Gumball 3000 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gumball 3000
The Gumball 3000 Rally in Budapest, 2023
Country	Various
Years active	(1999–present)
Inaugurated	1999
Founder	Maximillion Cooper
Previous event	Edinburgh, Scotland to Montenegro (June 2023)
Next event	The Pyramids (Cairo) to Singapore Grand Prix (September 2024)
Activity	Motor rally
Website	Gumball3000.com

The Gumball 3000 is a super cool yearly event! It's a rally where famous people drive amazing cars on regular roads around the world. It's not a race, but a fun road trip.

It was started in 1999 by a British guy named Maximillion Cooper. He wanted to mix awesome cars with music, fashion, and pop culture. Lots of famous people have joined, like race car driver Lewis Hamilton, DJ deadmau5, actor David Hasselhoff, and skateboard legend Tony Hawk.

The rally changes its starting and finishing points every year. Sometimes, the cars even need to fly on special cargo planes to get to the next part of the trip!

How the Gumball 3000 Rally Works

The Gumball 3000 Rally usually has about 120 cars. They travel across many countries for about 3,000 miles (around 4,800 km). The whole trip takes about six days. Sometimes, the cars even fly across continents on special cargo planes!

Drivers use all kinds of vehicles, from cool classic cars to super-fast hypercars. Every night, there's a special party or dinner for the participants. Along the way, there are stops in big cities. Sometimes, main roads are even closed so the rally cars can drive through.

Maximillion Cooper started the rally in 1999 as a road trip with his friends. The organizers always say, "It's a rally, not a race." This means it's about the journey and fun, not about who finishes first.

Joining the Rally

People who want to join the rally pay a fee. This fee lets one car and two drivers take part. They also get special Gumball 3000 stickers for their car and a team number. The fee also covers their hotels, dinners, and parties along the route.

About half of the participants each year are new, and the other half are people who have done the rally before. Everyone who takes part is called a 'Gumballer'. You don't have to be famous to join; anyone can apply! But sometimes, Maximillion Cooper invites celebrities directly.

At the end of each rally, there's an awards party. They give out awards for things like "Best Car," "Best Wrap" (for car designs), and "Best Team." The most important award is the "Spirit of Gumball Award." This goes to the team that truly shows the fun and determination of the rally. Winners get a special trophy and championship rings!

It's free for people to watch the Gumball 3000 Rally. Huge crowds often gather in the cities where the rally passes through.

History of the Rally

Early Years (1999–2004)

The first Gumball 3000 rally happened in 1999. Maximillion Cooper and his friends wanted to drive their supercars across Europe. They called it a rally. People had to use their own cars.

The first Gumball 3000 rally, 1999.

The idea for Gumball 3000 came from older racing events. In the 1930s, a motorcycle racer named Erwin Baker drove across the U.S. very fast. He was called "Cannonball." Later, "Cannonball" events were held, and the winner sometimes got a gumball machine. This might be how the Gumball 3000 got its name!

The first rally in 1999 started in London, went to Italy, and came back to London. Cooper planned parties and dinners for each night. Famous people like Kate Moss and Kylie Minogue were there. Cars included a British police car from a TV show and a Lamborghini Diablo. Cooper decided not to have timers or prizes for speed. This was to keep everyone safe.

The second rally in 2000 started in London, flew to Spain, and then went through places like Cannes and Milan before returning to London. Celebrities like Goldie joined. In 2001, the rally went through Berlin, Saint Petersburg, and Helsinki. MTV filmed the cars for a Jackass TV special, which was very popular! Formula One champion Damon Hill also took part.

In 2002, the Gumball 3000 crossed the contiguous United States for the first time, from New York City to Los Angeles. They stopped at famous places like the White House and the Grand Canyon. Fashion designer Donna Karan and actor Matthew McConaughey were among the drivers.

In 2003, a movie called Gumball 3000: The Movie was released. It showed the rally's adventures. The 2003 rally went from San Francisco to Miami. Skateboarder Tony Hawk and Ryan Dunn from Jackass were there. In 2004, the rally started at the Eiffel Tower in Paris and went to Morocco, then finished in Cannes. Actor Adrien Brody drove a Porsche 911.

Growing Bigger (2005–2009)

A Ferrari Enzo at Gumball 3000, 2007

In 2005, F1 driver Jenson Button waved the start flag in London. The rally went through places like Prague, Budapest, and Rome, ending in Monte Carlo. Singer Jay Kay from Jamiroquai and Ken Block were some of the famous people who joined.

The 2006 rally started in London, went to Vienna, and then flew to Thailand. It continued through Phuket and Bangkok, then flew to Salt Lake City. Musician Travis Barker and actress Martine McCutcheon took part. Another movie, 3000 Miles, followed skateboarders Tony Hawk and Bam Margera.

The 2007 rally was planned from London to Istanbul. Over 100 people were set to drive through 16 countries. Sadly, during this rally, there was a traffic incident in North Macedonia. The organizers stopped the rest of the rally out of respect for those involved.

TV personalities Ryan Dunn (left) and Bam Margera (right) during the 2006 rally

In 2008, the rally went from San Francisco to China, ending at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. It passed through Los Angeles and Las Vegas. They even spent a night in North Korea! David Hasselhoff drove the original car from Knight Rider in this rally.

