just a thought.......

[Matt@Lateral Dynamics]

people going as fast as they want to but still being safe

I watched about 30 seconds of the first two videos (all I could stomach), and hereby declare the above quote as the most assinine thing to dribble out of a human being's head EVER.

What's safe about it? Is the newest safety technology to not wear a helmet to decrease mass acceleration in case of a 100-0mph dead stop via a minivan traveling the opposite direction?

[race-rodz]

actually... it states right in the rules that the gumball 3000 is not a race at all, you must obey any/all traffic laws in whatever country you are in, but the first one to the finish point does get a prize.

the entry fee for the 2006 event is 40,000gbp or just over $73,000 us, you gotta get you and your car/co-driver to the starting point in london, pay for your own gas, they pay for hotels, transport of cars and driver teams from stage 1 to 2hong kong, and 2-3salt lake city.

so figure about $100,000, for 8 days of trying not to get caught breakin all kinds of laws in a bunch of different countries, if you crash or get caught your S.O.L. no refunds, no return transport if ya miss the plane. hmmmmm, anybody wants to sponsor me..im in

[Steve Chryssos]

I'm not familiar with the rulebook, but I can only guess that rulebook page 1, rule #1 goes something like this:

"Must have more money than sense"

I've never been accused of being sensible but nonetheless, my money to sense ratio is a little upside down at the moment. Brock Yates conceived this event at a time when newly constructed highways were under-utilized--that means empty roads. I'm sure uncle Brock would be the first to admit that duplicating the race on today's congested highways constitutes vehicular manslaughter.

I'll admit: Just yesterday I hit triple digit speeds in a 55mph zone on an empty, divided 4 lane highway, but I ran the car up to speed and then immediately slowed. The thought of sustained high speed banzai runs in conjested areas makes me cringe. Maybe that makes me a hypocrite, but I see a difference.

[nvawgn]

sure it's a money is no object kind of race but hell what a good time rollin through europe or across the states with a credit card and lot of horsepower under your foot and not everybody drives like a fool in traffic, there are plenty times when there is no traffic to be had for miles for the high speed cruse.

[awr68]

I'll admit I have gone WAY over the speed limit, mostly in my sport bike days, but now I see the importance of doing it at the track...I'm with Steevo!!

Becides there has to be more fun in concentrating solely on your driving/car instead of looking for the next soccer mom or cop or dog or...well you get the picture.

Have fun, drive these cars fast, but please do it in a safe environment!!

Ok, stepping down....

[race-rodz]

yeah... i did triple the posted speed limit on I5 the other day(according to the speedo on the bike anyway, test ride on a busa which claimed to have the 186mph speed limiter removed) i really get all kinds of stupid when i get on a bike these days... thats why i sold my track bike and am seriously thinkin about building a bar hopper harley.... low, slow, loud, and proud

but aside from the occation head up my a$$ move like that... i try to play it safe on public roads... on a bike or in a car.