So, about this new ripoff 'Cannonball Run'

Hey, look, it's another road rally for rich douches .... which is all fine, I really don't care.

But call it the Cannonball Run? Looks like I'm not the only one finding it a distasteful move.

Linky to article at "The Drive"

I have mixed feelings about the event, but the tone of the article "It shouldn't be Cannonball because Brock and I are special" is off-putting. To write about Cannonball Baker and Brock Yates and their combined legacy is fine. To insert yourself into that legacy is nearly as cringey as the new event.

Yeah, plenty of talk about it on facebook groups, etc. I mean, I think it's pretty lame, but let's face it - everything is corporatized these days - is anyone complaining about the remake Cannonball Run movie that's in the works? I'm sure they're making that for $$$$ too. This is the sad way of the world these days, where whatever "principle" something was originally founded upon is now just used as a convenient hook for people to make money. I think it's sad, but there are already plenty of automotive-related things that are largely dominated by the rich douche crowd.....

On an aside, doing a "real" Cannonball Run these days would be almost impossible - the penalties and fines for that kind of driving now (as compared to the 1970s) would get half the cars involved impounded and the drivers arrested long before they could complete the trip! In essence, the whole principle that Brock fought against (government involvement, basically) is 10x worse then when he actually did the original Cannonball Run.

I think we just have to do a 'real' cannonball run across Africa (Tripoli to Johannesburg, anyone?) or something these days, where there are still few rules . Also, you actually will be RUNNING AWAY from certain people in certain areas, haha....

Also, the article posted is kind of douchey in its own right. LIke the author is pissed he didn't trademark the name himself and now lashing out becuase he's mad that someone is taking something that he did decades ago and it's "not the same." Reminds me of the old-timers in the stage rally crowd some times, lol.

irish44j wrote: Also, the article posted is kind of douchey in its own right. LIke the author is pissed he didn't trademark the name himself and now lashing out becuase he's mad that someone is taking something that he did decades ago and it's "not the same." Reminds me of the old-timers in the stage rally crowd some times, lol.

Good point. And you're right, he does come across that way.

I just get a bit touchy about situations like this where a trademark/copyright/patent lawyer steps in and finds some loophole to claim something that doesn't belong to them. Had a number of people I know get screwed over in that fashion and ended up losing their businesses and such because of guys like this.

The author, Alex Roy, has spent a lot of time and money chasing the unofficial record for the NY to LA run. First with an E39 M5, and then with some infinity sedan with an R35 engine. Both were heavily modified specifically for the purpose.

His run in the M5 was heavily documented by himself and a documentary producer. The producer ripped him off, and released a version of the documentary that he received no compensation for, so this is probably very personal for him.

At the end of this article the same author theorizes that the best modern vehicle for a true coast to coast run would be a Mercedes R63. If you can find one and if it is running. If not a CTS-V wagon.

pushrod36 wrote: First with an E39 M5, and then with some infinity sedan with an R35 engine.

The dual-controls Infiniti was an April Fool's hoax a couple years ago.

jde wrote:

pushrod36 wrote: First with an E39 M5, and then with some infinity sedan with an R35 engine.

The dual-controls Infiniti was an April Fool's hoax a couple years ago.

I didn't remember the part about dual controls, but the spotter planes and high flow fueling stations just for him manned by volunteers seemed plausible.

1. Copyright theft and legacy appropriation is NOT COOL. Legacies are earned, not purchased.

2. The romance of the historical Cannonball, and especially the modern record attempts is somewhat tempered for me by the fact that these people are not only committing heinously illegal acts, but endangering civilians while they're doing it.

Who is with me on the electric cannonball run? Get a tesla with another on a tow bar. Charge both at the lightning (or whatever) stations. Drive first for 250-300 miles at your precalculated best speed for time and battery life. When the lead tesla is dead, swap to the rear one and go again.

Basically your advantage over what has already been done with a tesla is that you can almost get double range in the same charge time assuming you can charge both cars in tandem.

BTW - im dead serious on doing this.

pushrod36 wrote: The author, Alex Roy, has spent a lot of time and money chasing the unofficial record for the NY to LA run. First with an E39 M5, and then with some infinity sedan with an R35 engine. Both were heavily modified specifically for the purpose. His run in the M5 was heavily documented by himself and a documentary producer. The producer ripped him off, and released a version of the documentary that he received no compensation for, so this is probably very personal for him.

I read and enjoyed Roy's book, but he is a bit of a douche at times. I think he has an inflated sense of his place in the auto enthusiast space. Personally, I'm not a big fan of flying around on public roads at triple-digit speeds for extended periods. You want to risk your own life, fine, but putting others in danger to pursue some meaningless record is not cool with me.

There was a post on FB that apparently one of the members of the current one (some lady driving a Lambo) was arrested for doing 140 in a 40mph zone recently. Ironically, her car is vinyl'd up like an Italian Polizia car or something...

