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October 8, 2008

Fireball or Geritol? You Decide

AKA Mr. Angry

I spent the past week participating in the Fireball Run Transcontinental Road Rally. Going in I wasn’t sure what to expect. You see, Fireball is set up a bit differently than rallies like the Bullrun or Gumball. It’s marketed as an "Adventure Rally." Here’s the synopsis I was given beforehand:

Fireball Run 2: Back to the Track, will have an 1980’s themed auto rally. 100 teams comprised of some of the most successful people on the planet embark on a 3500 mile 9 day transcontinental adventure of a lifetime. The 2008 event will start in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and will zigzag through the coolest parts of America to finish in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Fireball Run is a highly interactive live action “game” and America is the game board. The safe and sanctioned event also incorporates race track competition events.

All rallies have their good and bad points, and Fireball Run is no exception. First the good: Fireball Run works in conjunction with the Child Rescue Network, and the main mission of the event is to help locate missing children. Each team is assigned a missing child whose information and photo are placed on the side of their vehicle. They are also given 1000 fliers with the same information to hand out to people and to place in restaurants and gas stations along the way. Everyone in the rally takes part in this–no exceptions. Continue reading…

The rally follows a scripted route that takes you to some interesting places. For instance, we visited the grave site of Buster Brown. You know, the shoe guy. And we toured the Coca-Cola Museum in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Now, are these "exciting" places? Well, not really. But believe it or not, they were actually pretty cool, and places that one most likely would never go to otherwise, because they really are off the beaten path. I mean hell, we had to take a dirt road to get to good old Buster’s grave.

The highlight of the trip, though, would have to be when we went to a home for foster children. We pulled up and received a welcome from these kids like I have never seen. We provided them with the world’s biggest hot wheels box and they provided us with a memory that will last a lifetime.

All rallies over-promise and under-deliver. For instance, the tag line for Fireball Run is, "Back to the Track," which just wasn’t true. We spent part of one day at the Louisiana State Patrol’s proving grounds. We were told that we would be racing against the troopers themselves. Did this happen? Um, no. We then went to perhaps the WORST autocross course in existence, and were told to wear goggles that simulate a state of drunkenness. WTF? This was not fun, and was in fact a total PITA. The only good events were another autocross, and then a track event at Gratten Raceway in Belding, Michigan. However, we were limited to just a few runs, and only one person per team could drive. Yet before the event we ALL had to buy track suits and obtain some crappy BS track certification from a group I’ve never heard of.

Keep in mind also that Fireball is more than $10k cheaper than Bullrun or Gumball. This is a selling point, no doubt, but also falls into the "you get what you pay for" category. The crowd at Fireball is also at bit less adrenalized. Participants were a bit older and somewhat subdued, and the overall energy just wasn’t up to par with what we’re used to.

HOWEVER, the rally did accomplish what rallies are supposed to do, that being to introduce you to other like-minded individuals who are entrenched in the car culture. Fireball did this to the 100th degree. We met some great people who we are already planning other events with.

All in all I would rate Fireball Run as a 6 out of 10. It’s ok and you’ll have fun, just don’t expect to be blown away by anything in particular.

Permalink:

Posted at 4:35 pm in Fireball Run, JalopFront, Mr. Angry, Rally

Comments

OGR 50
Feb 9, 2009 at 9:28 pm

Hey Mike,

Just remember Doc is a Red Head….
and when she gets on the warpath lookout…
What ever you do don’t piss her off on the track….

First let me say I was thrilled to see you show up in the black beast. It takes allot of work and preparation to get an older car to hold up to the kind of punishment you put that thing through. Kudos.

I have to agree and disagree with your position on the FireBall Run.
We race all over the country and currently hold the title of the third fastest street legal car in the US. (One Lap of America 08)
Doc stated it correctly when she stated that in the front of the pack it is full on throttle. This is not an event for someone that only knows how to step on the pedal on the right and break the speed limit and put innocent people at risk… Any 16 year old can do that. This is an event that requires full on engagement of the Gray matter between the ears in addition to driving skills and as much horse power you can slide under the hood. Of course we were limited to 405 hp because that is all Chevy puts in the HZH corvette rental from Hertz. This is why this event is by invitation, and it is for business owners. People who posses and use these skills on a daily basis.
I have to concur with your statement about laughing. I laughed my a#% off everyday. The people that do this event are some REAL characters. I can’t think of any event that we do that I have more fun at. The Kids at the foster home were just awesome… I love that shot with them sitting on the wing. Our team looks for the little girl that we were assigned 2 years ago year round. We have distributed over 13000 flyer’s in 28 months. Every box that ships out of our facility has a flier in it. Our race car, tow vehicle and web site are all tools to help. I know of folks in this event that have hired their own investigators to help look for the child they were assigned. Ok maybe the track at the police head quarters was not as grand as you might have liked, and maybe the police did chickened out from racing with us. But last year we helped find 22 missing kids! That makes this event 10 out of 10 to me.
If you really want track time and you can handle 3000 to 4000 miles and 20 track events in 7 days…. You should try the One Lap of America…. IT IS NOT FOR THE WEAK ! ! its road racing, drag racing, auto crossing and 4000 miles in between… To say it is grueling is kind. Doc and I were 3rd in 08 in and open cockpit car.
It will make you run to the FireBall Run crying mommy.
Hope to see you and the crew there.

