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Text Box: Page # Text Box: finish line and rolled up to the legendary Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles on Tuesday 30th April. Mr. Hefner was there to meet and greet the drivers that had endured the route from New York, along with Bunny girls and Playmates to give out the awards. Jackass stars joined Matthew McConaughey, the Baldwin brothers, Rachel Hunter, Fast and Furious star Matt Schulze and Hollywood's finest Gumballers for the ultimate finish party. Organised by Maximillion Cooper, the event began on Wednesday April 24th with a pre-rally party in New York's fashionable 'Lotus' Club, which certainly kicked things off to a wild start, with participants arriving from all over the world, including original 'Cannonball Run' film star Jackie Chan, who turned up to show his support and give 'technical' advice to those drivers using 'computer gadgets' to aid their driving, along with Keanu Reeves who talked of joining the Ducati team on motorbikes. And in true Gumball style 'Supermodels' Jodie Kidd and Amy Wesson even went out and bought a new Mercedes that night just for a place on the grid. The participants ranged from racing drivers to professional skateboarders, several having paid for an entry on Ebay Kruse, helping to raise money for the Twin Towers Foundation, Gumball 3000's chosen charity. Following the event all participants are donating a 'Gumball' item that will form a special 'Gumball 3000' charity auction site on Ebay Kruse later this month, where all proceeds will be donated to the Twin Towers Fund. The chequered flag dropped at 7pm at the Plaza Hotel, causing Fifth Avenue to come to a halt as 170 of the worlds most amazing Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Aston Martin's, Porsche's, Morgan's, Bentley's, old classics, 60's & 70's American Muscle cars, Limousine's, Blues Brothers Police car, Playmates in a Mini Cooper, and numerous other unique and incredible vehicles cruised out of New York heading for Washington DC.   By the time the first cars began arriving at the Union Station checkpoint, with stories of the 'Bikini Bandit's Pontiac GTO suffering a blow out, and the ultra rare 1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider bellowing smoke from its engine, the odds on the 'classics' reaching the Hollywood finish line looked slim. However, not to be deterred, the Bandits fixed their tyre, and the Ferrari limped on.   Nashville came as another checkpoint, following an amazing drive through the night over the Appalachian Mountains. Upon arrival more news of 'Cannonball Run' antics became the talk of the day, along with breakdowns and 'Dastardly and Mutley' tactics, which saw the 1960 Stars and Stripes Corvette have a 'new' engine fitted during the night as the 1000 mile first stage was a little too much for the old 'vette to take! Text Box: Stage two took cars from Nashville to lunch at Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis where an unbelievable crowd gathered to see the cars arrive. Peanut butter and banana burgers were on the menu before everyone headed Texas bound to Dallas' Crescent Court Hotel for a true Texan style party. The Texan and unusually registered 'Moscow' (flown over from Russia!) Porsche's led the field, with one or two Lamborghini's giving the Texas roads a taste of what those Italian 'supercars' are capable of! Day 3 began with Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders cheering in the late arrival of the '74 Corvette that had been towed all the way from NY after an ignition problem left it standing in the garage on Fifth Avenue. This was joined by a newly purchased AC Cobra replacing the 1959 Ferrari, and the field also grew a couple of new Ferrari's including a much welcomed and fitting entry from Diane Glaser, Hollywood stunt woman and star of the 1976 original 'Gumball Rally' movie. The Texas police proved to be the biggest fans of the Gumball, closing roads and escorting cars out of the streets of Dallas at speeds far greater than were to be expected. Out on the Interstate, stories filtered through of cars being pulled over just so that the unnervingly helpful officers could admire them, as Gumball won over the hearts of the United States Troopers! At Amarillo's Cadillac Ranch the route joined 'Historic Route 66' on the way to the Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa in New Mexico. This served as a day of rest in this beautiful desert surrounding, giving drivers time to reflect on the 'wacky races' rumours and stories after another amazing days drive. The next stage could truly be named the 'Desert Stage' with an 8-hour drive to the Grand Canyon before reaching the bright lights of Las Vegas in time for a party in the RA Club at the Luxor Hotel. Vegas proved to be the perfect setting for the glamour and glitz of the Gumball, and crowds arrived to watch the flag drop outside the front of the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino for the final drive to the Hollywood finish line. Of the 170 vehicles that entered, due to mechanical failures only 159 made it to the finish line at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel, with one or two 'rental cars' replacing the owners' supercars left on the highways. The Playboy Mansion played host to the trophy giving party where Gumballers partied the night away, receiving appropriately styled 'medallions' for their participation, and special style, spirit and driver awards to those that deserved special recognition. The Zycko entered Ferrari F50 of Rory Sweet and Mark Crocker gained best drivers award; a beauti