Fasten Your Seatbelts for Gumball 3000; The Fairmont Hotel Marks the Starting Point for the World's Most Glamorous Car Rally From San Francisco to Miami April 17-22

Business Wire, April 8, 2003

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SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 2003

Film stars, rock stars, sports stars and billionaires will converge at The Fairmont San Francisco April 16-17 to participate in the fifth annual Gumball 3000 - recognized as "the most glamorous rally ever staged," by NBC News. This year, Pink and her fiance, motorcross champion Cary Hart, will participate in the world-class auto event.

Starting atop Nob Hill at The Fairmont, the 160 drivers of Gumball 3000 will explore the streets of San Francisco, as did Steve McQueen in the movie "Bullet," and then traverse the Golden Gate Bridge to travel six days and 3000 miles to the finish line in Miami.

Launched in Europe in 1999 by Maximillion Cooper, Gumball 3000 revives the thrills of the 1970s Cannonball Run movies in a rock 'n' roll fashion with parties each night at some of America's most famous landmarks. In May 2002, W Magazine described Gumball 3000 as "an update of the Cannonball Run only with much more chic people."

Starting at noon on April 16, a collection of rare Ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLarens, Bentleys and other unique cars will be displayed on Mason Street in front of The Fairmont. The rally will officially commence on April 17 at approximately 9 p.m. after the 160 cars, including a Porsche sponsored by Fairmont, parade through the streets of San Francisco, with Mayor Willie Brown leading the star-studded procession.

Last year, 20 million viewers around the world watched Johnny Knoxville and the rest of the Jackass crew in an hour-long "Gumball 3000" MTV special, when they joined ex-F1 world champion Damon Hill, along other celebrities and supermodels, as 200 "supercars" dashed from London to Russia and back. For more information, please visit www.gumball3000.com or e-mail info@gumball3000.com.