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Posts Tagged ‘Gumball 3000’



Fuel TV Features the Gumball 3000 and Vivid Racing

Publishsed by Dan on August 28th, 2008 | Posted in Random World | No Comments »

Vivid Racing and their 2008 Gumball 3000 entrants were featured on this weeks Fuel TV show, “The Weekly Update”.  Even though there was probably hours and hours of footage, the quick blurb shows off the Vivid Racing Porsche 997 Turbo and our other Porsche 996 Turbo.  Co-Driver and pro-skateboarder Bucky Lasek shares some thoughts while pro-snowboarder Todd Richards navigates around in his imported Audi RS4 wagon.  Stay tuned to our YouTube.com Channel as we will get the original footage and put together a short film for you to watch as we rip through the US Leg of the Gumball 3000 rally.

View our Gumball 3000 Pictures here - http://www.vividracing.com/forums/gallery/browseimages.php?c=352&userid=

Day 1 SF to LA Rear Shot of the VR Porsche 997TT

SD to LV Cruising Pics, 162MPH Speed Run, Wasted Space Finale Party Pics - Gumball 3000 2008

Publishsed by Dan on August 13th, 2008 | Posted in Random World | No Comments »

Wow… Another Gumball 3000 rally has passed.  While about 40 cars are in China right now, the rest of us have departed Las Vegas and back in the real world.  It is only obvious why it has taken me 2 days to finish this blog wrap up on the Gumball 3000 US Leg event… Las Vegas!  Having arrived into Vegas on Monday, we partied in true Gumball fashion after an incredible drive through the desert. 

Team Vivid Racing’s 996TT and 997TT left The IVY hotel in San Diego at 8am to embark on its final leg to Las Vegas.  The teams going to China headed to Victorville where they dropped off their cars to be loaded into cargo planes.  We cruised the highway and took in the scenary.  Where it was safe, we did some high speed runs.  We took our 997TT to 162mph where we let off as any faster would have ripped our faces off.  The car pulls and pulls and pulls!!!  Most of the time we cruised around at about 100mph and 85mph when in traffic.  We did come across a couple of Gumballers, but with the large stretch of highway on the I-15, cars were very spread out.  We finally arrived into Las Vegas after a couple of pit stops at 2:00pm.

Upon arrival, we headed to the 8th floor of the parking garage where a small crowd had gathered for our arrival.   We checked into our room overlooking the famous Hard Rock pool and started to meet up with other Gumballers.  Friend and 3 time Gumballer Jarod DeAnda, “The Voice of Formula D”, flew in and met up with us.  Other friends including Bam and Ryan Dunn, Tyson Beckford, and Curtis from the Famous Stars and Straps skate team all hung out.  The night line up was a VIP party at Wasted Space.  There we would have an awards ceremony for the US Leg finishers and a couple of special performances by the infamous Cuban Brothers and the Alkoholics.  The rest of the night involved all of bicep movement!

This US leg of Gumball 3000 was an amazing time.  Reflecting on the past 3 Gumball 3000 rallies we have done in 2003, 2004, 2006, I felt that after last years issue, Gumball has acted professionally and taken control.  To my knowledge there were no major incidents, a low amount of tickets, great checkpoints and driving, as well as a new level of media coverage.  Over 50 film crews were involved in the rally shooting for everything from CNN, to Fuel TV, Internet shows, and more.  Just do a search on Google News or YouTube for Gumball 3000 2008 and you will come across many great stories.  In the end, I got to see old friends, meet great clients, and receive some cool gear from Nixon, Puma, Rogue Status and DTA, as well as Famous Stars and Straps.  After 3 Gumball 3000 events and 1 Bullrun rally, am I retired?  2009 Los Angeles to Miami, we will see!!!

Special thanks to my co-driver Bucky Lasek pro skateboarder for showing me how to drive a 997TT to death. All the customers that brought out the display cars to each stop.  Team Vivid Racing drivers Matt and Jack for keeping it real and representing the spirit of Gumball.  Maxx and Julie of Gumball 3000 for continually giving me the most exciting experience of the year.  HRE Wheels, JIC Cross, Softronic ECU Tuning for making this Porsche 997TT mean as hell.  Mr. Valentine whoever you are for getting me out of many tickets!  Finally all the Vivid Racing crew for making sure the boat was still going straight.  Good luck in China to everyone else!

