Gustav

From Lonman on bmwm5.com that participated in the Gumball race across USAMercedes SL 55 AMG med 476 hk:

http://www.bmwm5.com/vbulletin/showt...threadid=17609


All of my footage will be available for viewing early next week. Footage includes a Texas cop ecsorting myself and a 550 Barchetta to the station for a speeding ticket. We explained we were in a race, and so as the video shows, he escorted us 10 miles back to the Gas station to get a money order ($400) at 120mph+ with us in tow. The original ticket was for 112 in a 55!!

Under taking trucks (hard shoulder) on the I40 (Blue Mountains) at an indicated 170mph!

Being arrested by the same Cop in Virginia twice in 20 mins. We got the ticket sped off. He decided to follow 1 min later. For 20 mins he followed us at 130-140. We stopped for Gas, and he got us as we pulled back on to the Freeway. He really wasn't amused.($600)

Drag racing various cars, and winning. Word soon got round that the Mad Englishman in the SL55 AMG was the one to beat. I can tell you now that the SL55 is one hell of a fast car, and easily out drags 996TT's,RUF's, 360's, Diablo's, 550's a over 120mph even the F50. ( the F50 boys were mad, the had literally 1000's of $1 bills that they would throw out of the roof at every opportunity to cause traffic jams ete, etc....!)

The boys from Miami in the DB7 got 13 tickets on the first leg. ( 1000 miles from NYC to Nashville)

It was a mad, mad 5 days......watch this space.


See more here:

http://www.bmwm5.com/vbulletin/showt...threadid=17609

sorlo

Great info. I have also posted a link on the event and gathering forum for some pictures.

I heard that the F50 was chased by a cop helicopter, was that true?

JamE55

Yes that was true! The F50 was also being chased by an M5 but couldn't catch up.

rennrcr

man i know the SL 55 AMG is fast as ****...but I can't believe it really outdrags the Ruf Turbo Rs and the F50s....damn that's insane..can u imagine how fast those things will be once brabus and renntech are done with them...**** they will need an F-22 to catch those suckers

JamE55

Imagining...

rennrcr

wow really? that's crazy...is the project underwraps right now or can we get some tidbits of details...

btw...why is the AMG "poor"

Accord

How can you get a speeding ticket for going over 140 and not get arrested?

I find it funny how some guys received more than 20 tickets, LOL!

Angel_Dust

anything over 15 miles of the stated speed limit can be considered reckless driving and the cop has the power to impound your car right there....

i can't bring myself to believe these stories of dollar bills being thrown out to create traffic.....being pulled over twice by the same cop for speeding.....in any normal case that cop would have impounded the cars right away......and then topping it off by idiotic enough to tell the cop that "we were in a race" ....that's real believable....why would you tell a cop you were drag racing someone.....that in itself is a ticket....not considering the speeding ticket and whatever other laws that may have been broken

these stories are bull**** if ya ask me.....no one dumb enough would do such a thing.....

Accord

Angel_Dust, if you're driving a Ferrari F50, one would assume the owner of the car would have enough cash to bribe the cop .

Also, on a lot of the gumball websites, there are many videos showing police chases and whatnot.

Angel_Dust

i don't doubt that they fear they will lose money....if they are driving these cars a few grand is not going to hurt them but my point has to do with the fact that cops would not allow this type of thing to happen.....if they knew you were racing they wouldn't just give you a ticket and say bye and then chase you down the highway again just so they can give you another ticket....for these rich guys it doesn't make a difference.....impounding their new toys on the other hand will make a difference in behavior.....i wanna see them do the gumball challenge here in LA and see if they have the ***** as they say they do.....go do 155 mph on the 405 at 2 in the morning and see if they don't impound your car.....again i can't find it in me to believe that the gumball race was what they made it out to be.....

bobafett

Angel: I know a lot of the guys who ran because I was registered too (Lambo bailed on us for a support car for our Murc, so that was gay) - the stories are true.

First off: they're not form the US. Cops can't do **** beyond fine em and possibly detain them for a while. Secondly, peole arranged for countermeasures well beyond what you would expect. One guy (Kyle) arranged for traffic attorneys in every state they travelled through, etc.

Besides, what's a cop gonna do? The F50 was chased, ON VIDEO, by a helicopter here in CA for some stupid number of miles.

Believe it.

--Dan

bobafett

They WERE in LA...that's where it finished (playboy mansion).

--Dan

Angel_Dust

the helicopter chased one of the ferrari's and all he got was a freakin speeding ticket?

hard to believe dan.....

i don't see any chases on tv that ends up with the cop walking to the guys car window and saying sir you were speeding and i'm gonna give you a ticket so can i see your license and registration please?

bobafett

Angel: the guy went to jail. actually, botht he guy and the girl have over 2 weeks of jail time they have to serve

--Dan

Angel_Dust

okay now the story is more believable....

so these rich guys are willing to risk jail time to push their cars to the limit when all they have to do is rent out a track for the day?

i don't seem to understand the logic....please help me with it

Accord

It's all about tradition, have you ever heard of the classic Cannonball runs? They even made a movie, and they are currently in the process of making a Gumball 3000 video game.

bobafett

Dude, it's a rally, and it's a SERIOUS party more than that. You should see the venues (they fiinshed at the playboy mansion in LA with Hef himself handing out the awards).

If you don't get it, I guess it's not for you.

--Dan

PS: you should see some of the stunts pulled to avoid jail time

Angel_Dust

i didn't know that there was such a degree of tradition in the gumball run....that explains why people are willing to go to jail for it.....

i guess i'm not the type for it then.....don't think i will risk going to jail just to have a joyride with a bunch of friends no matter how much tradition is involved....

maybe these guys should by soap on a rope just in case

CME4BENZ

Forget the Cannonball Run movie... very tacky and unrealistic!

Watch your late night TV or look for the video of "the Gumball rally". This was the original movie based on the actual clandestine coast to coast race. I think the "gumball" name is because the race was instigated by a "Wrigley" or "Bazooka" family heir. I believe it was run for a couple years in the late 70s / early 80s. The footage of a 427 Cobra running with a Ferrari Daytona are excellent. I have seen the Daytona in person that was driven by Brock Yates (i believe). I think the record time in the actual race was just over 30 hours from NY to LA. That's cruising! And if that's not sick enough for you look up "The iron butt rally" Over 11,000 miles in 10 days on a motorcycle around the country. Ouch, my behind hurts just thinking about it.

Lonman

Angel,

The cops to the most part were understanding. Even if they were pulling you at 130mph we were getting off. The only really **** cops were indeed in CA. We all got chased from pretty much the NV-CA boarder. They had both planes and helicopters. It was at most parts a numbers game. 165 cars at speed are hard to stop. There were only a few cars to stop us in relation of how many cars there were speeding.
Would I do those sort of speeds in the UK where I live......don't be silly. I'd be in jail within hours. America.....land of the free (as long as you don't mind paying the fines!)