This past week was spent participating in the Fireball Run Transcontinental Road Rally and going in I wasn’t sure what to expect. You see Fireball is set up a bit differently then rallies like the Bullrun or Gumball 3000 as it is marketed as an “Adventure Rally”. (see below)



(September 25th - October 4th ) 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: “Child Rescue Network - http://www.childrescuenetwork.org/” and the main mission during this 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 flyers with the same information to hand out to people and place in restaurants and gas stations along the way. Everyone in the rally takes part in this - no exceptions.



The rally also 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 toured the Coca-Cola Museum in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Now, are these “exciting” places… well no, but believe it or not they were 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 ole’ Buster’s grave. The high light 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 worlds biggest hot wheels box and they provided us with a memory that will last a lifetime.


All rallies, Fireball being no exception 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 Patrols proving grounds, the event was advertised that we would in fact 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 and why? This is not fun and a total PITA. The only good events were another autocross and then a track event at Gratten Raceway in Belding, Michigan, however these events were scarred by limited runs and the fact that only one person per team could drive, yet before the event we ALL had to obtain some crappy BS track certification from a group I’ve never heard of and buy track suits.



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” class. The crowd at Fireball is also at bit less adrenalized. The crowd was a bit older and somewhat subdued as were the events 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.