Team 2 Dodgy Day 7 & 8

Day 7

I was woken up at 7am by an early morning wake up call I didn’t order. I wondered downstairs to be told by someone on the Gumball team that I had to be ready and checked out in 15 minutes. Nice.

I went off in search of breakfast where Adam (White Murcielago) told me I owed him 120 Euro. I stuck a “F*#k the Polizei� sticker on his bumper on the starting grid in London. The German Police took offense and fined him.

When my co-pilot finally got herself out of bed stinking of Vodka and tuna (long story!) we left the hotel about an hour after everyone else. We skipped the airport and went straight to the Delta Center to meet up with all the other cars. The other cars turned out to be a Green Gallardo and John and Sam in their car. There were about 50 people there taking pictures but no other Gumballers. The Gallardo took off for the track and we took off in search of gas tanks with John and Sam. Jessica then realized she left her shoes at the hotel so the whole day started off behind the curve. I should have seen the writing on the wall at this stage.

We finally made it to the track (Miller Park Raceway?) along with some other stragglers. After a quick bite to eat we headed out on the track. That was fantastic fun. We were racing around with a MacLaren SLR a few Ferraris, a Porsche and a Lambo. It was wicked and the Noble ate up the track and the competition until, after about four laps, I span out. It was a little bit worrying to be stalled in the gravel facing the wrong way with a MacLaren coming straight at me – I think he pissed himself a little bit when he saw me. All good video footage though.

As usual we were the last ones to find out when everyone was leaving – we went to get gas again – on the other side of the track car park, and came back to discover nearly all the cars had left. We decided to skip the stop at Wendover and head straight to Vegas. We managed to get in a convoy with a yellow Gallardo, a Porsche and Ed Leigh in the Absolute Poker Ferrari as well as some Gumball fans. It was classic to see a little Civic race the Gallardo and totally cream it – God knows what he had under the hood but it must have been a bit of an ego crusher for the guy in the Lambo.

We all pulled over for Petrol just outside of SLC. We took off with me at the back – after 20 yards I started to feel a judder and got out to inspect a totally flat front tire. The day was going down hill. Thank f%$k it happened before I got on the freeway. I had to run a few blocks to a tire place where the owner came out put air in so we could drive back and get it fixed. It had a huge screw in it – I think it happened on the track.

About an hour later we were on the road again – not seeing any Gumballers I assumed we were in last place.

We started to push it to try and catch up with everyone – we saw the Fuel car pulled over – he got a $200 ticket. I was changing speeds between 85 and 120 until somewhere in BFE Utah I was surrounded by three really pissed off cops. While trying to catch up with everyone, I was flashing my lights at vehicles in the passing lane to get out of the way. Apparently one of these cars – a red SUV – was an unmarked police car. I passed him at 106 – he put his lights on and chased me but I was oblivious and didn’t notice as he quickly faded behind me. The guy in the SUV wanted me in Jail – we could hear their conversation and I guess they tried to come up with the stiffest fine they could thinking I didn’t have the cash so they could keep me in jail. The fine was $1019. $450 for speeding and nearly $600 for reckless driving. When I told him I had the cash he got even more pissed off – “I guess you guys carry that much cash because you know you will be pulled over�. Not the smartest tool in the shed.

He told me I had to get in the police car and go to jail. At that stage Jessica got out of the car and agreed to a photo op – I think the whole playboy playmate thing softened them up a little, especially when she started to cry when they told her she would have to drive the Noble or leave it by the side of the road. In the end the one who fancied her the most talked the younger cop into letting me follow him as he had already confiscated my passport.

After making me stew in Jail for an hour they let me go and we were on our way again. We arrived at the hotel around 10pm, after getting lost in Vegas – the copilot kept telling us to turn left and do a u-turn – firmly in last.

Day 8

We started off in the last two thirds of the pack on Sunday and after following the copilot’s advice again took a wrong turn and managed to get the orange Murcielago to follow us.

Fortunately, we hooked up with Nick – 5 time Gumballer and former member of the Polizei team which improved our directionally challenged navigation. We also threw the copilot out the window.

The driving was fantastic through death valley. No police, great winding roads and not too many turnings to get lost. The only dodgy bits were some of the dips – driving at 120 and then hitting a 30 foot drop was like being on a rollercoaster.

We got to the finish line around 6pm just in time for a quick shower then off the Playboy Mansion.

Dodgy