Bullrun (TV series)

Season 1

Objective

Routes

Other Rules

1. No GPS or Satellite Navigation systems can be used.
2. No cell phones.
3. No laptop computers.
4. No radio or CD player.
5. Speeding will lead to severe penalties, such as a time penalty. An arrest will lead to immediate disqualification.
6. At the start of each day, cars may only leave when instructed to do so.
7. Cars must start and finish each day under their own power, or the power of their drivers.
8. Cars finishing outside the maximum time allowed for each leg will get picked up by the ‘reaper’ and towed – leading to disqualification.
9. No ditching the chase vehicles.

   Teams

Winner

Eliminations

• Team Scion was the first team eliminated and stormed off, angrily.
• Team Nissan was eliminated in the second episode despite being one of the quicker teams in the first episode, after breaking down in the first leg of the episode's race. Using an RB26DETT engine from a Japanese-exclusive Nissan Skyline, they were one of the few teams unable to repair their engine on-site. They were towed to both leg finish lines, which in turn led them to having the highest time and be eliminated.
• Team Mustang was eliminated in the third episode, after losing a cylinder because of a broken pushrod in the second leg. They tried to push it out on seven cylinders, but decided against doing damage to their car and eventually ending up on the wrecker.
• Team Lamborghini was eliminated in the fourth episode after they decided that they would rather not ruin the car, as the car already has an estimated $60,000 worth of damages, therefore finishing the final leg on a flatbed.
• Team BMW was eliminated in the fifth episode after forfeiting their place in Bullrun to Team Honda, who originally was to be eliminated. One of Team BMW's members faced the death of a family member, and the other member chose to accompany him.
• Team Chevy was eliminated in the sixth episode after Cesar's restroom stop costs the team several minutes, as all the teams were within a few minutes of each other.
• Team Honda was eliminated in the seventh episode. They finished last in the first leg, 24 minutes behind the next place, and were unable to go up in ranks due to a failed challenge.
• Team Lotus was eliminated in the eighth episode. They sandbagged the first leg, but beat Team Olds in the challenge. Despite successfully delivering Operation Poison Arrow, they got lost on the second leg and Team Olds got a 1-hour time bonus.
• Team Charger was eliminated in the ninth episode. During the challenge, the Charger stalled three times due to the high altitude and not resetting the timing on their car, losing their second place time to Team Olds who was five minutes further behind. The other teams try to negotiate with Team Olds to allow Team Charger to retry the challenge in exchange for brake fluid, but Team Olds refuses because Team Charger had put them up against the Lotus in the Challenge the day before which almost eliminated Team Olds.
• Team F-150 finished 3rd of 3 on the final episode due to inheriting Team Olds' two hours back last place time after losing in the challenge by 15 seconds.
• Team Olds lost the rally by 9 minutes to Team Trans Am.

  Time bonus cards

• Episode 1: 45 minutes, Team Mustang is the only team to pursue the time bonus card.
• Episode 2: 90 minutes, Team BMW follows Team Trans Am to pick one up. Team Mustang also picked one up.
• Episode 3: 60 minutes, Team Charger, Team Lamborghini, and Team Chevy each get one.
• Episode 4: No team went for a time bonus, time unknown.
• Episode 5: 45 minutes, Team Olds follows Team Lotus to pick one up. Team Trans Am picks up the last one and Team Honda is left empty-handed.
• Episode 6: No time bonus cards issued.
• Episode 7: 45 minutes, Team Trans Am and Team F-150 each get one, and Team Olds is left empty-handed.
• Episode 8: 60 minutes, Team Olds and Team Trans Am each get one.
• Episode 9: 45 minutes, Team Trans Am picks up the only one, and told Team Olds that there was only one. Not trusting Team Trans Am, Team Olds finds themselves empty-handed at the box and finishes the leg in 3rd place.
• Episode 10: There were no time bonuses. It was a straight race to the border.

