# First Gumball 3000 Death



## tdk (Jul 22, 2003)

I'm surprised no one has died before now...

*A white Porsche crashed in Macedonia, near the city of Struga close to the Albanian border.

Update: Locals got injured in the crash, we hope they are ok.

Update 2: Driver of the Volkswagen Golf died on the way to the hospital, his wife is at the intensive care in critical condition, with broken ribs and fluid in her lungs. 24 hours after the incident still no statement from Gumball 3000.*









http://www.gtspirit.com/2007/05/03/gumball-accident-in-macedonia/

I guess it was this Porsche 997 Turbo...










Simon.


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## Private Prozac (Jul 7, 2003)

And another crash:










Also, Gumball 3000 has now been cancelled:

Gumball 3000 Finally Cancelled
May 3rd, 2007

More then 24 hours after the deadly accident on Macedonian roads, Gumball 3000 finally announced the cancellation of this years rally. After the fatal accident on Macedonian roads yesterday afternoon Gumball 3000 tried to keep it quiet as much as possible, they kept the families of Marga and Vladimir, locals, fans, drivers and sponsors completely in the dark, it took massive negative publicity in the worldwide media for them to realise the coverup failed and there was nothing else left then to cancel the rally.

This totally ignorant behavior caused a lot of disbelieve and anger among the same families, locals, fans, drivers and sponsors resulting in a big anti-Gumball campaign. Sponsors took their websites down and removed all affiliation with Gumball 3000, locals expressed their anger in our comments and mailbox, fans discussed the events on virtually every forum and message board out there and drivers announced their immediate withdrawl. They had 9 years to prepare a scenario in case something like this happened, and they were well aware of the fact that it could. However their latest two press releases however show they didnâ€™t prepare and show that to Gumball 3000 itâ€™s more important to cover their own ass then to tell the truth. Our Gumball 3000 coverage ends here.

We share our deepest sympaties with Margarita, whoâ€™s still at the intensive care of the hospital in Skopje, and her and Vladimirs families.

Issued by Maximillion Cooper on behalf of The Gumball 3000 Rally - 22.30 CET / 03 May 2007

Following our earlier release reporting yesterdayâ€™s accident - As a sign of respect we have decided that this yearâ€™s Gumball 3000 Rally will not travel any further and will end in Bratislava this evening, May 3rd 2007.

As the organisers of the rally we feel that it should be stopped as a mark of respect to Vladimir Cepulyoski who died today after an accident involving one the participating drivers.

We are very saddened by what has happened and feel that it would be wrong to continue. On behalf of Gumball 3000, we once again extend our deepest sympathies to his family and we are doing everything we can for them.

This is the first time anything like this has happened in 9 years of travelling through over 40 countries with 1000â€™s of drivers and it is with deep regret that I make this announcement.

Maximillion Cooper


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## tdk (Jul 22, 2003)

And I predict that will be the end of the Gumball 3000 - FOR EVER.
I highly doubt you'll see it take place again.

Simon.


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## Johnnywb (May 31, 2006)

tdk said:


> And I predict that will be the end of the Gumball 3000 - FOR EVER.
> I highly doubt you'll see it take place again.
> 
> Simon.


Good. It's tragic that an innocent member of the public had to lose their life to bring it to an end.


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## Karcsi (Mar 6, 2003)

Here here! I just hope that if the Gumball driver was at fault ( :roll: ), he doesn't get away with it.


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## Nem (Feb 14, 2005)

I'd be very suprised it it wasn't on next year I'm afraid. There is too much money involved for them to just let it go. I'm not saying than any amount of money can replace a life, but gumball 3000 is a business as much as a rally unfortunatly.



Nick


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## Karcsi (Mar 6, 2003)

As the Hungarians say, 'money talks, dogs bark'. I have little doubt that it will have a lot to say in Macedonia...


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## Johnnywb (May 31, 2006)

Sadly you're probably right, although i see the gumball struggling to find any sponsors if it continues next year. It took 24 hours for Gumball HQ to make an announcement about the accident, with most sponsors pulling their sites and links. Apparently many drivers weren't told about the crash at the drivers briefing the following morning either.


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## StuarTT (May 7, 2002)

Having seen videos of the previous events, I'm surprised it's taken this long for someone to die.



> but gumball 3000 is a business as much as a rally unfortunately.


Rallies take place on closed roads.

On this forum you often find people people being flamed for admitting to exceeding the speed limit or having a bit of fun 'racing' with another car on a public road.

