2008 Gumball 3000 Rally Dates Set, Still Heading To North Korea

We just received the following press release from "Mad" Maximillion Cooper, the chieftain of the Gumball 3000, giving the dates of the annual road race rally by way of Des over at the all-rally all-the-time site of GT Spirit. We used to be on the press release distribution list but it appears alas, no longer. Probably has something to do with our coverage of the 2007 ball-run. Anyway, moving on. As expected, the 2008 running of the balls will start in San Francisco (actually, we were originally told it'd start in New York — but who's counting, at least it's the same country) on August 9th and finish 8 days later in China at the Beijing Olympics on August 16th. Also, as we reported first, the 2008 Gumball 3000 will feature a passport-surrendering stopover in North Korea, where the balls of Gum race drivers rally drivers will be feted in style by the Communists celebrating the "Mass Games." We think "Mass Games" is either their version of the Olympics or it's Engrish for "Mass Graves." Either way, we're sure the $120,000 entry fee is money well spent. Unless the "Graves" are empty. Full press release below the jump. More »

Gumball 3000 So Ronery, Still Planning Run To North Korea In 2008

According to GTSpirit, the forum all about the road rally, the Gumball 3000 is still planning on making a run into the heart of Communist North Korea for the 2008 running of the sticky balls of gum. If you'll remember we reported they were looking to take a jaunt through Korea back in June, but we really believed Maximillion Cooper, head of the rally, would come to his senses. Guess not. Oh, and the price for next year's rally has ballooned to £60,000 (£50,000 for Gumballers) — $120,000?? That's a lot of money for us to pay in order to meet "Dear Leader" and potentially forcing us to renounce our US citizenship while doing so — so, you know, count us out. Full release after the jump. [GTSpirit via Gumball144.com] More »

Polizei on the Londino

Herr Roy and his compatriot Mister Ross are off to galavant about the Old Country again, this time in an unmarked, mystery-Polizei vehicle (we're guessing that it might be a Continental GTC, but have no conformation from Ross nor Roy on that at this point). The event? The Londino, a transnational treasure-hunt/tour of sorts where men and women of a certain stature travel from London to Portofino merely on a series of hints. If one of the tasks is to bring back Jeff Ott, a la Paul Curran's legendary Benicia treasure hunt immortalized in Cometbus, we'll poop. We'll poop twice if they actually pull it off. [Team Polizei]

Herr Roy Goes to E-Town

During Alex Roy's long association with Jalopnik, we've come to regard his M5 as something of a piece of folk art; a snot-beat, pricey machine that's likely done more of what it was designed to do than just about any other E39 built. Herr Roy, of course, is a showman, and while his steed of choice is generally considered one of the finest cars of the last three decades, it's still a seven-year-old blue sedan. But somehow with the addition of antennae, stickers and Albanian goat-track dust, it becomes something else. It's almost a parody of the CSL Batmobiles in a way, but just as deadly in its own right. Alex and our pals Jeff Musical, Emil Rensing and Rob Ferretti took the M5 and a few other chips of the Bruce block down to Englishtown for the VW/Audi show at Waterfest over the weekend. It was bad enough that Roy showed up in a Bimmer. Worse? Rensing brought his F430. [Team Polizei]

Nick Morley Speaks

Gumball 3000 pilot Nick Morley speaks to the Manchester Evening News regarding the infamous accident, his release on bail, his subsequent re-incarceration and his trial. He also mentions that an appeal to clear his name is to be filed shortly. – Davey G. Johnson More »

Tiff Needell On the Jaguar XJ220

When we were on the Gumball a month and a half ago, founder Maximillion Cooper showed up driving an XJ220 wrapped in flat black vinyl with gold-wrapped wheels. On one hand, we were flabbergasted, having never actually seen one in real life. We were also rather flummoxed at how cheap the thing seemed. We would have loved to have checked out the twin-turbo, over-200-mph V6 supercar sans covering. Here's a trip back in time, back to when the XJ was still officially the fastest car in the world. Tiff Needell wrings it out. – Davey G. Johnson More »

