Tony King, creative extraordinaire, has hit the road this week for Hudson Jeans in a cross-country USA bullrun. In this eight day race to the destination event, guys and girls start out each morning when they are given a spot for lunch and a finish line location. Usually, it’s a hotel somewhere across America where fans line up to cheer the first to arrive. Then the parties ensue. It all began in New York City and it will finish late this afternoon, when the car junkies arrive in Vegas.
Tony not only drives a car emblazoned with HUDSON on the bumper, but he also wears Hudson jeans for the ride. We had to ask him a few things:
HUDSON: I’ve read the background that describes a bullrun as an eight day roving party of guys and girls who get to drive luxury cars cross country and party in each stop. How would you personally describe this bullrun?
TONY: It’s a bunch of people who love cars and love having fun. Aston Martins, muscle cars, funny cars, and Lamborghinis, a whole range. We leave a different place each morning and eveyone jumps in the cars. We use navigation systems to find the quickest way there. People fiddle off into different places. You can win each day’s race by navigation or you can win by speed.
HUDSON: Who decides on the destination?
TONY: Andy and David who run the bullrun. They know all the destinations. We don’t know where we’re going. They give us a route card and where we are going to lunch. Sometimes it’s a race track, sometimes a nice restaurant. Then we get a card for the evening run. Today we did 650 miles. Other times it can be like 300.
HUDSON: Does everyone make it to lunch?
TONY: Yes. We’ll shoot off really fast. There are guys in pickup trucks just cruising along. This morning we did 300 miles from Omaha, Nebraska to I forget the name of the town. Every one came in within twenty minutes of each other.
HUDSON: Did you get to pick the car?
TONY: They are our own cars. This year we are racing an Exotics Rally Nissan GTR. It is the fastest car in the valley. It’s the Hudson Jeans car. I am driving with my friend from Exotics Rally, Seth Rose. He’s a better driver than me has done car rallies with his company for years.
HUDSON: What’s your strategy?
TONY: We cruised 170 for half an hour. We get to 190 most days. After lunch we would go three different ways when everyone was going on the main highway. Half of it is navigtion and half is knowing when to go fast. There are usually two ways to navigate: one – the shortest route, the other – the fastest. I have an iPad and Google maps. We knew it would stir up cops in the morning.
HUDSON: Since there are destination parties, do you all stop and camp out for the night at hotels or giant campgrounds? What’s the deal?
TONY: Last night we were in Omaha. I went to this party with local people and it was great. We saw four hundred or five hundred people in the street. They announce it that day and they are always out. The checkpoint will be the hotel. You run to the table and give them your time card stamps. They even ask for autographs. It’s a little ridiculous.
There’s one guy Claus, he is the most respected here, an amazing driver. In the bullrun last year, we were driving a Lamborghini and we beat Claus. All these locals were there and we came in sideways at the last second. All these people were cheering in Virginia. They asked for for my autograph.
HUDSON: Last year, you drove your own Lamborghini. Are they practical?
TONY: Lamborghini is superlegere, light weight. It was my car. Lamborghini is owned by Audi. They are really drivable. They are good cars now, better than Ferrari.
HUDSON: What are your three most memorable experiences of the week? Details please!
TONY: Today, running neck and neck with Klaus at 200 miles an hour. Starting in NYC at Pier 54 was amazing, with all my friends, family, my daughter. There were eighty-five cars all going engines running. The adrenaline is unbelievable. We all have such a ball. We all text each other twitter each other when there are cops on the road. There’s radio silence toward the end. Everyone is coming in on the end.
HUDSON: How are your Hudson jeans?
TONY: The denim is really soft. Nice.
HUDSON: What advice would you give someone preparing to head out to a bull run?
TONY: Invest in electronic equipment, police scanners, laser jammers, and a radar protector. Then basically take it easy, run in the middle of the track, stay away from the back or you get caught. Be nice to police and you’ll get on your way quicker.
HUDSON: So how do you feel about heading into Vegas?
TONY: I think we’re heading to the Wynn but not sure. People call all these hotels to see if there are reservations in their names, so people try to get their destination ahead of time. They closed part of the strip for us to come and race. I’m looking forward to having a beer with Tony Chu.
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