The Gumball Rally (1976)

Tim McIntire: Steve 'Smitty' Smith - Ferrari Team

Photos 

Quotes 

• [At the Guest Back Room of Gallagher's Steak House, Michael Bannon welcomes the racers] 

  Bannon : Ladies, Gentlemen, you have been selected because you have the necessary skills. You are here because you have the determination to suceed. Now, it won't be as easy as last year. There are some who will use any means to try and stop us. Some of you won't make it. For those of you who do, there'll be no glory, no headlines. But... just a few magic hours flat out against the red line, with no catalytic converter and no 55 mile-an-hour speed limit.

  [Guests chuckles] 

  Bannon : Ladies and gentlemen... The Gumball Rally has begun!

  [Guests cheers and applauds; Smith taps glass to quiet them down] 

  Smith : Um, for those of you who never done this before, I think I better go over the rules. Um, first thing to remember is there are no rules.

  [Guests laughs] 

  Smith : The first vehicle to reach the parking lot of the Queen Mary in Long Beach is the winner, the unofficial winner, as this is an unofficial race. And, uh, so it follows thst none of us are in this race. We don't want any civilian involvement. No accidents, please. Remember, it's 2,900 miles. That, 34 hours and 11 minutes, is the record, set last year by our dear friend, Mr. Bannon.

  [Guest cheer as Graves shakes Michael's hand] 

  Smith : Now I know we all oughta get some rest tonight, but, uh, may I? I'd like to propose a toast... to internal combustion and wind in the face.

• Smith : [Last lines]  Um... how are you going to get back to New York?

  Bannon : Hadn't given it much thought.

  [pauses] 

  Bannon : This is ridiculous.

  [pauses] 

  Bannon : Where do you get cars around here?

  Smith : Well, it's America, babe.

  Bannon : [to Professor Graves]  Gumball.

• [Franco, Smith, and the crew are at a service station checking out the Ferrari when a woman in a Mercedes-Benz 280SL convertible arrives] 

  Franco's Date : [to the attendant]  Um, fill her up, please.

  Smith : [to the crew]  Shut it off. Shut it off!

  Franco : [approaching the woman]  Hello.

  Franco's Date : Hello.

  Franco : Where are you going?

  Franco's Date : Los Angeles.

  Franco : Driving all night?

  Franco's Date : Yes.

  Franco : Alone?

  Franco's Date : Yes.

  Franco : You like-a me?

  Franco's Date : Yes.

  Franco : Excuse-a one moment. Don't go away.

• Smith : So Mike... what is this, a vintage car event?

  Bannon : Well Smitty, you know some things get meaner as they get older.

• Smith : [watching "The Rabbit" drive off in his T-bucket]  That's the ugliest looking car I ever saw.

  Bannon : Looks like a jukebox.

• Franco : [about their Ferrari]  How's the bambina?

  Smith : She's a-fulla gas, she's-a wait for you!

  Franco : Hey, you make a good Italian!