Gumball 3000 is a brand known for the annual Gumball 3000 Rally, an international celebrity motor rally that takes place on public roads. The brand was founded in 1999 by British entrepreneur Maximillion Cooper,[1] with his vision to combine cars, music, fashion and popular culture.[2]
Since its establishment, the rally has featured a number of notable drivers, such as Lewis Hamilton, deadmau5, David Hasselhoff, Xzibit, Usher, Tony Hawk, French Montana and members of Jackass. The rally changes the start and finishing point every year, with some rallies requiring travel by air to make the start and finish points.
Rally format
The Gumball 3000 Rally takes approximately 120 vehicles[3] across multiple countries on a 3,000 mile journey that takes place across 6 days - occasionally including continental travel via cargo planes to transport vehicles by air.[4] Entrants travel on public roads and use a mixture of vehicles ranging from custom classic cars to hypercars, and attend a VIP party, dinner or event each night.[3] The rally features a number of exclusive experiences along the route that includes lunchtime checkpoints and overnight stops in major cities, where major public roads are often closed down to traffic for access of participating vehicles.[5] The rally was founded in 1999 by Maximillion Cooper, initially as a road trip with his friends.[6] Organisers emphasise that the event is a road trip and in no way a race or competition, with their rally slogan reading "It's a rally, not a race".[7][8]
Rally participants pay for their entry, which includes access for one vehicle and two co-drivers to participate and apply the official Gumball 3000 decal pack to their vehicle with an assigned team number. The rally entry fee additionally covers costs of accommodation across the event, as well as VIP access to all dinners, parties and events along the route.[9]
Rally participants are split evenly each year between new and previous participants (referred to as 'alumni'). Rally participants are referred to as 'Gumballers'.[10][9] The rally is not invite-only; any member of the public can apply to take part. Celebrities and high-profile individuals are often invited directly by Cooper and the organisers.[11]
The rumoured entry fee for Gumball 3000 in 2022 was in excess of $100,000 per car - although the official rally participation fee is only disclosed to successful applicants or participants invited to take part by Cooper and the organisers.[12]
The rally is not a race or competition, however a Gumball Awards party is hosted at the end of each rally that features a number of award categories including Best Car, Best Wrap, Style, Rookie, 'Against All Odds', Ambassador and Best Team.[13] The headline award for each event is the Spirit of Gumball Award, which is awarded to the team that 'truly embodies the character, personality, passion and determination of the brand from flag drop to the finish line'.[14] Winners of the Spirit of Gumball receive a one-off trophy custom designed by Asprey London, as well as a custom gumball machine and Spirit of Gumball Championship Rings designed by London jewellery designer Bobby White.[15]
Gumball 3000 rallies are free to attend for spectators, causing large crowd attendance at each location the rally passes through.[16]
Rally history
Foundation (1999–2004)
The Gumball 3000 was first launched in 1999. Maximillion Cooper started the event after he and a group of friends aimed to drive their supercars across Europe on a 3,000 mile journey that they referred to as a rally. The rally was aimed at friends of Cooper, with an initial entry fee of $8,700. Participants had to use their own vehicles.[17]
The first Gumball 3000 rally, 1999.
