Grant @RenuAuto gets invited to be part of the GoldRush

[RenuAuto]

An unbelievable experience. A "glimpse" into a lifestyle of a completely different kind. The GoldRush Rally is simply a road rally, much like any of the other ones, hosted by the website Luxury4play.com. It started in Denver, hit Park City, Stopped in Vegas, and then Scottsdale and ultimately in L.A. Cap was able to catch a few of the cars at the Park City stop. I was rushing to Vegas hours later to be a part of Vegas checkpoint.











Arriving to Vegas I spot a Phantom, one of probably five that I'll see throughout the day around the vicinity of the Cosmopolitan hotel (none of which had anything to do with the GoldRush Rally)

I get to the Cosmopolitan about forty minutes before I need to meet up with the team that setting up for the arrival of the rally there. Gives me a little time to poke around. I snapped this pic simply cause it seemed like a cool gallery.

And find a store called "Stiched" which ANYONE must check out if they ever visit. I probably mostly like it just cause of this picture:

Need to get that mural in my house so women know what's up right when they walk in







Anyway, time to get to work! Many of the participants had their cars delivered to Vegas (I think about twenty in total) and most of them hadn't been vinyl'd up for the rally yet. That's where I was put to work. There was about four of us in Vegas for the Rally prep. One was the head-hancho coordinating with the hotel and event staff at the Cosmopolitan, two were the men below in the white shirts who were from San Francisco (G.R. headquarters) and they were flown to Denver and Vegas to help prep cars for the rally, and myself.



Toby and Rawce (white shirts) immediately asked, "Great! An extra hand. Thank god. Have you ever laid vinyl before?"



"A few times", I lied.





I figured I'd learn as I go. And I did.

John's touch!

You would NEVER imagine how long it takes to even lay this amount of graphics on a car. Between the three of us, in full swing, we were probably knocking out one car in about an hour, maybe 45 minutes.



The parking garage had to be in the high 80's at least. Poor Toby and Rawce were dying from the heat they weren't used to. I felt bad for them because to me, it was like working in the shade, it was great.

We were making a mess:

I just randomly took these pics cause I liked them. This is the kinda stuff that's just randomly hiding in some hallway to a very little-used section to one of the parking garages:

I can't recommend the Cosmopolitan enough for a hotel in Vegas. Definitely my favorite place I've ever stayed.

 

[RenuAuto]

The other picture hung next to its partner:

Wrapping the Cayanne:

Being around these things didn't get old. You'd think after hours you'd get used to it. Hell, I'm lucky to be around most of this stuff day-in and day-out regardless, but the energy was exciting. Toby and Rawce would get occasional updates from their friends and buddies on the rally, coming in from Park City. We knew they were just hours out and we were trying to get as many of the cars ready as possible as their owners and as the other GoldRusher's arrived:

We finish the first set, get some lunch in the "employee cafeteria" at the Cosmo (nicer than most other buffet's I've eaten at) and RUSH downstairs to the main garage to get the other arriving cars wrapped:

I'm now running up levels, down levels, coordinating with arriving cars, owners, grabbing graphics, the day has been hectic thus far, and now it's growing MUCH more hectic as cars arrive. The energy, luckily is growing too. Cars arrive from Park City with their owners glad to be there, emerging from their cars with crazy stories of the day's adventures and excited to see other GoldRush staff and MOSTLY excited about the Vegas parties to happen that night.

I run into one owner, with a very thick European accent. All I can understand is that I need to "go upstairs" to get graphics for his car and that "won't fit garage". I get his phone number and have instructions to call him and meet him in the main valet entrance when I'm available.



An hour later I rush upstairs to find this:

....God Damnit.

Not only do I need to graphic this truck myself (Toby and Rawce are in the main garage working), but they also have a gambit of "custom graphics" they brought to have put on.







Luckily the other GoldRush organizers arrive in the main Rally Van and see the hard work and reward me with a Corona (soooooo NEEDED!). Unfortunately I'm running around so frantically that it's completely fizzed up on me *shrug*

 

[RenuAuto]

The truck is also adorned with a FULL Strutt Grill package. Anyone who knows anything about these grills and their RIDICULOUS costs can get just a glimpse into the company at this event.

I get to work immediately. The owners are super cool, and I'm excited to get to customize the truck because more than anything, I can see their SUPER excited about the event and the graphics going on the rig. The main valet area of the Cosmo suddenly receives this addition:

The full-kitted-out Range Rover apparently got a flat tire somewhere in Utah (actually a full blown "blow-out" from what I'm told). Rather than wait for a tire to get delivered and installed from the nearest town, the guys in the Range Rover jump in their buddies car on the GoldRush, and have their Rover towed all the way to Vegas. The Rover got dumped in Valet and sat there. I later found out they couldn't end up finding a tire of the particular size anywhere and thus over-nighted one from Los Angeles to hopefully receive it in time for the rally's take off the next day! (Luckily I did see the Rover at teh track the next morning under it's own power

All right. It's time for me to come clean. I love OEM. I love stock, and I hate mods (for the most part). Body kits are the equivalent to a fat girl. Useless.



And the Panamera. An admittedly AWFUL looking car. But for whatever reason, after driving one, I've been completely smitten by them. Even I can't explain my lust for them.



