History of the Fireball Run Transcontinental Rally

If you’ve ever seen the show Fireball Run Transcontinental Rally you may have been wondering how this wacky race spanning hundreds of miles across America, from rural Texas to Gallup hotels, got started. Well, it all started with a bottle of scotch and the assumption of calling a bluff.
J “JJ” Sanchez, the CEO of Catalyst Advertising & PR in Orlando was pretty well known in his industry. He had a habit of hosting a monthly get together at his agency, a sort of ‘who’s who’ in industry leadership. On one of these monthly meetings (more of a cigar and cocktail affair than a business meeting of course) a CFO from a well-known publication dropped in.
Now JJ, having a well-stocked bar in his conference room, also had a number of interesting posters and items. On seeing a movie poster from Cannonball Run, the CFO turned to JJ and said, “I know that guy. Brock Yates created the real Cannonball… would you like me to get you in?” Being that JJ had most definitely already had a few, he decided he would call this guy’s remark off as a bluff name dropping and agreed.
As fate would have it, it turned out to be true. After emailing the CFO to call his bluff JJ wound up on the phone with Brock Yates, the former Car & Driver editor. Not one to back down as he was called on his bluff, JJ was set to participate in a motorsports competition. After spending time in racing school and even stunt driver training, he placed 74th out of the 99 competing teams.
Needless to say JJ caught the racing bug but found such large scale events a bit too much. There wasn’t a lot else to do outside of endurance races or illegal road races so it got him to thinking. What if there was a hybrid event that combined motorsports, adventure and rally? Something you could do without having to strain yourself or risk being arrested? Having no other alternative, JJ set to make it happen.
With a start and finish, interactive mission and track competitions added for that racing rush, JJ had the beginnings of the Fireball Run. Inviting along his friends, many of which were business leaders who brought along their own friends, a powerful network started to form.
Knowing that this group of people with great cars on a crazy journey would make for some awesome media, JJ believed the rally could really make a difference. With the firm belief of giving back to people who can’t help themselves, the rally took up the role of supporting the efforts to find America’s missing children. On Saturday September 29th 2007, 65 teams left from Orlando Florida for Beverly Hills California to pioneer one of the biggest races in America.
Since then the Fireball Run has made itself one of the country’s largest and longest active recovery efforts for missing and abducted children. Distributing nearly 75,000 posters a year, the race has aided in the return of 35 missing children, an unprecedented recovery effort for America’s missing kids. They also do charity efforts in every destination they visit during the race. Contestants have donated thousands of dollars in toys, books and even computers to local charities and clubs along their way to support the Fireball Run’s cause.
With the firm belief to help others along the way, it’s easy to see where the Fireball Run is one of the greatest motorsport charity events in the country. So wither it’s pitting a Lamborghini against a Ferrari, or from Florida suburbs past Gallup hotels, the Fireball Run is sure to continuing being one of the best motorsport events of the year!