Cheers and keep the flat black side up..

Kevin

Doc Harmony
Feb 8, 2009 at 7:49 am

Once again, when you are in the back of the pack, it always seems as if you are on Geritol, especially if you have told all your fans that you are going to the race to kick ‘ass’. (This time around TEAM ANGRY is sporting some new faces and some new hardware. Coming to the table this time is Carmine “Mr. BOOM BOOM” Dell Aquila and John “Johnny Boy” Sigismondi driving a 478 rwhp Corvette Z06. This puppy is simply BADASS and has some pretty cool bells and whistles that we just can’t disclose to the public yet. )

Also, anytime your ‘badass’ ride is beaten by a Hertz Corvette Rental car, what else is a person to say? That they gave it their best and still could not cut the mustard!

This race challenges not just the testosterone ability of a person, but their mental tenacity and ability to think and drive.

You might want to catch up on your sleep for the next race and stop making excuses.

Doc Harmony – out front kicking ass and taking names, so bring it on!
Fireball Run – only for those able to compete at all levels!

Paula Gould
Oct 14, 2008 at 8:31 pm

Hi guys!!! It was such a pleasure meeting all of you!! Please stay in touch. My email is paula@luxurylifestyle.com and paula@paulagould.com! We had such a great time and like Mike, we laughed more on this trip than I ever have I think– and with so many fun people. I really do hope the awareness we helped to build leads to the return of at least some of these kids. Next year, we’re shooting for a performance limousine so we can truly compete. I bet Limo Bob is up for the challenge!! xoxo Paula

Anonymous
Oct 9, 2008 at 10:23 pm

Yo Mike its me Not Kobe… Just Hung

WTF

I dont care if it rains or freezes…

At The Wheel
Oct 9, 2008 at 4:10 pm

lol…what happened to their 5 motorsports activities and 8 police escorts?

Don
Oct 9, 2008 at 4:32 am

Shouldn’t someone ask Fireball22 to join the next …um…Fireball…Rally?

Ted Barrett
Oct 9, 2008 at 3:05 am

Gumball 3000 it is, car looks great talk soon..be in NJ in a few months invite for lunch still standing. No acsess to Face book on ship.

Ted Barrett

Stewart
Oct 8, 2008 at 10:30 pm

That’s good Mike.
.
Glad you had a good time.
.
For some reason, when I read your description
it seemed like you did not enjoy yourself…

Team JEEP
Oct 8, 2008 at 10:04 pm

Miiiike! Ready for Gumball next year? OR let’s just organize the first ever ‘Angry Run’ – C’mon!

MrAngry
Oct 8, 2008 at 9:12 pm

Stewart – no one said I didn’t have a good time, quite the contrary actually. I laughed more on this rally then at any other event I’ve attend.

phil
Oct 8, 2008 at 8:31 pm

well, any chance of any leads turning up on any of the missing kids.
that would be the automatic rally winner.

Blue Bomber
Oct 8, 2008 at 8:02 pm

how did the time machine do? did it arive everywhere 5 min. faster than everyone else despite leaving last?

Evan
Oct 8, 2008 at 7:26 pm

Mike, That’s an Awesome picture of the kids on the wing of your car!!!! Absolutely priceless!!!!!

Thanks for sharing.

GTwildfire
Oct 8, 2008 at 7:11 pm

I respect it as an honest assessment, and he pointed out high points of the really as well.
-
I thought buster brown was the dog. also surprised a rapper hasn’t taken that name (yet). came close… bobby brown. and what the hell made him such an expert in shoes anyway?

Stewart
Oct 8, 2008 at 4:56 pm

Fireball or Geritol huh?
.
Um, OK.
.
Sorry you didn’t have a good time.
.
.
I’m sure you could easily find CarDomain “volunteers”
to go in your place