Can someone explain the Cannonball Run to me?

Bad Rod's "Anyone Road Race" thread got me thinking about the Silver State Classic and the Cannonball Run. I've visited the SSC website and I think I have a pretty good understanding of that race but the Cannonball Run has me mystified. I understand it was founded by Brock Yates as an underground race from one coast to the other, but all of the references I've found online are really vague and hard to understand. Travelbugs? Caches? What's all this mean? Thanks.

 

This is what I know. An illegal race for rich people with fast new cars and beautiful babes. http://www.cannonballruneurope.co.uk/ The Jackass-crew with Knocksville etc. visited in the Cannonball Europe a few years ago. It was hilarious...

 

Goldchainer adventures, hate them assholes.

 

I knew a guy that used to run that years ago, he used to work for Truckin' and Mini Truckin' mags. The Jackass crew went on the Gumball Rally, The europian version. There is a new one coming in 2006, got my invitation about a month ago. Called Ultimate Rally, there is seven routes all over the world, they'll let you know which one they will run just before the rally. 30g entry, to rich for my blood. Check out there website, kinda cool.

 

David,

The April 2005 issue of Car and Driver mag has a reprint of The Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash which was run in November 1971. Not traditional hot rods but still an interesting automotive happening. Most of the runnings since have been somewhat pale imitations. There were several movies based on the concept.

Charlie

 

Hope this helps

(1981) Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Peter Fonda, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Jackie Chan are all entrants in an illegal cross-country car race, and all are willing to do anything to win. Chockablock with cool cars, fast driving, wacky hi-jinx and sexual innuendos, this crowd pleaser from former stuntman Hal Needham is based on an actual car race (which the director and writer both entered driving the ambulance seen in the film).

Part II (1984)
Burt Reynolds reprises his role as J.J. McClure in this star-studded sequel to the original cross-country adventure. When a wealthy man puts a million dollars on the first driver to make it from California to Connecticut, McClure is determined to be the winner. The film features cameo performances from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Telly Savalas, Susan Anton, Shirley MacLaine, Jackie Chan, Sid Caesar and Marilu Henner.

 

LOL dude made me think of the movies did not know they was for real

 

The Gumball Rally (1976)
A group of people from different backgrounds have one thing in common: when they hear the world "gumball" whispered by one of the others, they know that it's time for the Gumball Rally: a no-holds barred, secret, winner-take-all rally across the USA.


and my favorite that begins with a countach skipping acrossed a lake in front of a grandpa and his grandson skipping rocks

Speed Zone! (1989)
Our racers are back for a third time in Speed Zone, a continuation of cannonball run 1 and 2. It's the illegal race that takes place over the United States. Nothing will stop this bunch of racers except for the occasional cop or a damsel in distress. Jackie Chan's car is not in this one, but many new cars make up for that. Who will win? Who will crash? Who will not even finish? Sit down and buckle up for the ride of your life.

 

Didn't Hemmings run their 36 Ford panel truck in it one year? It's been 25 years since I read the article (probably in Special interest autos) It was a very cool article.

Anybody remember the article? If so what book? I'd like to find a copy and read it again. They were my heros!!

If I'm having a senior moment just wipe the drool off my chin and ignore me.

 

Captain CHAOS!

 

what about deathrace 2000

 

I knew a guy who ran on one of the original Cannonball's, placed third actually - I'd ask him but last I heard he was in Italy hiding from the IRS

 

Brock Yates wrote a book about it. Click on the link for the details & synopsis:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...3/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-9895421-7312913

 

Brock Yates' book "Cannonball" is a pretty entertaining read. Interesting to see what he thinks of the movies and imitators.

 

Last I knew, he still had his Challenger.
Neat car.
He runs a Restaurant in Upstate NY in a little town called Wyoming(?).
Used to see him and the car at the Bike shop in perry.

 

Who was the actor that drove the truck? He might of been a country singer.

