Brian Jessel BMW Summer 2006 • V o lume - Hacked by C4patr0n ...

Gumballers at French Customs
While I sat across the table drinking coffee in Brian Jessel
BMW’s M Café, chatting with Mark Fipke and his wife Marja
about Mark’s incredible adventure in the notorious Gumball
3000, I couldn’t help get excited as he told the story of his
eight incredible days driving his M5 around the world.
On Sunday, April 30, Mark and his brother-in-law, Corne
Stigter from Holland, started their journey of a lifetime in London,
England. They knew their itinerary, but they were unaware of
the many unique events that were going to take place along the
way. The race involved 120 super cars, 3,000 miles, three continents,
amazing scenery, great parties and, best of all, lots of
camaraderie.
Maximillion Cooper, the host and proud founder of the Gumball
3000, kicked off the eighth consecutive year before a crowd of
thousands, and over the roar of more than 100 vehicles, including
Mark Fipke’s 2006 BMW M5 from Brian Jessel BMW. The
Gumball 3000 concept originated with the 1981 movie, The
Cannonball Run, starring Burt Reynolds. The plot centred on an
illegal cross-country car race featuring Ferrari-driving priests, martial
arts expert Jackie Chan, and Roger Moore doing a parody of his
007 character. Since 1999, Copper has been organizing annual
Gumball races and they have become world renown.
From their London start at 4 p.m., Fipke and Stigter crossed to
France using the Chunnel autotrain, and then drove on to Belgium
where they were graciously welcomed as thousands of fans lined the
GUMBALL 3000
streets taking pictures and asking for autographs. “I have never
experienced anything like it before. I felt like a rock star,” laughed
Fipke. At approximately 1 a.m., dinner was served at the glamorous
Blois Chateau in Belgium. Post-dinner, engines roared again and
they were off through Germany and into Vienna, Austria, for breakfast
which officially was the start of Day Two. With full bellies and
weary eyes, the pair made their way to beautiful Budapest. When
they arrived, they totaled 28 hours of straight driving.
While in Budapest all of the participants were treated to an
exclusive performance from “The Prodigy” and then partied late
into the night. Seven a.m. on Day Three arrived quickly as everyone
got organized to depart for Serbia. Fipke said that the most
fanatical fans of anywhere were from Serbia. “They cheered us on,
waved flags, took pictures and even the police were extremely
accommodating.” Once in Belgrade, everyone loaded their vehicles
onto three enormous Antonov transport planes and away they
flew to Phuket, Thailand. Factoring in the seven-hour time difference
and 14-hour flight on an Icelandic Air 757, Day Four was upon
them. With minimal elbow room during their flight, the resourceful
Gumballers filled their time telling tall tales and consuming numer-
brian jessel SUMMER ISSUE 41