I find the driving/road behaviour on the Gumball Race to be absolutely disgraceful, yet people still seem to think it's OK to drive like that on a public road and put other people's lives in danger.
:roll: :roll:


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Sad but inevitable.

I resisted temptation to post a snide comment about the apparent tacky, oiky vulgarity of the G3000 entrants when browing the OTT photos last week.

But it strikes me that the sort of people who can afford to take part and are hangers on to this osrt of event, are pretty trashy in general, and whilst they can afford some lovely cars, they have neither the social responsibility, intelligence or absolute driving skills to handle that sort of machinery safely at speed on the public highway.

The incident (I won't say accident) is a sad end to a reckless event. Had an entrant been killed in a solo accident, it wouold eb more paletteable.

I wonder if the driver has been tested for stimulants...


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

The only difference (as far as I can tell) between a chav and the majority of the Gumball entrants is the amount of money they inherited. :?


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## Nem (Feb 14, 2005)

StuarTT said:


> Rallies take place on closed roads.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rallying said:


> Rallying is a form of motor competition that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars. This motorsport is distinguished by running not on a circuit, but instead in a point-to-point format in which participants and their co-drivers drive between set control points (stages), leaving at regular intervals from one or more start points. Rallies may be won by pure speed within the stages or alternatively by driving to a predetermined ideal journey time within the stages.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rallying said:


> Road rallies are the original form, held on highways open to normal traffic, where the emphasis is not on outright speed but on accurate timekeeping and navigation and on vehicle reliability, often on difficult roads and over long distances. They are now primarily amateur events. There are several types of road rallies testing accuracy, navigation or problem solving. Some common types are: Regularity rally or a Time-Speed-Distance rally (also TSD rally, testing ability to stay on track and on time),[1] another is the Pan-Am or Monte-Carlo-style rally (testing navigation), and the Gimmick rally (testing logic).





StuarTT said:


> On this forum you often find people people being flamed for admitting to exceeding the speed limit or having a bit of fun 'racing' with another car on a public road.
> 
> I find the driving/road behaviour on the Gumball Race to be absolutely disgraceful, yet people still seem to think it's OK to drive like that on a public road and put other people's lives in danger.
> :roll: :roll:


I'm sorry, but your talking rubbish. Most of the time the people flaming the ones saying they were doing the traffic light gp are the biggest culprits anyway, they just enjoy putting others down while they are sat behind the safety of their mouse and keyboard.

Untill this accident none of you lot were spouting off about how god damn iressponsible they all are. There have been 2 other crashes this year and you didn't make all this fuss about it then.

As I've already said, it is a tragedy and I'm not defending anyone invloved in the incident at all. But the way everyone, on this forum and at least 5 others where I've been following this, are so quick to start on their high horses about it all just pisses me right off.

Nick

(the views expressed in this post are entirely my own and not of the TTOC in any way, shape, or form)


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

nutts said:


> The only difference (as far as I can tell) between a chav and the majority of the Gumball entrants is the amount of money they inherited. :?


..or made from porn empires, drugs, premium chat lines, etc. It's easy to be a bitchy have-not, but having read this months Car article about Enzo Ferrari, I am sure he would have turned in his grave to see some of the trash that now drive his beloved cars.

Maybe we are just in the wrong jobs. :wink:


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Nem said:


> StuarTT said:
> 
> 
> > Rallies take place on closed roads.
> ...


I am sorry I think you are talking rubbish. Whatever definitions you might trot out, the 'Rally' under discussion is little more than a drug-fuelled, full-on road-race across several countries, at all costs and damn the consequences. And it always has been. The participants could be most politely described as prvileged Playboys and always have been.

Gumball has never been about time based navigation challenges, driver skills, or cultural tours. It's about OTT flambouyance and cocaine.

As far as I am aware, there isn't anyone here who thinks that is a particulary admirable way to carry on, beyond liking the machinery. But we are all car nuts. Of course many here(allegedly) take liberties and push the speed limits from time to time.

But not for a week flat out across half a dozen countries, pushing one's energy levels, driving skills and ultimately willing to risk others lives, to higher and higher the extremes.

Maybe you feel that people her who admit to having the occasional 5 over the limit minute blast; a traffic light drag; wagging the tail though a quite fast roundabout etc, and at same time not condoning open road racing, constitutes double standards.

I think you may be in a minority.


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## jam (May 8, 2002)

I'm either going to do the Gumball (provided it's still on) or the Cannonball Run next year. I think they both look like great fun and an opportunity to drive in foreign countries and experience them in a different way. Also the hardware on show at these events is second to none.

If I do one of them I won't be driving under the influence of cocaine (or any other drug for that matter!) or driving recklessly. I just think it will be a good experience and it's on my list of things to do before I die.

