Shannonville, Ontario -- Both exotic car enthusiasts and determined police officers awaited Gumballers in Canada. Patrol agents from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were indeed everywhere along Highway 401!
The situation wasn't unique to Ontario, however. As soon as they arrived at the Canadian border in Stanstead, Gumball 3000 participants were met by officers of the Sûreté du Québec. Quebec City officials even denied a request by the event's organizers to have the cars parade on Grande-Allée Boulevard as they feared public outbursts.
The bad-boy reputation of Gumball 3000 ralliers is well publicized and documented, after all. Before they even landed in North America, some of the billionaires and celebrities that take part in the famous competition already had run afoul of the law. The Dutch Daily News reports that local police handed several speeding tickets as soon as Gumballers entered the Netherlands.
Authorities are on their guard following a number of incidents over the years. Some were pretty serious, like in Macedonia (2007), where the sleek Porsche 911 of a wealthy Brit rear-ended another car, killing the couple inside.
"It isn't a race!"
Gumball 3000 founder Maximillion Cooper insists "it isn't a race; it's a road trip, an endurance run made with eccentric cars."
The owner of a yellow Chevrolet Camaro SS nicknamed "Midge" (from Fast Car Magazine) couldn't agree more as he claimed to have driven from Quebec City to Shannonville at legal speeds at all times. "It's hard to do otherwise," he added with a big smile on his face.
The situation wasn't unique to Ontario, however. As soon as they arrived at the Canadian border in Stanstead, Gumball 3000 participants were met by officers of the Sûreté du Québec. Quebec City officials even denied a request by the event's organizers to have the cars parade on Grande-Allée Boulevard as they feared public outbursts.
The bad-boy reputation of Gumball 3000 ralliers is well publicized and documented, after all. Before they even landed in North America, some of the billionaires and celebrities that take part in the famous competition already had run afoul of the law. The Dutch Daily News reports that local police handed several speeding tickets as soon as Gumballers entered the Netherlands.
Authorities are on their guard following a number of incidents over the years. Some were pretty serious, like in Macedonia (2007), where the sleek Porsche 911 of a wealthy Brit rear-ended another car, killing the couple inside.
"It isn't a race!"
Gumball 3000 founder Maximillion Cooper insists "it isn't a race; it's a road trip, an endurance run made with eccentric cars."
The owner of a yellow Chevrolet Camaro SS nicknamed "Midge" (from Fast Car Magazine) couldn't agree more as he claimed to have driven from Quebec City to Shannonville at legal speeds at all times. "It's hard to do otherwise," he added with a big smile on his face.
 |
| Britain's Maximillion Cooper, who created Gumball 3000 back in 1999, answered questions from Auto123.com's Donna Mei-Ling Park. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |