If chasing Olympic ski racing dreams and hiring helicopters to shoot video of himself skiing figure 8s on groomers wasn't already enough, Jon Olsson has recruited Bode Miller to join him in driving the 13th annual Gumball 3000 Rally, a Tour de France style auto race. Starting on Thursday, the duo will embark from the Covent Garden in London; in one week's time, they'll travel 3000 miles through 10 countries, ultimately wrapping up in Istanbul. Although this is not Jon's first time participating in the event, bringing Bode into the mix has drawn widespread attention from the greater skiing community.
What originally began as a handful of pals rallying across Europe has evolved into a global lifestyle brand; more than one million people came out to spectate last year. It's the perfect race to feed Jon's insatiable desire for speed, fun, and glory.
The Gumball is as much about the fancy cars as it is about who's driving them. This year, the race will feature 100+ cars, driven by an assortment of auto enthusiasts and celebrities alike. Participants include NFL stars Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts' linebacker Cody Glenn, and also hip-hop icon EVE. David Hasselhoff, your favorite Baywatch lifeguard, will also be attending; Hasselhoff came to fame driving the "original super-car" in the 80s television hit Knight Rider.
Jon and Bode will be racing in the Rebellion R1k, built by Tokan. The car took 6 months to construct, and just a few days ago the car made its debut on the streets of Stockholm. Jon remarked, "The car is far more insane than I could ever imagine and Tokan who has built the car has done a more than incredible job… It sounds like something that should fly to space."
We'll do our best to post updates from the race, so check back often to see how the two superstar skiers are faring. Good luck, and have fun out there team.
Gumball 3000 Schedule
May 25th – Launch Party
May 26th – London, England Start
May 26th – Paris, France
May 27th – Barcelona, Spain
May 28th – Monaco, Spain – F1
May 29th – Monaco, Spain – F1
May 30th – Venice, Italy
May 31st – Zagreb, Croatia
May 31st – Belgrade, Serbia
June 1st – Sofia, Bulgaria
June 1st – Istanbul, Turkey
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