Morley Family Releases Statement Post-Gumball Verdict

The Morley family has a released a statement of facts regarding the Macedonian trial of Nicholas Morley, which seems to jibe with what we've sussed ourselves about what went down the day before the 2007 Gumball 3000 came apart at the seams. According to the original accident investigator on the scene, as well as an investigator from nonprofit British organization TRL, Morley was traveling at or under 47 mph and would have had 1.6 seconds in which to stop from the point that Vladimir Cepuljoski pulled out in front of his Porsche. The full statement after the jump. More »

Nick Morley Convicted in Gumball Crash, Gets Suspended Sentence

After an excruciating month during which simple human tragedy clashed with hyper-sensationalism, political posturing, class warfare and judicial process, the Nick Morley Gumball 3000 crash saga is nearing a resolution. According to Alex Roy of Team Polizei, a court in Macedonia has found British Gumball driver Morley culpable in the deaths of an elderly couple killed in the crash. But in a stomach-churning turn of events, Morley will be released on a suspended sentence. There are too many lessons to be learned from this incident to list here. Maybe it's enough just to close the book and move on. – Mike Spinelli More »

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 »

Trial Of Gumball 3000 Driver Expected To Wrap Up Today

Despite the family of the victim reportedly forgiving driver Nick Morley for causing the deaths of Vladimir and Margit Cepuljoski, the trial is soldiering on, pitting defense forensics expert against prosecution forensics expert. According to Macedonian internet news agency makfax,

"Court's expert Mile Popovski, whose report served as a basis for the indictment, reiterated his findings that Morley exceeded the prescribed speed limit thus causing the accident in which Chepunjoski spouses were killed.

More »

Gumball 3000 Driver Forgiven by Victims' Family

The UK's Daily Mail is reporting, with typical Fleet Street flair, that the Cepuljoski family has forgiven Gumball 3000 participant Nicholas Morley, who as y'all likely recall, crashed into a MkII Golf driven by Vladimir Cepuljoski that had pulled out in front of his TechArt Porsche 911, resulting in the death of Cepuljoski and his wife. According to a statement released by the family during Morley's trial:

"We ask this court to release young Nicholas. It was ill-fate that made our son and father make that fatal mistake and join the main road without stopping his vehicle. We have experienced a terrible tragedy, but we feel that it would be another tragedy to keep this young man in prison. We think he has suffered enough and his conviction would offer no comfort to our grief."

Morley's trial should conclude Monday. If convicted, he faces 14 years in jail. – Davey G. Johnson More »

Gumball 3000 Death Trial to Begin Friday

The trial of Gumball 3000 pilots Nick Morley and Matthew McConville regarding the deaths of two Macedonians during the Athens-to-Tirana stage of the rally begins Friday. If convicted, they face at least four years in a Macedon hoosegow. We'd be fascinated to see what the difference in penalty would have been if the pair hadn't twice tried to flee the country. – Davey G. Johnson More »

European Authorities to Crack Down on Rallying

Following the death of a Macedonian couple earlier this month on the Gumball 3000, European cops are urging a ban on Gumball 3000, Carbon Black and Cannonball Europe. Tispol-affiliated officers plan to share information about the rallies and their routes with each other in order to stop the events, much in the way German Police officers halted the Gumball in Germany. It'll be interesting to see what effect the coordinated effort has on this summer's Cannonball, scheduled for July, as well as its impact on rallies run in the United States. If we needed any more evidence that the Golden Age of Rallying is kaput, Tispol's clampdown is it. – Davey G. Johnson More »

Transcontinental Documentation With Spinelli and Roy

On Tuesday, our resident Empire Stater sat down with everyone's favorite Teutonic village person to chat about the difference between a rally and a transcontinental record attempt. Today FastLane Daily's got part two of their conversations, where Alex talks about the problems with irrefutably proving that one has travelled from New York to Los Angeles faster than anyone else, as well as the impact of accidents like the one on the Gumball 3000 on road rallies in general. More »

Montenegro Po-Po Snow Job

Coming out of Albania after the notorious Commander Kokolari escort incident, Michael Ross put the hammer to the floor of the Polizei M5 and took us down toward the Adriatic, which may well have been the most breathtaking bit of a trip full of face-melting, soul-widdling vistas. Coming into the city of Budva, a 2,500 year-old-burg on the coast, Mister Ross was laying on the throttle while Herr Roy alternated through horn, emergency lights, siren and navigation duties. Then the cops showed up. 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 »