The first event took inspiration from a number of racing events throughout the world. In 1933, motorcycle racer, Erwin Baker, had crossed the United States coast-to-coast in 54 hours. He earned the nickname "Cannonball" which spawned a number of race events in both the United States and Europe over the next few decades in his honor. The Cannonball events were held in the 1970s, with the first prize being a gumball machine. It has been suggested that this is the origin of the Gumball 3000 brand name.[18]
The first event took place in 1999, with the journey starting in London and heading to Rimini, Italy before returning to London.[19] Cooper planned different events on each night of the rally, ranging from parties to dinner events. The rally received extensive coverage in the British media due to the attendance of a number of high-profile figures including Kate Moss, Guy Ritchie and Kylie & Dannii Minogue.[20] The event commenced with a party at the Bluebird club in London. Vehicles taking part included a British Police car borrowed from the British television show The Bill driven by Alexandra Aitken, a Lotus Esprit and a Lamborghini Diablo. Cooper made the decision not to use any form of timing or prizes for placed finishes in order to avoid criticism and promote safety.[21]
Following the success of the first Gumball 3000 rally, the second event in 2000 began at the Marble Arch in London, before heading to Stansted airport to fly over to Spain. The rally then continued through Bilbao, Cannes, Milan, Hotel Bühlerhöhe Castle,[22]Nürburgring GP circuit and Hamburg, before heading back to the starting city, London.[23]
In 2003, Gumball 3000: The Movie was released. It was a 98-minute 2003 film feature directed by Steven Green and narrated by the late Burt Reynolds.[32]
The 2006 starting flag was dropped in London where participants then travelled onto Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade, before jumping on a plane in Serbia to Thailand. The route then continued through Phuket and Bangkok, before flying to Salt Lake City[37] and finishing with a party at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles.[38]Travis Barker was present on the 2006 rally, as well as Martine McCutcheon, who drove a pink Range Rover in an all-female team.[39] Gumball 3000 Films also produced a movie, 3000 Miles, following five other entrants: skateboarders Tony Hawk, Bam Margera and Mike Vallely, BMX rider Mike Escamilla and Margera's Jackass co-star, the late Ryan Dunn.
The 2007 route was scheduled to travel from London to Istanbul, via Amsterdam, Munich, Tirana, Dubrovnik, and Athens. Over 100 contestants including actors Tamer Hassan and Danny Dyer and model and entrepreneur Caprice Bourret were scheduled to drive through 16 countries in eight days. The entrance fee for the 2007 rally was £28,000 for first-time drivers.[40] In the 2007 event, two people in North Macedonia died in a traffic incident involving a participating rally vehicle. The incident occurred on May 2, 2007, when a TechArt Porsche 997 Turbo driven by Nicholas Morley collided with a Volkswagen Golf, whose occupants were both killed.[41][42]
The organisers of the Gumball 3000 initially continued with the rally until the facts about the incident became clear, at which point rally organisers canceled the remainder of event as a mark of respect. The subsequent court hearing found Morley guilty and convicted him of "endangering traffic, leading to death";[43] he was released from custody after receiving a two-year suspended sentence. After the verdict, Morley's family released a statement detailing its own expert's findings, which contradict those of the prosecution's expert.[44]
In 2008, the rally travelled from San Francisco to China, finishing at the Beijing Olympics. The rally passed through Los Angeles, San Diego and Las Vegas before flying to Nanjing in China and spending a night in North Korea for the Mass Games.[45] From here, the route then headed to Shanghai before crossing the finishing line in Beijing. 2008 was also David Hasselhoff's first rally, where he drove the original car from Knight Rider.
The 2009 rally was again located outside Europe, with the rally set entirely in the United States. The route took participants from Santa Monica to Miami. The drivers passed through Las Vegas, over the Hoover Dam, Sedona, Santa Fe, New Orleans and Orlando. 2009 was also the year that the Coast to Coast Gumball 3000 movie was filmed, featuring interviews with Maximillion Cooper, a gold-plated Bugatti Veyron and a video diary. Celebrities that participated in the rally and featured in the film include NBA player Dennis Rodman, MTV Dirty Sanchez's Mathew Pritchard and Caprice.
Global brand growth (2010–2019)
More than 100 cars took part in the rally in 2010. The rally began in London and ended in New York, passing through Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Boston, Quebec City and Toronto. Michael Madsen joined the rally, but was forced to leave the rally in Belgium after his driver was stopped by police for speeding.[46] A number of other celebrities took part in the event, including Idris Elba and Cypress Hill. It was on this rally that Cooper met Grammy-winning US rapper Eve, who he later married in 2014 at the end of that year's rally.[47][48]
Starting in London's Covent Garden, the 2011 Gumball 3000 rally saw the entrants drive through Paris, Barcelona, Monaco, Venice, and Croatia, before finishing in Istanbul. Attendees of the launch party at the Playboy Club in London included Jo Wood, The Saturdays Vanessa White and former Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton. Participants in the rally included David Hasselhoff, Eve, Xzibit and Tony Hawk.
