High rollers party every night on race to finish
Greg Williams, For the Calgary Herald
Published: Sunday, June 22, 2008
Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Maseratis aren’t a rare sight in Calgary these days, thanks to the hot economy.
But more than 100 high-end sports cars in one spot — that’s different.
Exotic cars congregated on downtown’s Stephen Avenue on Saturday for the start of the fifth Bullrun Road Rally.
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More than 100 exotic cars such as this Ferrari left Calgary for various points in the United States on Saturday.
Ted Jacobs, Calgary Herald
Drivers of the cars are celebrities and high rollers, each paying a $20,000 entry fee to participate in the invitation-only run.
“I used to be an investment banker back in 1995 and I started participating in events like this in Europe,” says Bullrun co-organizer Andrew Duncan, 38. “We worked long hours in London and wanted to do something different — call it adventure tourism.”
In 2004, Duncan and Bullrun partner David Green came to North America and organized the first Bullrun, a cross-country Los Angeles-to-Miami romp. Drivers stop in seven cities and party hard each night before moving on the next morning.
In 2007, the rally started in Montreal and headed to Key West, and included Paris Hilton behind the wheel of a 2007 Spyker Spyder C8 convertible.
Before leaving Calgary on Saturday morning, Bullrun participants spent Friday evening at The Whiskey nightclub.
This year Duncan wanted to incorporate the continental divide and the Rocky Mountains as the backbone of the Bullrun. Calgary was chosen over Vancouver.
“Calgary was attractive for some logistical reasons, and the city has a very good developing downtown area,” Duncan says. “Calgary’s not a small city in terms of its population, but it has a small-city feel with a youthful nightlife.”
The rally stopped in Big Sky, Mont., Saturday night, and carries on to Aspen, Colo., Park City, Utah, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Tucson, Ariz. before culminating June 27 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The $20,000 entry fee covers food, lodging and entertainment.
“No bones about it — it’s not a cheap event,” Duncan says.
“And it attracts a wide range of people: investment bankers, media types and business owners, all between 25 and 45 years old