Check out all the great 2008 Gumball 3000 US Leg photos we shot here.   

Day 4 San Diego to Las Vegas Gumball 3000 US Leg Finalie

Day 4 San Diego to Las Vegas Gumball 3000 US Leg Finalie

Day 4 San Diego to Las Vegas Gumball 3000 US Leg Finalie 

Day 4 San Diego to Las Vegas Gumball 3000 US Leg Finalie 

Day 4 San Diego to Las Vegas Gumball 3000 US Leg Finalie

Day 4 San Diego to Las Vegas Gumball 3000 US Leg Finalie 

Day 4 San Diego to Las Vegas Gumball 3000 US Leg Finalie

$30M House, Police Escort, JackAss Go-Karts - Gumball 3000 LA to SD Completed

Publishsed by Dan on August 11th, 2008 | Posted in Random World | 1 Comment »

With last nights party at the one of the most well known Hollywood hotels and clubs, Gumballers were up bright and early to start their 2nd leg from Los Angeles to San Diego.  At 9am we had the engines fired up and received our first route card which pointed us to PCH to head towards the Hilton in Huntington Beach.  Our group of cars consisted of the 2 Vivid Racing Porsche’s and a Audi RS4 Wagon powered by Pro Snowboarder Todd Richards.  After a quick battle through the twisty roads of Beverly Hills, we jumped on the 405 to short cut the PCH route and get to the hotel on time.  Once we arrived, we were greeted with a brunch which included a live band and a lingerie fashion show.  After some time, we received our next route card which had us heading towards Vista, California to the facility of one of the best wheel makers in the business, HRE Wheels.

HRE was a brief stopped where we got to check out their facility, see how their wheels are made, and enjoy a snack.  While most people hung out for a bit, we gathered a group and decided to hit up K1 Raceway which has indoor go-karting.  This was an epic possey which included:  Bam Margera, Ryan Dunn, Bucky Lasek, Todd Richards, Team Vivid Racing, film crews from Fuel TV and Dimitry, one of the producers from Jackass.  We arrived at the karting track and ripped out 2 sessions.  The electric go-karts moved really well and the track was demanding.  Resident pro, Bucky went head to head with Team Vivid Racing driver Jack for the top time to gain start position.  In the end, Bucky took 1st, Todd took 2nd, and Ryan took 3rd.  The better part, they had a quick awards ceremony for us!

After we left K1, the next stop was at some super ballers house in Encinitas.  But first Team Vivid Racing broke off and headed to the home of Bucky Lasek.  Entering the neighborhood we ran through a little bit of water on the street.  About 5 mins after we had passed through this, a water main broke and put an impassible hole in the street.  Within minutes a line of cars backed up and the fire department was called.  There was one more way out and we were on it!  To get there we had to cut through a neighborhood and go on a dirt road for about 100 yards.  The exit however was a locked gate and we needed to get out.  Soon a man known as JMFH found a cinder block and broke the lock which freed us all. 

We were now in route to the mega house.  Rumor had it he spent $350,000 just for us to come and stop by.  I had also heard that the house was $30million dollars or so.  Since we goofed off at the Kart track for an hour, we arrived to this megaplex later and everyone had already left.  Pulling in the driveway, we could see a guest house which dominated most of our primary residence.  We pulled around the paverstone driveway which had to have been at least a 1/2 mile to finally reach the home.  With his collection of Ferrari’s parked on the lawn, the only other amazing thing that stood out was the eccentric architecture of this house.  After grabbing a water, we were told to head straight to the hotel as the police escort from Qualcomm stadium had left at 4pm.  It was now 430. 

We barrelled down the I5 heading towards downtown San Diego.  Just as we were to get off at the exit to go towards the Ivy Hotel, we caught up to all the other Gumballers and the police escort.  We paraded through downtown San Diego and then finally reached our destination.  With a TON of spectators, the jumbo screen, we 1 by 1 parked our cars and headed into the high end and trendy hotel for another night of partying.

