestyle brand of the future.

“Gumball is about challenging tradition and taking a non conventional approach to exploring and developing cultural and creative boundaries” Maximillion Cooper, Founder & CEO, Gumball 3000 Group.

The brand has grown organically from its origins as a notorious car rally, into a successful global lifestyle and entertainment group. In 2007, Forbes magazine valued the Gumball 3000 brand at over $200 million.

Gumball 3000’s audience is unique, appealing to kids in the playground trading Gumball Top Trump Super cars playing cards, to the rich and famous that own and drive the supercars in the annual rally. Through the global language of automobiles and entertainment Gumball 3000 has become an aspirational brand to people of all ages, from all walks of life, regardless of status or wealth. Creating a lifestyle brand that combines sport, music, fashion and cars and with a list of celebrity participants as diverse as Johnny Knoxville to Snoop Dogg, Daryl Hannah to Damon Hill, and Rob Dyrdek to Jodie Kidd Gumball maintains its underground appeal, whilst reaching a mass consumer audience. Also appealing to the luxury market and the lifestyles of the already ‘rich and famous’ this unique ability provides a platform to reach both a mass consumer and high end audience, as well as being able to work with the influential and pioneering of the world.

“Gumball combines individual styles and personalities, and appeals to kids on the street to the billionaires of the world” Xzibit, Rap star & host of MTV’s 'Pimp My Ride'.

So after seeing all over my news feed on facebook about the Gumball 3000 starting line being at Times Square I couldn't lose a chance in a lifetime and made my way down there. For me, Exotics where I live are a rare sight at times, but the Gumball 3000 rally is any motoring enthusiasts dream. . 

NB go to Nitro Crew Dyno Day, Show & Shine.

Nitro Crew has been around for a while, they host a quarter mile event every first Sunday of the month but the strangely enough I hadn't heard of them. Here is the thing I drive past that very airfield they use for their quarter mile event everyday, so on a random Sunday I decided to go see whats happens there and I must say its a spectacle not to be missed.

While I was there I caught the announcement that they would be having a Dyno Day/Show and Shine. So being as inquisitive as I was, I took note of the date and made it a point to be there.

On the 19th of May at 11am I found myself at Turbo park in Boksburg where the event was going down at Monster Motorsport, the stage was set and the day started out a little slow to say the least but like most events it was sure to pick up as people like to be fashionably late and so it did.

The Dyno started off with a bang but just like that after the first run it broke, but Monster Motorsport were onto it in no time and before we knew it was up running with people even applauding the boys who took the drive to get the mess sorted. With dyno back up and running it was run after run with cars putting up impressive figures, from naturally aspirated 2.0 16v, supercharged V8, twin Turbo V8 and a variety of other highly modded motors made for good sportsmanship.

The day went quick as the sun started to set without warning, there was still a very long line of cars that were to take up the rollers to see what power they were putting out.

My attention was mainly focused on the parking lot as it was a spectacle of well rounded off clean cars, my favorite being Ian Repsold's Meth Addict drag car a real work of art, and they even got it onto the dyno but I never got to see the power of that 8.8 second quarter mile Beast as the methanol burnt my eyes.

It was around five and I was ready to leave, having walked around the whole day I couldn't stay for the show and shine and sound off competition. A long day I must say and some sore feet and a camera full of pretty awesome shots, I made my way home.

So till the next show and a huge thanks to Nitro Crew, you guys did big!

Allie, Neck Breakerz.