Tom_Spangler wrote: I read and enjoyed Roy's book, but he is a bit of a douche at times. I think he has an inflated sense of his place in the auto enthusiast space. Personally, I'm not a big fan of flying around on public roads at triple-digit speeds for extended periods. You want to risk your own life, fine, but putting others in danger to pursue some meaningless record is not cool with me.

Even Brock Yates had the same feeling after a while. Otherwise they would have kept running it. The original Cannonball is/was a legend, but should remain just that.

This new one is like CBGB these days. The original was a legend and a dump. The new chain of them is a farce and an insult to everything that made the name important.

We are a society of consumer whores looking for something that sounds authentic to fill our empty shopping cart lives. Adventure is a section of Disneyworld. Maybe they will have a Cannonball Run ride one day so everyone can experience the thrill.

Robbie wrote: Who is with me on the electric cannonball run? Get a tesla with another on a tow bar. Charge both at the lightning (or whatever) stations. Drive first for 250-300 miles at your precalculated best speed for time and battery life. When the lead tesla is dead, swap to the rear one and go again. Basically your advantage over what has already been done with a tesla is that you can almost get double range in the same charge time assuming you can charge both cars in tandem. BTW - im dead serious on doing this.

or do some 'spy hunter' type of thing were you have a semi pull up in front of the car and you drive into the trailer, change out batteries and roll back out of the trailer and take off. all at highways speed

Mythbusters did it (minus the battery change) so its plausible...

edizzle89 wrote: or do some Knight Rider type of thing were you have a semi pull up in front of the car and you drive into the trailer, change out batteries and roll back out of the trailer and take off. all at highways speed

ftfy.

There seems to be plenty of douchiness to go around on the people involved in these modern attempts but considering that when the original Cannonballs were done all cars were less sophisticated and the speed limit was 55MPH compared with modern cars and tires and higher posted and traveled speed limits as well as only 1 car making the modern attempt vs a whole gaggle back in the originals it doesn't seem so much worse or selfish.

People will always try and break records and push the envelope. No one should be surprised once they document or publish a record.

I think Alex Roy's post is a good one let down by one fact, it was written by Alex Roy. A guy who has made somewhat of a career out of co-opting the original cannonball. He may have had 'his' documentary ripped off, but he was intending to profit for it. His book spends a lot of time promoting his driving abilities and is even called the Driver. He spends lots of time talking about his driving skills and basically claiming to be a race driver. If you read the first part of the book talking about the Gumball 3000 runs, again he spends a lot of time promoting his driving skills. In reality his skills are more like a co-driver than a race or rally driver. I'll give him 10 out of 10 for sticking his middle finger up at the establishment, for his planning, strategizing and organizational ability and being able to stay awake. But driving at 90mph for hour after hour doesn’t make you a race or rally driver.

I'm sure he's an awesome guy to have a beer with and shoot the E36 M3, but his background makes the post look lame.

I wish Yates or his family had legally protected the cannonball name just to stop the horseE36 M3 that is this new race.

I would never have heard of this whole thing if it weren't for people like Roy getting their panties in a wad over something so ridiculous. It's an event for the rich who I don't hang out with, the entry fee is astronomical, they are not trying to set records, not endangering the public, and will come and go through your city without you noticing. I never would have known.

So maybe it should be called something else. So what. The "legitimate" Cannonball Run was never itself legitimate. It's all illegal. It wasn't even called "Cannonball Run" when it happened, until they sold out and made a movie about it to appeal to the masses. How is this any different? Because Roy isn't getting a slice of the pie? It sounds like the event organizers were willing to work with him, but he blew them off. Roy is just fanning the flames of a fire that keeps his house warm.

maschinenbau wrote: How is this any different? Because Roy isn't getting a slice of the pie? It sounds like the event organizers were willing to work with him, but he blew them off.

People are pretty touchy over the subject because Brock Yates just died a couple weeks ago.

But even if they were HUGE Brock Yates fans, should they have cancelled this year's event because he passed? He's been in long term care for years.
I think the event is lame, but I understand the marketing value of the name and why they snatched it up. It is what it is.

pushrod36 wrote: His run in the M5 was heavily documented by himself and a documentary producer. The producer ripped him off, and released a version of the documentary that he received no compensation for, so this is probably very personal for him.

Play douchey games, get douched.

Tom_Spangler wrote:

edizzle89 wrote: or do some Knight Rider type of thing were you have a semi pull up in front of the car and you drive into the trailer, change out batteries and roll back out of the trailer and take off. all at highways speed

ftfy.

i though the spyhunter game came first but after a quick googles it looks like spyhunter was '83 and Knight Rider was '82... well played sir

I enjoyed reading The Driver and watching the movie 32 hours 7 minutes, but Alex Roy does come off as douchey. His profile pic at the top of the article doesn't help with that image either. An ascot/scarf, aviators, and bluetooth in his ear scream d-bag.

In reply to NEALSMO:

I can forgive the Ascot and Aviators, but bluetooth earpiece, when was the last time you saw one of those?