 

I have Brock's book somewhere in my office but can't seem to find it. Hemmings panel was in the race and I think finished 17th. If I remember it right the race was run in 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1975. The race was originally conceived as a crusade against the 55 mph speed laws that were in effect at that time. The race began at a pub somewhere in New Jersey and ended in Ronando Beach, California. The only rule was "There are no rules" was the motto. I believe the fastest time was a little over 32 hours. Dan Gurney won either the first or second race and the writings in Brock's book by Dan are hilarious particulary his comments at running 175 in Nevada. People drove all kinds of cars. One guy got three tickets in Ohio in the first 5 miles coming out of PA. on the turnpike. One year Brock and another guy took a Dodge ambulance with a Hemi in it. Brock & his buddy were dressed in white doctors clothes. Brock's wife, Pamela, was the "patient" they were transporting. They were stopped somewhere in PA. I believe, for excessive speed. They talked their way out of the ticket by telling the troopers she needed an emergency operation on her lungs in California. The trooper ask why they didn't fly here there. The guy with Brock told them she couldn't fly because of cabin pressure on her lungs.

The book is a good read. Only thing I noted was prolly a typo was when they referred to the Hemmings truck as a "Flatbed" and not a "Flathead". It was not a flatbed but rather a panel truck.

 

I got a hold of some bad chicken once Had cannonball runs for a day or two

 

i think theres a similar thang down here... right
through the center of australia (darwin to adelaide)
the last i heard of it some japanese billionaires
killed em selves in a lambo or ferrari or some crap...
death race 2000 is where its at!!!!
dave.

 

Bellyjello you're thinking of Smokey and The Bandit, another Hal Needham classic!! That "country singer" was The Snowman, A.K.A. Jerry Reed! He's was in a scooby doo episode, "The Phantom of the Country Music Hall" (episode # 1.14) 9 December 1972.

.. "eastbound and down.... loaded up and truckin'..."

Brock Yates is an asshole - met him once @ a car event. Fuck that guy. He was IN the first cannonball run movie - which is great. Well, it's horrible, but it's GREAT!

Gumball Rally is the best of all these types of movies, by far IMHO.

 

Tiny Elvis, I think he's talking about Mel Tillis, I think he and Terry Bradshaw(??) ended up driving their car into a pool.

Farmall

 

d..d..ddd..dd..ddd.... shit. mel tillis. funny movie.

 

The race is one thing.
The movies are something else.

The movie to see is "Cannonball" with David Carradine.
Anyone remember that one?

Hot Rod ran a Dodge Diplomat / Ex Police car in the "Four Ball" Rally in the early eighties(?)

Has anyone here actually answered your question yet?
The whole rebelling against the new 55 mph speed limit thing....?

 

Farmall Pete - You're totally right I forgot about Mel Tillis!! "We're gonna need more beer.... " That was awesome...

 

According to the book, it wasnt a rebellion against it, but a way to prove that you could travel very fast AND SAFE accross the highways of america. I think in all the ones they ran there was only like two accidents or something.

 

The one lap of America is the new "safe and sane" way to Cannonball. It's still a cool deal. If you want to get a taste, the Silver State is the best, but there are other races of this type being developed at www.openroadracing.com. Some are in the South and others on the East coast. I've heard good things about the Pony Express race too, but the only one I've done was the Silver State, which was very well run by great people who have drawn a perfect line between safety and insanity. I've done it 3 times and am planning to return. It's like crack...kinda.

As for the movies...

my favorite line...

"...where the white women at?"

Scotch~!

 

that says it all - very good review!

 

Scotch, doesn't that same guy, who happens to drive his dually into the hotel lobby(?) say "the hookers man, where's the hookers?"

Farmall

 

It was a Travelall Motor Home Coach. There were eight vehicles and 23 maniacs. The race began at NYC's Redball Garage at precisely midnight. After the first car, the others left at three minute intervals so as not to alert the constabulary..

 

but I always wanted to be "Captain Chaos!"