And this one came into the garage. COMPLETELY kitted out with about as obnoxious of a body-kit as anyone could imagine. Ridiculous wheels. Center-exit exhausts.





I can't explain why, but I loved it. It really hurts to admit.

Needed Renu though.

Anyway, enough distractions, back to work:

Not only did I have to wrap this truck, but his other TWO buddies arrived as well, with the same trucks! It was probably six, the party supposedly started around 10, and I had these THREE trucks to wrap, myself. You wouldn't believe how fast I was moving. I was getting so damn efficient at vinyl I was even beginning to impress myself. Also, remember, I'm in the main Cosmo valet, maybe a stones throw from the entrance doors to the casino. To say I was a scene was an understatement.



But 10pm rolled around, and by some miracle, I made it. The owners of the trucks came out with perfect timing. They started yelling and jumping up and down as they ran around the trucks. I was completely surprised by their excitement over the graphics, but it made the hard work TOTALLY worth it. They were so excited.



The G.R. film crew got to work:

I had made a mess:

Some scale to show you just how ridiculous these things are. Note full-blown-Porsche Cayanne on right:

I was so lucky to have some friends from St. George that were also staying at the Cosmo that night. They have a Gallardo, and came down to see and experience the GoldRush. Because of that they totally gave me use of their suite and thus I had a place to shower and prep for the evening. I had another friend from St. George drive down that evening as well so I'd have someone to tag along with for the evening.



Me and Britt before the night's festivities:

(And yes, I remembered my tie-clip, but forgot my tie. Sorry Rich )

 

[RenuAuto]

We ran downstairs to grab some food. It was already late, we were VERY late for the party and wanted something quick. Ended up at some hole-in-the-wall pizza place (yes in the Cosmo). It was like the architects had this weird left-over space and decided, "****, what the **** are we going to do with this square footage?". Regardless, it was also stupid expensive, but totally worth it. Or maybe that was just the fourteen hours of hectic work that was making it taste so good.





Regardless, Britt and I headed to the top floor of the Marquee night club. The party was great. We caught the very tale end of it, but getting to live the ostentatious MTV-music-video lifestyle for a few moments was worth it. The bottle-service, dedicated waitresses pouring and serving you, the VIP section; it all made you feel like a Pauly-D Douschbag, but also makes for some great fun. Turns out Britt loves dancing on the platforms too... wonderful!



We decide to duck out from the festivities and explore for a bit. The next five hours is a blur of casino's, the strip, fountains, other drunk people, fake accents, and supercars. It was fun.

Gettin the Ocean's 11 on:

The evening is winding down. But only because the sky is turning from dark black to an inky-dark blue. We stumble back to the hotel. The realization of responsibility is rushing over both of us at the same time. Britt has to be at work tomorrow morning first thing. I need to be at the race-track to prep for the driver's meeting at 8am. We stumble onto the extra couch at our friends suite, and zonk out for our much anticipated TWO HOURS of sleep :-/









Waking up is like having a bucket full of regret poured over top of you. Not particularly hung-over, but we both just feel as if maybe staying up through those two hours would have been more effective than trying to sleep and feeling how we do now.



We stumble through the hotel lobby, Britt with her heels dangling from one hand, me with one half of my shirt untucked. A scene so cliche' in Vegas that not a single person bats a second look.



I rush to the race track. I get there, 30 minutes late. No one is there. One or two cars, but they explain that they passed a few of the GoldRusher's in the lobby on their way OUT to the car park that morning as they were just getting IN to the hotel (remind anyone of MFest 1?).





I drive the half mile back to the truck stop to try and prep myself a bit as I'm still wearing a full suit with a side of drunk.





Walking in I find this:

I don't make it to the change station before I realize they have a breakfast buffet. PERFECT. Let's soak up some of this alcohol:

A change of clothes, toothbrush and water on the face later and I'm up and at it. Over the next two hours cars start filtering into the track:

IOmg, this damn van. Completely customized Mercedes with more leather, TV's and sound system than you'd know what to do with it. Apparently the guy who brought this also brought the Ferrari 458, Technocraft Lamborghini Gallardo, Audi R8 V10, and.... I forget the other car.





Not only that, but he has his entourage come with him in the van, which includes these two girls who are there just to dance to the music coming out of the van the whole time, and help you light the cigars that he also bought for anyone there at the track. And not just any old crap, but full blown Padron's, fresh out of their wooden crates from the factory.



It was an enjoyable morning.

 

[RenuAuto]

And I'm spent. It was incredible. And I only sampled a PORTION of it. GoldRush... maybe next year.

 

[RenuAuto]

the endddddddddd

 

[StuLax18]

Cool pics, but you might want to edit your bit of language in that one sentence.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

Umm.... I'm not the least bit impressed, Grant. How about showing a bit of restraint and professionalism?

 

[autoconcierge]

As stated....you might want to take a "Mulligan" on the one statement, good to see the "Goldrush" is still a classy event....................because it's about the relationships DAWG.

 

[imported_dfazekas]

I'm in vegas right now.

First time being here since I was a little kid.

This place is absolutely insane.



Really enjoy reading your posts.

 

[David Fermani]

This looked like it was alot of fun. Did you actually help with the decals? What was the detailing scene like there? If I remember correclty, they used to have detailers shine up the cars at overnight stops? Same things happening?