In 2013 the rally celebrated Gumball 3000's 15th Anniversary, and started in Copenhagen before passing through Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw, Kraków, and Vienna, finishing in Monaco.[51] Entrants included TV personality David Hasselhoff, US rapper Bun B, artist Futura 2000, musician and artist Magne Furuholmen, Prince Talal M. A. Al-Faisal Al-Saud of the Saudi Arabian Royal family, musician and actress Eve, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, bands Cypress Hill and Nero, musician Xzibit, music company EMI, fashion designer of street label UNDFTD and MTV Brazil's VJs Lucas Stegmann and André "Deco" Bujnicki Neves.
In 2013 Chernin Entertainment and Warner Bros acquired the rights to produce and develop a film based around the Gumball 3000 rally.[52]
In 2014, and with a cost for participants rising to a rumoured £40,000, the rally started in the United States in Miami, before passing through Atlanta and New York City before flying to Western Europe to conclude the rally, travelling from Edinburgh and continuing through London, Paris and Barcelona, before finally culminating on the island of Ibiza.[53] Sponsors included AnastasiaDate, Battery Energy Drink, Betsafe, Christie's, Nicolas Feuillatte, and YouTube.
During the 2014 event, deadmau5 and his co-driver Tory Belleci drove a Nyan Cat inspired Ferrari 458 Spider named 'Purrari' that received a cease-and-desist order from Ferrari.[54] The car was listed on Craigslist following the rally and was sold for $380,000.[6]
In 2015 participants followed a transatlantic route from Stockholm to Las Vegas. Stops included Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Reno, San Francisco and Los Angeles, with a drive through Death Valley before reaching Las Vegas.[55]Lewis Hamilton joined the final stage of the rally from Los Angeles to Las Vegas driving a Koenigsegg Agera HH.[56] The event received publicity in various countries for those attending the rally, which included Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee. The Top Gear crew attended the rally in a number of Dodge Vipers.[57]
The 2016 rally was from Dublin to Bucharest. David Hasselhoff waved the start flag in Dublin to mark the beginning of the rally.[58] The route took participants from Dublin to Edinburgh, London, Rust, Prague and Budapest before ending in Bucharest. Other famous faces that took part were F1 drivers David Coulthard and Jean Alesi, Grammy-winning rapper Eve, Dutch DJ Afrojack, Major Lazer, rapper Bun B, pop star Marlon Roudette, music producer Dallas Austin, Sullivan Stapleton, reality star Calum Best and YouTuber Calfreezy. The 2016 Gumball rally featured a one-off 'Batmobile' based on a Lamborghini Gallardo, driven by Team Galag.[59] It is estimated that over one million fans attended the 2016 rally across all locations.[60]
2018 saw the return of intercontinental travel as part of a rally route. The rally began on August 5 starting in London, passing through Domaine De Chantilly in France, Sforza Castle in Milan, Italy and heading to Bologna to fly on "Gumball Air" (A Malaysian Airlines airplane hired by organisers, which stopped in Kazakhstan to refuel) to head to Osaka, Japan. All participating vehicles were flown to Japan via two cargo planes. From Osaka the rally headed to Kyoto, Nanao before crossing the finish line in Tokyo.[61] Participating celebrities included pop star Usher, members of YouTube and Esports group FaZe Clan including Temperrr, Adapt and Banks and influencers Sommer Ray and Alissa Violet, with Dallas Austin, David Hasselhoff and Adrien Brody returning.
In 2020, the Gumball 3000 Rally was due to head from Toronto, Canada to Havana, Cuba, however the rally was cancelled due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.[63] This was the first time a full rally had been cancelled in Gumball 3000's history. The rally was eventually further postponed to May 2022 due to continued concerns surrounding the pandemic in 2021.
In May 2022 the postponed 22nd Annual Rally took place from Toronto, Canada to Miami, United States. The rally was originally intended to finish in Havana, Cuba, however organisers changed finish line locations due to concerns caused by Cuba's relationship with Russia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022.
David Hasselhoff waves the start flag of the 2022 Gumball 3000 'Toronto-Miami' Rally.
