Bullrun Blasts Off from Times Square

NEW YORK — Excitement and tension filled the air as drivers in the 2006 Bullrun geared up to leave New York City last Saturday. Engines revved, horns honked and goodbyes were shouted as the Bullrunners blasted off from Times Square at 9:45 a.m. Their barcodes had been scanned, destination cards were handed out and the 2006 Bullrun drivers were off to Toronto. Mario Andretti led the pack as exotic, expensive cars raced past the many tourists, journalists and car enthusiasts lining the streets of Manhattan.

 
Mario Andretti had the pole position for the kickoff of the 2006 Bullrun rally, driving a 2006 Panoz Esperante GTLM.

Those who were awake early enough to see the Bullrunners off could walk among the vehicles that were parked from 43rd Street to 45th Street. The drivers moved into position starting at 7:45 a.m., still recovering from a night of partying in NYC. Fueled by excitement, they were ready to embark on their cross-country journey. Before the start, Bullrunners, eager to get the best time, asked locals, taxi drivers and policemen the quickest route out of Manhattan. Ten minutes to takeoff, policemen tried to usher the curious tourists out of the street so that the Bullrun could begin.

Byron Burkhardt and Jared Riecke of Team Riecke from New Orleans, La., were giving out Mardi gras beads and Team Riecke gear, such as hats and T-shirts.

Hayden Christensen stood next to his Ferrari 360 Modena + click to enlarge | view slideshow >

“It’s an attempt to regain my youth,” said Riecke of his participation in the Bullrun. It’s also a week to get away and meet people from all over the world with the same interests, he said.

When Hayden Christensen arrived in Times Square, driving his baby-blue metallic Ferrari 360 Modena, number 46 in the rally, a small group of people gathered to see the Star Wars actor. Parked in front of Hayden was brother Tove Christensen and Tove’s co-pilot, Pete Michels, in their red 2002 Porsche 996 Turbo. While the excitement buzzed around Hayden, a blond-haired boy about 3 years old took up an interest in Tove’s vehicle and kissed the hood, showing his affection for cars at a young age.

Hayden, who raced Dennis Rodman in last year’s Bullrun across the Bonneville Salt Flats, isn’t sure he’ll get to race the former basketball star again this time around.

“I won last year. It’s disputable, but I won,” said Hayden Christensen. “Andretti’s the guy to beat [this year].”

Let the rally begin + click to enlarge | view slideshow >

The Bullrunners’ stay in New York only lasted a couple days, but it was filled with parties and social gatherings for drivers to meet one another. Friday was the check-in on the rooftop of the Hotel Gansevoort from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Retired Olympian Carl Lewis was there, going through the long sign-in process of receiving a car number, photo ID and multiple Bullrun paraphernalia.

“I am a huge car enthusiast; I have too many cars,” said Lewis, who was driving as a member of Team Spyker in a 2006 Spyker C8 Spyder. “It’s Carl’s ride, I’m gonna have fun.”

Bullrun directors David Green and Andy Duncan held a drivers’ meeting in the packed lounge atop the Hotel Gansevoort on Friday at 7 p.m. Green informed drivers where dinner and cocktails would be held as well as the location of the after-party. He cautioned them not to get too crazy that evening, because they would have to be up at the crack of dawn the next day.

“Please, please drive carefully and have some fun,” said Green.

Cindi Truell and Ashley Van Dyke + click to enlarge | view slideshow >

That night, in the clubby restaurant Naima, in West Chelsea, the friendly, personable Bullrunners enjoyed cocktails, a pasta dinner and conversation with their competitors. There was speculation as to where they were headed, teams began discussing strategic plans and stories were being told about former rallies. Kevin Andrews of Team Oh! Canada told stories about rallying in Europe in the Gumball 3000, a road rally with 250 drivers and 120 cars that lasts eight days, traverses three continents and covers 3,000 miles. The first annual Gumball 3000 began in 1999 and this year’s rally will be in Europe, Asia and the U.S. Andrews and his wife, Christine, are Bullrun virgins.

After the laid-back gathering at Naima, Bullrunners headed around the corner to the chic nightclub Marquee for drinking and dancing. Once inside the private, invite-only party, drivers walked a red carpet, stopping for pictures in front of the Bullrun backdrop. After leaving Marquee, some Bullrunners stopped to check on their vehicles before heading into the Hotel Gansevoort. The cars had been stickered-up with Bullrun and sponsor decals and were in the parking garage across from the hotel. The vehicle that Mario Andretti would be driving, a 2006 Panoz Esperante GTLM, was in front of the hotel, along with the Mosler and a couple of coach buses.

Related Story: Hometown Hex for Hayden

“It’s the most naughty thing you’ll ever see,” said Nicholas Frankl about the Bullrun. Frankl’s father, Andrew Frankl, competed in the Cannonball Sea-to-Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash in 1979. Andrew was “last but not lost,” said Nicholas of his father.

The Bullrun “is a rally, not a race” but that doesn’t mean that drivers aren’t putting the pedal to the metal, judging by the Bullrunners’ quick acceleration past the many tourists in Times Square on Saturday morning. The smell of exhaust was the only thing that loomed in the air after they left the city. Andretti had the pole position, followed by the 2006 Mosler MT 900 S driven by Indy Racing League driver Troy Hanson. The group’s first stop was Toronto on Saturday, and then they were off to Windsor, Ontario, on Sunday. After having a police escort out of Canada, the Bullrun will go through Detroit and then the drivers will stay at the House of Blues Hotel in Chicago.

“We drive these things hard, and we’ll be cruisin’ in luxury,” said Michael Collins of Team Texas. “We look forward to this every year.”

Click here to see more ForbesAutos.com coverage from the 2006 Bullrun.

Photographed by Daniel Cavazos for ForbesAutos.com