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Michigan Gumball Rally Overview Part 2. Event hosted by American Gumball Rally. Saturday August 22nd, 2015 After completing registration, competitors leave the Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan at 9:30AM. michigan rally,road rally This particular Gumball event was a record breaker for attendance, with 107 entries! With most of the vehicles carrying two people, plus a couple dozen staff members & their cars, I was in automotive heaven cruising down the freeway with 240+ people who all had my similar passion.  Trying our hardest to obey all traffic laws, we took hundreds of “rolling pictures,” of our friends all enjoying the road.  NOTE: Competitors and staff are not in any way exempt from traffic laws.  You can receive tickets, be pulled over, you do not have a “get out of jail free card” just because you are traveling with American Gumball.

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michigan road rally,rally race, michigan racing After driving north about 150 miles, we all arrived at the check point in Reed City, Michigan.  Quick pit stop for food & gas was surprisingly easy, even with 100+ cars all getting fuel at once.  I’m sure this little town didn’t mind our massive caravan stopping by, the math will prove my point – Average fuel sale of $60 x 140 vehicles + our RedBull & beef jerky intake= A large amount of money for a town with a population of 2,400 people. From Reed City, we drove north another 60 miles to Kaleva, Michigan, home of the Northern Michigan Dragway!   Not only did this dragway host our entire fleet for most of that Saturday afternoon, but they sponsored this event by donating multiple free runs on their drag strip. dragway Saturday 3PM- Gumball continued north to Traverse City, Michigan, for the next check point at Culvers on Hwy 131.  I have family in this area, so they came to say Hi! Thank You Tom Tolles (Mechanix Team) for this excellent Holden Commodore backdrop. After everyone ordered some amazing ice cream & a quick dinner at Culver’s, we were on the road again to Mackinac City, to cross the Mackinac Bridge, and head to the Upper Peninsula for our next pit stop at the Raco Airstrip.  During this leg of the race, there was an optional route to go drive through the Tunnel of Trees, in the beautiful Harbor Springs area. Arriving at Raco, the scenery was just like a clip from “The Fast & the Furious.”  We pulled in at sunset, giving about an hour to do as many runs down the strip as possible; I believe the proper term is flashlight drags. 😉 9PM Saturday- Arrive at the Kewadin Casino & Hotel in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Judging by how packed their lobby was when we all were checking in, I’d say we took up most of their hotel rooms!  Thanks again Kewadin, for your hospitality! 8AM Sunday, August 23- Competitors leave Sault Ste Marie, and drive 260 miles south to the required check point, at the famous Tony’s Restaurant in Birch Run, Michigan.  And finally, after driving a total of (approximately) 660 miles from Start to Finish, competitors arrived at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan.  There was of course a car show out front, free pizza & beer, more socializing, and the Award Ceremony! My Overview: I can honestly say that this Gumball Rally event was one of the best weekends I’ve had in years.  I’ve been a competitor in numerous stage rally races, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, a spectator at drag races, oval dirt track events, and more.  American Gumball understands what we want to do with our vehicle – Enjoy it.  No matter how much power you have, what part of the country you’re from, what your sponsor potential is, you can still attend & have a great time.  There is a small amount of competition for those who want a faster time at the drag strip, but that isn’t what the focus is all about, that ‘pressure’ to win isn’t there.  The teams consisted of mother/daughter, father/son, best friends, parents with their children; the family acceptance was also refreshing for me, especially that I’m a mother myself.  Sometimes these road rallies, or automotive events in general, tend to not be as family friendly as you’d like them to be, and Gumball is not one of those. I encourage you to attend & here is how: American Gumball is a national company, currently hosting these road rallies in 12 states & adding more each year.  Go to their website: http://www.americangumballrally.com/  to find an event near you!  Invite your friends, carpool, make it happen! As I mentioned, the entry fee includes your hotel, and a couple other expenses, what other racing event does that?? There is also a cash prize for winning! David & Rhonda took home $3,000 for winning the Michigan Gumball, plus there were cash giveways at registration, as well as gift certificates, and more. American Gumball has a list of event sponsors to help make this all possible.  Though most of the Gumball competitors seek out sponsors for their vehicle, to help cover expenses, or maybe some spare parts.  Don’t hesitate to ask for a company to get involved, it is a great return on investment for them as well, from a marketing standpoint. To see the detailed information on statistics, click here. Thank You to all of the event sponsors! Firekeepers Casino Kewadin Casino Mechanix Auto of Jackson Culvers of Traverse City Twin Peaks Restaurant Northern Michigan Dragway TAG Tintz & Graphx US Wheel Exchange Ice 9 Group More information about the American Gumball Rally company: http://www.americangumballrally.com/ Tabitha Lohr is the owner of Lohr Marketing, a company specializing in automotive promotions. View her portfolio: http://www.lohrmarketing.com/portfolio/
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