I don't think you can possibly tar all the people participating in the Gumball or similar with the same brush just because of an accident like this. Like was said in the statement - "This is the first time anything like this has happened in 9 years of travelling through over 40 countries with 1000â€™s of drivers" - I think that's a very good safety record.

Just my two penneths worth

James


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

jam said:


> I'm either going to do the Gumball (provided it's still on) or the Cannonball Run next year. I think they both look like great fun and an opportunity to drive in foreign countries and experience them in a different way.
> 
> If I do one of them I won't be driving under the influence of cocaine (or any other drug for that matter!) or driving recklessly. I just think it will be a good experience and it's on my list of things to do before I die
> 
> ...


You'd be better off driving your car at the Nurburgring. Or Route 66. Or the Targa Florio.


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## A Pair of TT's (Apr 4, 2007)

So what exactly is the difference between this event, Gumball 3000; and a TT "rally" ? Not sure what you call but I know for a fact that it does exist??

Perhaps the only real difference is that that of the green eyes monster with regard to the aforementioned 3000 event.


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## jam (May 8, 2002)

garyc said:


> jam said:
> 
> 
> > I'm either going to do the Gumball (provided it's still on) or the Cannonball Run next year. I think they both look like great fun and an opportunity to drive in foreign countries and experience them in a different way.
> ...


Fair point - all good things to do. Although driving round the Nurburgring would be a greater risk than taking part in the Gumball 3000 or Cannonball IMO. At least there are speed limits to adhere to on public roads.

My point is that just because of one accident you can't say everyone taking part in such a rally is an idiot with no respect for human life. Up until that point in the Gumball this year I only heard of two accidents - fair enough one of them was fatal but that is a rarity.

Cheers


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## Karcsi (Mar 6, 2003)

Rally? My arse! It's the first time I have heard someone try to justify an illegal activity by calling it a 'sport'. No, actually, that's not true. There's that other insufferable lot with more money than sense - fox hunters.

As for green-eyed monster. I don't envy decent folk having money and enjoying it. I very much doubt many Gumballers satisfy that criterium.

Of course I'd love to race across the continent in a Ferrari. I'd also like to shoot the next a$$hole that scratches my car. But both are more than I can afford, and I seem to have been burdened with a modicum of common sense.


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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

Karcsi said:


> Rally? My arse! It's the first time I have heard someone try to justify an illegal activity by calling it a 'sport'.


Dyer ,Bowyer,Joey Barton :roll:


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## Teehee (May 22, 2005)

wallsendmag said:


> Karcsi said:
> 
> 
> > Rally? My arse! It's the first time I have heard someone try to justify an illegal activity by calling it a 'sport'.
> ...


:lol:


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## Teehee (May 22, 2005)

Karcsi said:


> Rally my arse!


Sounds painful :wink:


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

A Pair of TT's said:


> So what exactly is the difference between this event, Gumball 3000; and a TT "rally" ? Not sure what you call but I know for a fact that it does exist??
> 
> Perhaps the only real difference is that that of the green eyes monster with regard to the aforementioned 3000 event.


Ring is a solo exploration of one own and ones car limits.

Route 66 is a solo exploration into the american Dream

Targa Florio is a heritage drive around a beautiful country retracing the tracks of some of the greats, stopping for coffee, long lunches etc.

i.e. none of above are 'events' as such

re: jealousy - like I said, lovely cars (well without gaudy liveries), vulgar tacky people. I covet some of the cars but have zero aspirations to be like their pilots/owners. Quite the opposite.


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## Private Prozac (Jul 7, 2003)

garyc said:


> It's about OTT flambouyance and cocaine.


Where the f*ck did you pick up that bit of infinite wisdom? Middle of the Daily Sport between the story about Elvis being in Tesco's, Crawley and martians landing in my back garden!! :?

You keep spouting about stimulants and cocaine et al and I wonder what information you're privaledged to that the rest of us aren't.


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## Karcsi (Mar 6, 2003)

Teehee said:


> Karcsi said:
> 
> 
> > Rally my arse!
> ...


Oi, quit messing with me punctuation. :lol:


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## Karcsi (Mar 6, 2003)

wallsendmag said:


> Karcsi said:
> 
> 
> > Rally? My arse! It's the first time I have heard someone try to justify an illegal activity by calling it a 'sport'.
> ...


I try not to listen to what footballers have to say - their actions are usually enough.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

TT2BMW said:


> garyc said:
> 
> 
> > It's about OTT flambouyance and cocaine.
> ...


