Interview with Gumballer Uno Gomez
Uno Gomez will doing the 2006 Gumball rally in a green F430. Uno gave a short interview which you can read here.
1. What got you started racing in the Gumball?
+ The idea to run in 6 days 3 continents; it’s like the old movie “Around the World in 80 Days”. At that time they thought the guys were crazy and now the same is happening to us. My friends asked me if I was crazy to get into this kind of stress and paying that much for it [Gumball]. Very few people believe that we can really handle it to all make it to LA. So I think this is a big challenge that you can go for once in your life.
2. What attracted you to the race and what made you want to enter?
+ With the first answer you can understand why. The thing is to meet some people every year from the last race. You drive through places where you never thought you would go through. All these cars and people are together for an adventure; nights without sleeping. crazy driving scenes. and much more.
3. Have you raced in the Gumball before? If you have, when and what did you race?
+ My first 2 races were in the PlayersRun in the US. Then I raced in 2 Gumball races in 2004 and 2005. This will be my 3rd Gumball, and the 3rd PlayersRun starts one month after Gumball. I first raced with the 360 spider in the Playersrun, in my 1st Gumball I raced a modified Mercedes SL 55 and a white Ferrari F430 in the 2nd.
4. How long have you been racing cars?
+ I started racing cars in 2002.
5. Do you think the entry fee is worth the experience?
+ Yes and no. As I said earlier, this is an experience which you only get to do once in a lifetime. So it is a lot of money but we all hope that it will be something really special.
6. How long does it usually take to build a car for the race?
+ If you really start to modify you need about 3 to 4 months to have it 100%.
7. Do you recommend a certain make and model?
+ The best car for the race is the SL 55. The only problem is that the SL is not a really fancy car; it is unspectacular. So that’s why I race a Ferrari.
8. What is more important to focus on, engine performance or suspension modifications?
+ I think this year suspensions get a lot more focus than the engine. We go through Thailand which will kill a lot of suspensions.
9. What are some of the craziest modifications you have seen or done to rides?
+ There is one car that races every year in the Gumball…They have huge loudspeakers in the backside and the exhaust can spit fire. It is something really different. It’s not about cost but most of the cars all have expensive modifications; they spend about $100,000 for more horsepower and what not. But I mean the really cool stuff are the cars doing something different like having fire com out of the exhaust.
10. Tell me about the vehicle you’re entering in the Gumball with.
+ I’ve entered with a Ferrari 430 coupe in green. It has some modifications but not that many.
11. What are the technical specifications of the car? Intake, exhaust, engine components, springs, shocks, brakes, drive train/transmission, etc.
+ These are all or most of which we modified and more or less custom build.
12. Are you bringing anybody with you? Is there a reason why you selected that particular individual?
+ I take a friend with me. I always go with different people so I can give a ride to all of my friends.
13. Are you out to complete the challenge or to win?
+ As you know there is no winner. Even if people say that they won the last race; there is no time that shows who’s the fastest. Many people leave before the time only to be the first to the next stop. This is bullshit. I always try to be one of the first drivers to arrive at the finish line and this year’s challenge is to complete the race with your own car in one piece.
14. What advice could you give to people who would be interested in racing in the Gumball?
+ Think about what you are really looking for: Do you want an adventure with lots of crazy people and have fun?…Than lets go! But this is not the place for crazy people who always try to be first in line. This race is not about going completely crazy and getting other people in trouble. This is just about having fun and if you are really looking for that than you have to race in the Gumball at least once in your life.