Breaking news from Team Polizei: many cars have broken down

Thanks again to Yourk (member of M5board.com), he reports from Team Polizei:
OFFICAL POLIZEI GUMBALL UPDATE - #9
Wednesday, 3 May 2006
05:42:21 (a.m.) GMT
The Gumball3000 has reached the halfway point in 2006.
Unofficial Overall Checkpoint Leaders for 2006 Gumball Rally:
1st: Team Polizei
2nd: Team NSX
3rd: Team Ant&Pete
These overall leaders have consistently been the first three to arrive at nearly every checkpoint this year.
Team Polizei also would like to announce that Team NSX should receive the “Virgin Gumballer Award” for being one of the hardest driving and most enthusiastic Teams of this year’s Rally
Stories and comments from Alex Roy and Michael Ross.
Three of the McLaren SLRs have broken down, all with the same alternator problem. Team Polizei would like to point out that only one SLR has ever finished a Gumball. Alex and Michael are disappointed in the performance of the cars; they aren’t posing a big enough threat to the VW built Polizei Bentley!
The orange Ultima GTR has broken down.
The Bentley air suspension proved highly valuable while traveling over train tracks and hard shoulders.
The Serbian Police and fans were amazing. Fans lined the roads for miles and even helped with a few Gumballers who needed directions. Team Polizei was lucky enough to get such directions through the streets of Belgrade from a fan. This fan though got a bit too excited as he plowed into another car trying to lead the Bentley GT down a side street. Moments later, the car the helpful fan hit while trying to lead Team Polizei, got hit by a bus. The accidents were very minor and there were no injuries.
The huge CB radio antenna on the white Lamborghini Murcielago ripped off at 200mph somewhere in Serbia. The antenna barely missed a few cars which were following close behind.
The Team Polizei Bentley GT was almost hit by a small airplane on the main highway leading to Belgrade. The small aircraft was no more then 20 feet above the highway as it flew by and its passengers took photos.
It has also come to Team Polizei’s attention that many of the European Gumballers are ill equipped for the American leg of this year’s Gumball. Team Polizei has been inundated with questions by non-American drivers over how the police will handle speeding fines. Such news can only mean one thing: The State Police will fill their quota for the month all in one day in such states as Utah, Nevada, and California.
The drivers have reached Thailand and are waiting for their cars to arrive. Most of them are using this time to rest while others continue to party.
May 3rd, 2006 at 12:56 pm
Wow! This years Gumball seems to be really cool! Good to hear!
How are the hotels and the partys?
May 3rd, 2006 at 2:49 pm
The SLR are down…
They should take a Renault Clio, the best car ever. :mrgreen:
May 3rd, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Mechanics from Mercedes-McLaren are now underway to phuket to fix the cars…
May 3rd, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Hey Alex,
What are your plans for Ed Leigh??!!!!
Im looking forward to seeing your nuclear deployment option!!!
Best,
Jim.
May 3rd, 2006 at 3:42 pm
I made a video in Budapest but I don’t know how to submit it. Here is a link: http://padam.uw.hu/MVI_0004.divx