The May 2022 rally began on May 27 with a free public concert in Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square featuring performances from local artists and headline performances from rapper Bun B and deadmau5.[64] The flag drop event took place in the same location the following day, with David Hasselhoff returning to drop the flag. The rally then travelled via Indianapolis (the Gumball participants watched the Indy 500 race with VIP hospitality), Nashville and Atlanta before crossing the finish line at the Inter Miami's DRV PNK Stadium, where the inaugural Gumball Goodwill Cup Charity Football Match took place, featuring the Gumball All-Stars XI facing a Laureus Sport for Good World XI.[65] A number of former professional football players took part including ex-Manchester City player Shaun Wright-Phillips and ex-Barcelona & Spain player Gaizka Mendieta.
For the first time in Gumball 3000 history, and in reaction to the cancelled 2020 & 2021 rallies, Gumball 3000 hosted two rallies in one year, with the 'Middle East' rally taking place in November 2022. The rally route began in Dubai, United Arab Emirates,[66] and travelled a circular route through Oman via Jebel Akhdar, Salalah and Muscat before heading back into the UAE via Ras Al Khaimah, where Gumball 3000 joined the Global Citizen Forum Charity Gala. The rally crossed the finish line on November 18 in Abu Dhabi at the W Hotel, where Gumball participants enjoyed VIP Hospitality at the finale of the 2022 Formula One Season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.[67] A number of new celebrity participants joined for this rally, including influencers Yung Filly and Michael Dapaah, and rapper French Montana, who performed at the opening concert in Dubai.[68]
YouTubers DailyDrivenExotics in Edinburgh for the start of the 2023 Gumball 3000 Rally.
In June 2023, Gumball 3000 returned to Europe with a European Tour - the first time the rally had come to Europe for four years. The rally began on June 10 in Edinburgh, Scotland, before heading to London, England, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Verbier, Switzerland, Venice, Italy and Budapest, Hungary, before crossing the finish line in the coastal resort of Porto Montenegro.[69] Returning participants included Dallas Austin, Eve, Bun B, MrJWW, Yung Filly, Michael Dapaah and Canadian YouTube duo DailyDrivenExotics - participating in their third rally - who drew large crowds at each location. New celebrity participants included British rapper Headie One, YouTubers Alhan Gençay, Mat Armstrong and Mark McCann, and UK influencer Harry Pinero. British YouTuber Shmee150, participating in his ninth rally, completed a rally-first milestone by driving a different vehicle on each day of the rally.[70] The belgian youtuber POG, chanllenged himself to participate the event for only 3000€ meaning that he did not pay any entry. [71]
In September 2024, Gumball 3000 is due to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a Gumball 3000 rally route that begins at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and finishes at the Formula OneSingapore Grand Prix.[72] The full route has not yet been revealed by organisers.
Apparel, brand partnerships & popular culture
Since the establishment of Gumball 3000, the brand's popularity led to the launch of Gumball Apparel. Apparel is designed in-house, with designs influenced by previous Gumball 3000 events and motorsport.
Since the launch of the apparel brand, there have been a number of capsule collections released in collaboration with major fashion houses. These collaborations have included Puma,[73][74]Adidas and Nixon.[75][76] Since 2018, Gumball 3000 has partnered with Italian sportswear brand Kappa for a number of limited-edition collections that are released alongside each rally.[77] Since 2019, Gumball 3000 has partnered with eyewear brand Carrera for a number of limited-edition eyewear releases.[78] The 2019 Kappa and Carrera collections were celebrated with an exclusive pre-sale event at Selfridges, London.[79]
Gumball 3000 has released a number of products in various entertainment categories, including movies, video games and toys.
