Original Duo Tone art Daybill movie poster The Gumball Rally
The Gumball Rally is a 1976 film directed and co-written by Charles Bail about a coast-to-coast road race. It was inspired by the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash run by Brock Yates, which inspired several other films, including Cannonball (1976), Cannonball Run (1981) and Cannonball Fever (1989); as well as an actual event, the Gumball 3000 international race. The spirit of the Gumball Rally has inspired road rally enthusiasts to create local versions of the Gumball in individual states. There are annual Gumball Rallies in Michigan, Florida, and California. The rules of these races are more stratified than the movie, and speeding or demented driving is discouraged. But anyone who can afford the comparatively modest entry fee and acquire sponsors can enter any sort of vehicle in the competition.