Travels With Commander Kokolari

After a grueling drive from Athens with the Gumball crew, I grabbed three hours of sleep on top of a bathrobe laid down on a hardwood floor in Team Polizei's room at the Tirana Sheraton. The next morning, we were up and at 'em in the face of a cool rain-threatening Albanian morning. Max Cooper informed us that the people of Albania had rebuilt a bridge in anticipation of Gumball's passage and we'd receive a police escort to the border. We headed outside and Herr Roy immediately got to work moving the Polizia Stradale Intercettore into position. What happened next was both pure comedy and slightly frightening. More »

The Inverse of Alexander: Istanbul to Athens

A Phyrgian king had bound a chariot yoke/And Alexander cut the Gordian Knot/And legend said that who untied that knot/He would become the Master of Asia – Iron Maiden

Upon arrival in Istanbul, we were interned in a VIP lounge at the airport while the government figured out what to do with us. Meanwhile, the gigantic Antonovs bearing the automobiles had been refused permission to land due to the snafu in Germany, leaving us stranded in Turkey while our cars sat hundreds of miles away, having been diverted to the next day's destination of Athens. While most of the rest of the Gumballers hopped a flight to Greece the morning after a party on the edge of the Bosporus, Michael Ross and Alex Roy had arranged for us to hitch a ride with Alikanur and Kemal of the Turkish Taxi team. 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 »

Keenan's Fly Guy: New Unit of Speed

This is Andy Tipping. His friends call him Fly. Actually, everyone calls him Fly, because nobody knows his real name. Fly prefers to travel at 100mph. As such, we have named a unit of velocity for him. If you are moving at 100 miles per hour, you are traversing the globe at 1 Fly. If you are doing 44mph, you are moving at .44 Fly. If you max out a Volkswagen Sharan, as Fly is wont to do, you're likely somewhere around a GPS-verified 1.23 Fly. Any questions? – Davey G. Johnson More »

The DAF Looked at Jonny: Trans-Europe Express

Ever make the perfect purchase? It doesn't matter whether it costs ten million dollars or six euros, it's something you simply must own, and if it's remotely within your wherewithal to do so, you are helpless to resist. Such was the case with this suction-cupped DAF banner meant for the windshield of a long-haul truck. We employed it in various fashions from the point we picked it up at a Hellenic truck stop. In fact, we slept with it last night. We expect the Loverman to shoot us in a fit of jealous rage in the time it takes between the moment this post goes up and the far end of the E.T. between the endpoints of the 110 freeway. Sorry, Loverman, you lengthy lothario you. We await our demise. Bis später! (Note, one of these photos might be NSFW.) – 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 »

The Lane Taken Daily That Is Fast Totally Hearts Jalopnik Commenters

We've always said we've got the smartest commenters in the automotive blogosphere. OK, we've never explicitly said it — but we've totally thought it and — like — insinuated it a couple of times. But whatevs, now some little daily auto show seen by countless dozens of people agrees with us in their coverage of our coverage (how totally meta is that?) of the Gumball 3000. Check it out — maybe you're now a movie YouTube star too. Hell, maybe we'll even do a round of the drinking game on it next time there's a terribly tragic automotive story y'all are commenting on...eek, that sounded rather insensitive, didn't it? – 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.

More »

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.

More »

"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

More »

Team Polizei Withdraws From Gumball 3000 After Hearing News Of Deadly Hit-And-Run

From the TP NYC HQ:

"In view of events of the past day, Alex Roy and Michael Ross of Team Polizei have withdrawn from the 2007 Gumball Rally. They are driving to Bratislava to thank the fans that have traveled from so far. They will make a further statement at 10.00GMT."

Also, Davey called. He says he's safe and he'll be meeting up with Team Polizei in Bratislava. – Ray Wert More »

Nick Morley Given "30 Days Temporary Detention" In Gumball 3000 Fatal Hit-And-Run

This news is coming in fast and furious on the story of the two Brit Gumball 3000 drivers involved in the fatal hit-and-run we've been reporting on hot and heavy over the past few hours. We've now got news that:

"An investigative judge of Struga Court ordered 30 days of temporary detention to the British citizen Nicholas Morley, Makfax's correspondent reported.

More »

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 »