The 2009 rally stayed in the United States, going from Santa Monica to Miami. Drivers passed through Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam, and New Orleans. A movie called Coast to Coast was filmed, showing a gold-plated Bugatti Veyron and interviews with Maximillion Cooper. NBA player Dennis Rodman also joined.

Global Brand Growth (2010–2019)

More than 100 cars took part in the 2010 rally. It started in London and ended in New York, going through Amsterdam and Stockholm. Actor Idris Elba and the band Cypress Hill were there. Maximillion Cooper met rapper Eve on this rally, and they later got married!

David Hasselhoff at the Gumball 3000 in London, 2014

The 2011 rally started in London's Covent Garden and went through Paris, Barcelona, and Venice, finishing in Istanbul. David Hasselhoff, Eve, and Tony Hawk were among the participants.

The 2012 rally was a U.S. trip from New York to Los Angeles, stopping in Toronto and Las Vegas.

In 2013, the rally celebrated Gumball 3000's 15th Anniversary. It started in Copenhagen and went through Stockholm, Saint Petersburg, and Warsaw, ending in Monaco. Many famous people joined, including David Hasselhoff, rapper Bun B, and skateboarder Tony Hawk.

In 2014, the rally started in Miami, U.S.A., then flew to Europe. It went through Edinburgh, London, and Paris, ending on the island of Ibiza. deadmau5 drove a Nyan Cat-themed Ferrari 458 called 'Purrari'.

In 2015, participants drove from Stockholm to Las Vegas. They stopped in Norway, Germany, and drove through Death Valley. Lewis Hamilton joined the last part of the rally. The Top Gear TV crew also attended.

The 2016 rally went from Dublin to Bucharest. David Hasselhoff waved the start flag. F1 drivers David Coulthard and Jean Alesi, rapper Eve, and DJ Afrojack took part. A special 'Batmobile' car, based on a Lamborghini Gallardo, was driven by Team Galag. Over one million fans watched the rally!

In 2017, the rally started in Riga and went through Warsaw, Budapest, and Athens, finishing in Mykonos, Greece.

2018 brought back intercontinental travel. The rally started in London, went through France and Italy, then flew to Japan. All the cars were flown on cargo planes! From Osaka, the rally went to Kyoto and finished in Tokyo. Pop star Usher and YouTubers from FaZe Clan joined.

The 2019 Gumball 3000 Rally started in Mykonos, Greece, and finished in Ibiza, Spain. It passed through Montenegro, Venice, and Monaco. DJ Afrojack drove a Bugatti Veyron and a Bugatti Chiron. Football manager André Villas-Boas and photographer Estevan Oriol also participated.

Recent Rallies (2020–Present)

The 2020 Gumball 3000 Rally was planned from Toronto to Havana, Cuba. However, it was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the first time a whole rally had to be cancelled. It was then postponed to May 2022.

In May 2022, the rally finally happened, going from Toronto, Canada, to Miami, United States. The finish line was changed from Havana due to world events.

David Hasselhoff waves the start flag of the 2022 Gumball 3000 'Toronto-Miami' Rally.

The 2022 rally started with a free concert in Toronto, featuring rapper Bun B and deadmau5. David Hasselhoff waved the start flag. The rally then went through Indianapolis (where participants watched the Indianapolis 500 race), Nashville, and Atlanta. It finished at a football stadium in Miami, where a charity football match took place.

For the first time ever, Gumball 3000 held two rallies in one year! The "Middle East" rally took place in November 2022. It started in Dubai and went through Oman, ending in Abu Dhabi. Participants enjoyed the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (a big car race). Rapper French Montana joined this rally.

YouTubers DailyDrivenExotics in Edinburgh for the start of the 2023 Gumball 3000 Rally.

In June 2023, Gumball 3000 returned to Europe. It started in Edinburgh, Scotland, and went to London, Amsterdam, and Venice. It finished in Porto Montenegro. YouTubers DailyDrivenExotics and Shmee150 (who drove a different car each day!) were there.

In September 2024, Gumball 3000 will celebrate its 25th anniversary! The rally is planned to start at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and finish at the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix.

The Gumball 3000 Foundation

The Gumball 3000 Foundation was started in 2013 by Maximillion Cooper. Its goal is to use the rally's popularity to help young people who are less fortunate. They do this by supporting education and fun activities around the world.

The Foundation works in communities with lower incomes. They partner with global charities like Laureus Sport for Good. So far, the Gumball 3000 Foundation has raised over £6,000,000 (about $7.5 million USD). They have created over 100 youth programs worldwide!

Charity Grid

Before each Gumball 3000 Rally starts, drivers can donate money to the Charity Grid. This raises funds for the Gumball 3000 Foundation. The top ten teams that raise the most money get to line up at the very front of the starting grid. In 2022, over £500,000 (about $625,000 USD) was donated by participants at the Toronto-Miami rally!

Annual Charity Auction

The Gumball 3000 Foundation also holds a yearly charity auction. These auctions feature cool items from sports, celebrities, cars, and pop culture. There are also "money can't buy" experiences up for grabs. Famous people and Gumball 3000 participants donate these items.

These auctions have raised a lot of money for good causes. They are often held by fancy auction houses. Recently, Christie's hosted auctions in Nashville, United States (2022), and Venice, Italy (2023).

Routes Over the Years

See also

In Spanish: Gumball 3000 para niños