You have obviously never taken stimulants nor watched any of the previous Gumball video coverage.

I _know_ what I am talking about. :wink:

<<Organisers of the race, dubbed the "world's maddest, fastest and most eccentric rally">>

How on earth do you think the Gumball marketing promise of "non-stop action and partying", is enjoyed by likes of Snoop dog, Xhibit, Jonny Knoxville, Paris Hilton, driving all day and partying all night?

You probably think they eat raw vegetables, drink herbal tea and get to bed early, "cos they have along day on the road tomorrow and want to be nice and freash."

I know a few who have done Gumball and Cannonball in previous years.

You are being a bit naive about lifestyles of the rich and famous. :?


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## clived (May 6, 2002)

jam said:


> Like was said in the statement - "This is the first time anything like this has happened in 9 years of travelling through over 40 countries with 1000â€™s of drivers" - I think that's a very good safety record.


Just because it is in "the statement" doesn't make it true. It might be true to say that "this" has never happened before - i.e. an innocent bystander has been killed, but it certainly isn't the first time "anything *like* this" has happened - there have been many serious accident with vehicles written off, and given for that to happen control of the vehicle has been lost, it is just luck in my opinion that no-one has died before now.


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## jam (May 8, 2002)

garyc said:


> I _know_ what I am talking about. :wink:


Cokehead :wink:


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

Nice sig pic 8)

Ok Handbags at the ready again...


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

TT2BMW said:


> Where the f*ck did you pick up that bit of infinite wisdom? Middle of the Daily Sport between the story about Elvis being in Tesco's, Crawley and martians landing in my back garden!! :?
> 
> You keep spouting about stimulants and cocaine et al and I wonder what information you're privaledged to that the rest of us aren't.


Everyone knows the Gumball is powered by Cocaine as well as super-unleaded. However it's not only the drivers snorting the stuff. I heard that this year one spectator was so addled on Gak that he turned up on completely the wrong day :roll:


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## Leg (Jan 11, 2006)

I would like one of these for my office at home...


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## jonah (Aug 17, 2002)

They say it's not a race but when you have to get from A to B intime for a flight or ferry and the distance can't be covered in that time within the speed limits its a race, a race against time, add into that the end of stage party you're asking for someone to die.
Driving for 18hrs solid, end of stage party 4hrs leaving you with 2hrs sleep IMO the only way anyone could do that for 5 days is to be on Speed or Coke, or gallons of Red Bull


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## Guest (May 6, 2007)

Leg said:


> I would like one of these for my office at home...


I have to agree with Leg, i want one of those.


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## steveh (Jan 14, 2004)

Like most things that become over commercialised Gumball has become ridiculously extreme as have the entrants and their attitudes. I think there was a time when most (not all) of the entrants were Petrolheads who were more interested in their cars and their driving than the playboys and z-list celebrities who can afford the entrance fee now and who seem more interested in the partying than the journey in between the parties.

I suspect we're all familiar with people who drive fast cars not because they enjoy driving but because fast cars tend to cost lots of money so, by owning an expensive fast car, they are simply saying "look at me I'm rich and I drive a flash car (I don't really know what it is and I don't really care either)". A lot of the people in the Gumball seem to take this to the next level.

I also suspect that when you find yourself driving a supercar in the company of other supercars then your speed will tend to creep up. I know it happens when you get a convoy of TTs driving to the annual meet :roll: but the people on Gumball are sleep deprived and suffering from the effects of the night before and that must be a recipe for disaster if ever there was one.


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## Karcsi (Mar 6, 2003)

jonah said:


> They say it's not a race but when you have to get from A to B intime for a flight or ferry and the distance can't be covered in that time within the speed limits its a race, a race against time, add into that the end of stage party you're asking for someone to die.
> Driving for 18hrs solid, end of stage party 4hrs leaving you with 2hrs sleep IMO the only way anyone could do that for 5 days is to be on Speed or Coke, or gallons of Red Bull


Wouldn't they still be intoxicated from the night before? Seems crazy to have a party at any other stage than the finish. Why don't rally drivers have a good ol' booze up after each day's driving?!


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## Leg (Jan 11, 2006)

Karcsi said:


> jonah said:
> 
> 
> > They say it's not a race but when you have to get from A to B intime for a flight or ferry and the distance can't be covered in that time within the speed limits its a race, a race against time, add into that the end of stage party you're asking for someone to die.
> ...


Precisely why I never took up rallying.


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## jam (May 8, 2002)

coupe-sport said:


> Nice sig pic 8)
> 
> Ok Handbags at the ready again...


Thanks mate


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