Look out Las Vegas, we are invading you tomorrow at the Hard Rock and then the US Leg of Gumball is completed.  For those going to China and Korea, good luck!  Check out all the pictures from todays run here - http://www.vividracing.com/forums/gallery/browseimages.php?c=352

Don’t forget to check out the Vivid Racing Store for all your high end and road rally ready performance racing parts.  Vivid Racing carries all the best exhaust systems, air intakes, springs and coilovers, wheels, aero kits, and much more.

Day 3 LA to SD with 4 Gumball 3000

Day 3 LA to SD with 4 Gumball 3000

Day 3 LA to SD with 4 Gumball 3000

Day 3 LA to SD with 4 Gumball 3000

Day 3 LA to SD with 4 Gumball 3000

Day 3 LA to SD with 4 Gumball 3000

Gumball 3000 SF to LA Run Completed

Publishsed by Dan on August 10th, 2008 | Posted in Random World | No Comments »

The San Francisco to Los Angeles run was nothing more Gumball then previous years.  With a 120 cars on the start, we did a parade lap around the streets of San Fran which included going down the famous Lombard street.  With a crowd of at least a hundred thousand people lining the streets, the attention was truly amazing.  As we headed out of San Francisco at noon, we collected our first route card which told us to go to Buttonwillow Raceway.  Instead of shooting down the I5 freeway, we jumped on the 101 and headed south till we hit an unknown but truly amazing highway, Route 58.  This 2 lane highway was full of mountain turns, tight switch backs, rolling straights, and even some up and down parts that literally got the car off the ground.  With Bucky behind the wheel, he pushed our Porsche 997 Turbo like it had never been driven before.  At one point, as a passenger, my palms were sweaty from clinching on to the door handle.  As we went through this amazing landscape, we traversed the turns and hills with the Gumpert Apollo and Audi R8. 

We finally got closer to the end where the I5 was visible and we caught up to Maxximillion Cooper in his Jaguar XJ220.  We popped on to the I5 and headed over to Buttonwillow Raceway where we grabbed a bite to eat and got the opportunity to run the cars on the track.  Team Vivid Racing driver, Jack and his co-pilot Matt, took their Porsche 996TT for some laps before we all jumped back in the car and headed south to the final destination at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood.  Gumball had closed off Hollywood Blvd where we parked all 120 cars which we were greeted by 1000’s of spectators.

Another party ahead for the evening, we were up for a short drive with 4 checkpoints to San Diego in the morning.  This journey of the US Leg was long but sensational for a driving enthusiast.  Check out all the amazing photos from the first leg here - http://www.vividracing.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=7903

Stay tuned for more updates, photos, and pictures to VividRacing.com.

Day 2 SF to LA The ULTIMATE Road - Rte 58

Day 2 SF to LA The ULTIMATE Road - Rte 58

Day 2 SF to LA The ULTIMATE Road - Rte 58

Day 2 SF to LA The ULTIMATE Road - Rte 58

Day 1 Roll In Begins in San Francisco for Gumball 3000

Publishsed by Dan on August 8th, 2008 | Posted in Random World | No Comments »

The exotic cars begin to roll in here at the Fairmont in San Francisco for the start of the US Leg of Gumball 3000.  Running into Gumball 3000 founder, Maxx Cooper, he showed off his Jaguar XJ220 to us in between national media interviews with NBC, FOX, and more.  We snapped some pics of some of the other cars including this Gumpert Apollo, Porsche Carrera GT, and Mercedes McLaren SLR.

Stay tuned to Vivid Racing for all the Gumball 3000 news and updates as we continue to cover this event.  Don’t forget to visit our Online Store for Great Specials to make your car Gumball worthy!

View all the Gumball 3000 photos here - http://www.vividracing.com/forums/gallery/browseimages.php?c=352&userid=

Day 1 in SF - Roll In of Gumball 3000

Day 1 in SF - Roll In of Gumball 3000

Day 1 in SF - Roll In of Gumball 3000

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