In 2000, Top Trumps, a popular card game in the United Kingdom, released a version of the card game using the Gumball 3000 brand name.[80] In 2002, Gumball 3000 the game was released for the PlayStation 2 console, developed by Climax Studios and published by SCi.[81]
Between 2003 and 2006, four films based on the Gumball 3000 rally were released. These included Gumball 3000: The Movie in 2003[82] followed by Gumball 3000: 6 Days in May (about the 2004 Gumball Rally) and Gumball 3000: Live 2006.[83][84] The TV series Jackass also aired a Gumball 3000 special in 2005 as the fourth film during this period.[85]
Since 2008, five more films about the Gumball 3000 rally have been released. In 2008 Mike Figgis released the experimental film Love Live Long. That same year, the documentary Gumball 3000: Off Road was released.[86] Between 2010 and 2012, three other TV documentaries were released: Gumball 3000: Coast to Coast in 2010,[87]Gumball 3000: LDN 2 NYC in 2011[88] and Gumball 3000: Number 13 in 2012.[89]
Gumball 3000 announced a partnership with MTV in 2001 to cover the rally for five years. MTV also covered the 2007 rally.[91]
Gumball 3000 has released a number of limited-edition toy cars with American scale model brand Hot Wheels. Gumball 3000 Edition Hot Wheels cars are premium models within the Hot Wheels brand.[92]
In 2015, Guess announced a collaboration with Gumball 3000 for the 2015 rally. The brand designed exclusive drivers jackets for Gumball 3000 participants and participated in the Stockholm to Las Vegas rally in 3 Dodge Vipers, driven by three Guess models.[93] Armin Strom announced in they would also launch an official watch for the Gumball 3000.[94]
During the same year, Revolt TV announced that they would be covering the Gumball 3000 rally. They followed the rally in a documentary style, while also interviewing Maximillion Cooper and notable racers.
One of Gumball 3000's key features is its official decal pack, which is applied to every car taking part and changes year-on-year to feature that year's rally sponsors and partners. Notable brands that have sponsored Gumball 3000 rallies include but are not limited to: Italian clothing brand Diesel, American brand DC Shoes, technology company Intel, eyewear brand Ray-Ban, energy drinks brands Monster Energy and Red Bull, British amplification brand Marshall, social media platforms YouTube and Twitter (X), oil and gas company Shell, Swedish online-gambling brand Betsafe (Betsson), former Italian airline Alitalia, communications brand Vodafone and Esports brand V10 R-League.
Gumball 3000 has partnered with a number of automotive brands for a number of purposes, included support vehicles for crew & staff travelling on the rally, celebrity and sponsor vehicles and for events along the rally. Automotive brands that have partnered with Gumball 3000 include Abarth,[95]Alfa Romeo,[96]Nissan,[97]Aston Martin[98] and Koenigsegg.[99]
In 2023, international brand Hard Rock Cafe announced a three-year multi-million-dollar partnership with Gumball 3000 to become Gumball 3000's Official Hotel, Casino and Cafe partner worldwide. The partnership is expected to include official Team Hard Rock vehicles taking part in the next three rallies and limited edition retail collaborations which will be available to purchase in Hard Rock locations across the world. Gumball 3000 and Hard Rock will also work together to enhance Hard Rock's partnership with Formula 1’s Oracle Red Bull Racing Team, co-hosting Formula 1 watch parties at Hard Rock locations.[100]
The Gumball 3000 Foundation
The Gumball 3000 Foundation was launched by Cooper 2013 to "harness the collective power of the rally’s 5,000+ alumni members and its considerable media output" in order to benefit underprivileged youth through educational and recreational infrastructure based projects around the world.[101]
The Foundation focuses its work in low income communities, working with a number of global charity partners including Laureus Sport for Good, The Skatepark Project, Project Wreckless, Football Beyond Borders and Fair Shot Café.[102]
To date, the Gumball 3000 Foundation has raised over £6,000,000 and created over 100 youth programmes with charity partners worldwide.
Charity Grid
Ahead of the 'Flag Drop' at the beginning of each Gumball 3000 Rally, rally participants are given the opportunity to claim 'pole position' by donating to the Charity Grid, raising funds for the Gumball 3000 Foundation and its charitable partners. The top ten teams that have raised the most money for charity will line up at the front of the 'start grid', with the team raising the highest amount taking the pole position. The record raised at a Gumball 3000 Foundation Charity Grid was on the 'Toronto - Miami' 2022 Gumball 3000 Rally, where over £500,000 was donated by participants.[103]
Annual Charity Auction
The Gumball 3000 Foundation has hosted its annual charity auction in a number of cities worldwide. The auctions feature a range of sporting, celebrity, automotive and popular culture memorabilia, as well as 'money can't buy' experiences. The auction lots are donated by a variety of partners, celebrities, athletes and Gumball 3000 alumni.
The annual auction has helped raise significant funds for many worthy initiatives. The Charity Auction is often hosted by a luxury auction house, with Christie's hosting the most recent Charity Auctions at the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, United States (May 2022) and the Palazzo Pisani Moretta in Venice, Italy (June 2023).[104]
