USA: David Hasselhoff helps kick off the start of the Gumball 3000 race in Times Square, New York

Record ID: 189987

  • Title: USA: David Hasselhoff helps kick off the start of the Gumball 3000 race in Times Square, New York
  • Date: 26th May 2012
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MAY 25, 2012) (REUTERS) ***BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** DAVID HASSELHOFF SITTING ON TOP OF A CAR IN TIMES SQUARE POSING FOR PICTURES MORE OF HASSELHOFF ON THE CAR HASSELHOFF POSING FOR PICTURES WITH MAXIMILLION COOPER AND HIS GIRLFRIEND, RAPPER, EVE CLOSE UP OF GUMBALL 3000 LOGO MORE OF HASSELHOFF WITH COOPER AND EVE HASSELHOFF POSING FOR PICTURES IN FRONT OF CAR (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID HASSELHOFF, ACTOR, SAYING: "It's just an amazing way of raising awareness for your charity or your sponsor, or whoever you want and seeing the world. I mean, this guy gots this so wired that last time they went from San Francisco to China and I mean to China and they pulled into Tiananmen Square." HASSELHOFF HIGH FIVING DRIVERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID HASSELHOFF, ACTOR, SAYING: "You know this trip really turned into more of a rally then a race because it gets a bit dangerous. You know, we sort of go a little off road and talk to the police and the police will say, 'ok, here is where you can play a little bit.' And or you have a really good radar system." HASSELHOFF KISSING GIRLFRIEND (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID HASSELHOFF, ACTOR, SAYING: "It's also great to be back home because New York is sort of like my home, you know. I mean I did several plays here and I'm dying to get back here with Hoff Broadway, you know." CROWD WATCHING EVENT HASSELHOFF POSING FOR PICTURES INSIDE CAR HASSELHOFF SINGING IN GERMAN HASSELHOFF GREETING FANS HASSELHOFF DRIVING CAR, LEADING RACE RAPPER EVE POSING FOR PICTURES INSIDE CAR FERRARI TIRES TO ROLLS ROYCE TIRES HUMMER SUV LINED UP TO RACE RARE ANTIQUE CAR LINED UP TO RACE CLOSE UP OF LAMBORGHINI LOGO GIRLS IN BIKINIS POSING FOR PICTURES NEXT TO LIFEGUARD TRUCK LAMBORGHINI LINED UP TO RACE CAR PASSING BY DRIVER IN CAR PEOPLE WATCHING CARS GOING BY WIDE SHOT OF BUGATTI GOING DOWN STREET WIDE SHOT OF TIMES SQUARE, PAN TO GUMBALL 3000 LOGO
  • Embargoed: 10th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA8JSTJTIC3RGNGYMN5XCNS9BSY
  • Story Text: For the 14th year in a row car enthusiast are joining together for the Gumball 3000 road race. This year the course will take drivers from New York City to Los Angeles, California, in six days. Drivers will stop in various cities including Niagara Falls, racing capital Indianapolis, Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada.
    Before the start of the trek drivers lined up their hot rods in the middle of Times Square. The so-called Godfather of Gumball, David Hasselhoff, was the lead car for the event and shared his excitement with Reuters.
    "It's just an amazing way of raising awareness for your charity or your sponsor, or whoever you want and seeing the world. I mean, this guy gots this so wired that last time they went from San Francisco to China and I mean to China and they pulled into Tiananmen Square," said Hasselhoff.
    The rare rally features 117 different cars from Lamborghini's, Ferraris, and a Bugatti. In addition to the traditional racecar-like entries were a Hummer and a lifeguard truck complete with bikini cald ladies. The Hoff will be driving a Maseriti, which he said is fast and safe.
    "This trip really turned into more of a rally then a race because it gets a bit dangerous. You know, we sort of go a little off road and talk to the police and the police will say, 'ok, here is where you can play a little bit.' And or you have a really good radar system," he joked.
    Before heading to his car the 59-year-old actor gave his girlfriend a quick kiss, and also talked about how being back in Times Square reminded him of his theater days, which he hopes to return to soon.
    "It's also great to be back home because New York is sort of like my home, you know. I mean I did several plays here and I'm dying to get back here with Hoff Broadway," he said.
    In the meantime, Hasselhoff's career still continues to thrive in Germany, and before the race he gave a sample of one of his German language hit songs.
    Gumball 3000 was founded by Maximillion Cooper and takes place in different locations around the world every year. Each driver pays $40,000 (USD) in order to compete.
    The winner of the race is gifted with a 'Spirit of the Gumball' Trophy and goes to the driver with the most unique car, or someone who faced adversity during the race.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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