Gumball 3000 Announces New York To Tokyo Rally For 2008, Bonus Stopover In North Korea!

It's upward and onward for Maximillion Cooper, the Founder and CEO of "The Gumball 3000 Group." He's got the spin going strong, as he describes his game plan for next year's Gumball rally. His press release (we've got the whole thing below the jump) claims an eight-day 3000-mile route

"creating the ultimate rally of the future from New York to Tokyo incorporating a true once in a lifetime check point in North Korea!!!!!"

The release also goes heavy on the hyperbole, citing a "set off infront of millions" in New York City, and how after making it down to Miami,

"everyone will then be flown...to North Korea's undiscovered stunning capital, Pyongyang, to watch next years 'Mass Games' inside the insane May Day 'gold plated' 250,000 seater stadium as VIP guests of the North Korean Government. This will be a sight in itself - think 'Team America', but this is real!"

Wow. We don't even have anything to add to that. But wait, it gets better — after his sign off on the press release, Max gives a plug for the "latest Gumball film" on MTV, who to call for a St. Tropez reunion, and wait for it...the last two lines of the release:

"a final note; on behalf of all Gumballers we would like to give our support ot theMorley family in this differcult time and wish them a happy out come."

I wonder why they didn't include that in the full body of the release? – Ray Wert More »

Nelson's Balkan Campaign: Athens to Tirana

For once on the Gumball, I woke up in a bed. After a long day's journey into night and Athens, Herr Roy decided he wanted to be as close as possible to the M5 and booked a block of rooms at the Sofitel in Athens, rather than taking his room at the Hilton. A French cameraman was booked into the M5 for the day, riding rear-seat shotgun next to a spare wheel and Ross and Roy's excess baggage. Alex texted me to invite me down for breakfast with Fly and Jarod DeAnda. The morning was quiet and jovial, highlighted by Alex and I engaging in an impromptu game of Star Wars trivia one-upmanship that left Fly and Jarod gobsmacked at the sheer geekery. Then the text came in: the cars were ready to go. More »

Team Polizei Found Fund to Benefit Family of Gumball Crash Victims

Our pals at Team Polizei have pledged $10,000 toward the creation of a fund to benefit the family of Vladimir and Margarita Cepuljoski, the couple who died after an accident involving Gumballers Nick Morley and Matthew McConville last week in Macedonia. Other ralliers have expressed interest in helping the Cepuljoskis' relatives after the tragedy, so the Polizei stepped up and are organizing just such an effort. Interested in helping out? click here to donate. – Davey G. Johnson More »

Fast as a Shark: East of Eden: The Fall of the Gumball 3000

Alex Roy, Gumball organizer Julie Brangstrup and Michael Ross just before the cars are released at at the airport in Athens. More »

Gumball 3000 Organizers Answer Team Polizei With Their Own PR Salvo

The folks running the sticky and gooey road rally are firing back at Team Polizei after they were taken to task over the lack of information provided to the rally participants about the deadly crash in Macedonia. Team Polizei claimed they received no information on the crash at a team meeting the next morning despite rumors swirling of just such an incident. The key note here would be that The G-Ball 3000 leadership doesn't refute the comments made by T.P. — instead merely stating that they waited until Macedonian authorities "confirmed clear details of events and confirmation of the fatality that occurred several hours after the accident on Thursday 3rd May." Considering our own contacts with Macedonian authorities indicate the man reportedly died on the scene, we're confused as to what they mean by that. Also — by singling out Roy and Ross of Team Polizei in the release it seems more like they're lashing out at anyone who's available rather than actually "managing this difficult situation" as is suggested. [Hat tip to Oliver and JF!] – Ray Wert More »

Morley Released On Bail, Tries To Flee Macedonia In Private Jet, Arrested Again

Oh god, not more Gumball news...ok, let's try to give you a recap. Nick Morley, the driver of the car which reportedly fled the scene after causing an old Macedonian man to have a "heart attack" and die, thus causing his wife to die of grief (look, we're romantics, so let us romanticize, k?), thus causing the Gumball 3000 organizers to try to cover up the shameful display of emotion, was released on bail earlier today. Morley, the brother of a big UK real estate developer, then tried to snag a private jet back to the UK despite being told not to leave the country. Luckily, the Macedonian border guards knew to be looking out for the always-on-the-go Brit, and snagged him before he boarded the plane. Morley's now back in jail. The saga continues... [Hat tip to Thomas!] – Ray Wert More »

Team Polizei Takes On Gumball 3000's Maximillion Cooper Over Hit-And-Run Coverup

We've been covering the Gumball 3000 and the recent tragedy in Macedonia in a way that may seem to paint the cross-European rally, and all others, with a brush that may be a bit too wide. There are some very cool and very good people who participated in this rally, like our friends at Team Polizei, who appear to run the rally in both good humor and in a way that's safe. These are people looking to have fun and play a role in something cool — they're not seriously treating it like an honest-to-goodness race. It's the people who turn that rally spirit into something akin to a money-making road race endeavor that cause the problems. All objective reports we've seen to this point seem to indicate that after the crash the other night, there was a cover-up of that information in order to not cause cancellation of the event. It would appear that Team Polizei, as well as other drivers, were concerned about these "rumors" they were hearing of a serious accident the night prior and confronted Gumball 3000 organizer Maximillion Cooper. Here's the official statement from Team Polizei:

"Team Polizei's Alex Roy & Michael Ross feel compelled to challenge Gumball 3000 over the untenable position in which participants were placed.

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Dumball 3000 Claims Second Life!

That's right, the Gumball 3000 has now claimed a second civilian life.

The international rally Gumball 3000 claimed the second victim today - Margarita Chepunjoska, the wife of Vladimir, who died two days ago, has passed away today in the Skopje Clinic Center.

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"Scumball 3000" Is Not The Scummy Gumball 3000 — Enter The "Dumball 3000"

We've been informed via e-mail by the folks who are Good with wood in the UK that they've got their own uses for the term "Scumball." Therefore let us now name this little race the "Dumball 3000" — or at least until a point in which the unknown official holders of that particular trademark feel we've infringed upon it in some unknowing way. Full text of the e-mail we received early this AM after the jump. And remember, it's all Scotto's fault anyway. – Ray Wert More »

Scumball 3000 Shows Us What The Scene Of A Heart Attack Looks Like

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Scumball 3000 Press Release, Take Two

OK, after the Gumball 3000 insinuated a man in a car crash died of a heart attack — it looks like they're ready to try this one again. Second press release after the jump. – Ray Wert More »

Scumball 3000 Absolves Drivers Of Wrong-Doing...May Be Living In Dream World

The Gumball 3000 has finally issued a statement. If you can't get to it — we've also included it here:

STATEMENT FROM GUMBALL HQ - ACCIDENT MAY 2ND 2007

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Russian BMW Reportedly Picked Up Morley And McConville After Deadly Gumball 3000 Hit-And-Run

According to two sources familiar with the cross-Europe road rally, the car that picked up Nick Morley and Matthew McConville after the deadly hit-and-run incident we've been reporting on today was allegedly described as a Gumball BMW with Russian plates. That means it's more than likely the #19 Russian BMW...anyone know who was piloting it? We've got a picture of the car below the jump taken from the start of the race. Still no word from the race organizers. – Ray Wert More »

Gumball 3000 Race Organizers Attempting To Cover Up Hit-And-Run

According to posters on the official site of the Gumball 3000 race, they've now shut down the forum and stopped answering questions about the Nick Morley and Matthew McConville hit-and-run accident we reported on earlier. One source told us over IM:

"everyone involveed has been told to shut up so im going around them, calling authorities...they tried covering the shit up, they've had 24 hours to issue a press release...and nothing of the sort...they kept it from all other gumballers too"

We'll have more as we get it, but the race organizers have yet to answer any phone calls or e-mails from yours truly. [Hat tip to ZeroSignal and the folks at GTSpirit! – Ray Wert More »

Gumballers Nick Morley And Matthew McConville Arrested After Hit-And-Run Fatality

We've been covering the Gumball 3000 up to this point with good cheer, and we'd hoped it would stay that way. Unfortunately, sometimes when you mix high-powered vehicles with the double dose of stupid — adrenalin and lack of sleep — bad things can happen. Like what appears to have happened with Nick Morley and Matthew McConville who according to a report from Metro.co.uk

...have been arrested in Macedonia after an alleged hit and run incident which left one man dead and his wife fighting for her life.

More »