Car troubles

• Episode 1: Team BMW hits a large rock and damages their radiator. They seal the leak with Team Scion's help and continue their participation in Bullrun.
• Episode 2: Team Lamborghini discovers their clutch problem and finishes on a flatbed. Team Nissan stalls in the first leg and finishes on a flatbed.
• Episode 3: Team Lamborghini hits a raccoon. Team Mustang breaks a push rod, losing a cylinder on the second leg. Team Mustang finishes on a flatbed.
• Episode 4: Team BMW's engine quits after doing burnouts. Team BMW is able to restart their engine and continue their participation in Bullrun. Team Lamborghini's clutch problem worsens, and they finish on a flatbed, resulting in instant elimination for not finishing a leg of Bullrun under their own power, as, unlike any other team to finish on a flatbed, they did not push the car across.
• Episode 5: Team Trans Am thinks they have lost their transmission after running over a bump. The bump causes a fluid line to be torn loose. This is quickly repaired, and they are able to return to the road.
• Episode 6: Team F-150 competes against Team Lotus in the Challenge, which is a drag race with a concrete wall at the end if the cars don't stop in time. Team F-150 chooses to crash through this wall, resulting in damage to their headlights and grille. They are able to repair the damage and continue.
• Episode 7: No car troubles.
• Episode 8: Team Charger has a gasket come loose as they begin the first leg. They tighten it down in seven minutes and are back on the road.
• Episode 9: Team Charger's engine stalls three times in the challenge. Team Olds has air in the brake lines, hindering their braking system, therefore on the second leg they choose to downshift to slow down instead. Also, they run out of gas just short of finishing the second leg, resulting in them having to push their car past the finish line.
• Episode 10: Team Olds was two hours late to the challenge after stopping at a garage to bleed the brakes. They were accused of trying Team Lotus' "Poison Arrow" bad time trick by the other teams.

  Show cars

Season 2

Rule Changes vs Season 1

• With the exception of the final episode, instead of the challenge being held in the middle of the episode, the challenge is now held at the end, and three teams participate in one challenge as opposed to two head-to-head challenges. In the final episode, the challenge is held in the middle of the episode like in Season 1 and it does not determine eliminations. Instead, all three remaining teams compete for time bonuses to be deducted from their overall driving leg times for the episode, 10 minutes for 1st place, 5 minutes for 2nd, and no bonus for 3rd.
• Instead of choosing "My Way" or the "Highway", the teams choose their own routes, but must pass through a number of checkpoints en route to their destination.
• Instead of the slowest overall time in the episode being eliminated, the team that comes in last place in each challenge is eliminated.
• Instead of the top two teams picking two teams each to go into the challenge, the slowest two times are automatically entered, with a third being selected by the episode's time winner, with the exception of the 9th episode where the bottom three times are automatically entered and the final episode, where all three remaining teams are entered.
• Time bonuses and racing for opponents' times no longer exist.
• Following an incident during the challenge leg in Episode 4, it was stated that the rules would require a team that was successful in the challenge but had immediately damaged their vehicle would have to repair their vehicle in time for the next stage, or their place in Bullrun would be taken by the team that had lost that challenge.

  Teams

Winner and runners-up

Elimination Challenges

• Team Porsche was the first team eliminated after finishing 3rd in a 3-way 'School Bus Takedown' challenge with Team Shelby and Team Ferrari. With clutch problems, Team Porsche's time was 8.1 seconds behind 2nd place Team Shelby's 0:40.17 run. Team Solstice finished first on the driving leg, and chose Team Ferrari to join the bottom teams Shelby and Porsche in the challenge.
• Team Pantera was the second team eliminated after finishing 3rd in a 3-way 'Jet Relay' challenge with Team Evo and Team Corvette. Team Pantera's time was just 3 seconds behind 2nd place Team Corvette's 1:31 run. Team Lexus finished first on the driving leg, and chose Team Evo to join bottom teams Corvette and Pantera in the challenge.
• Team Ferrari was the third team eliminated after finishing 3rd in a 3-way 'Blind Run' challenge with Team Evo and Team Avalanche. Team Ferrari's time was 40 seconds behind 2nd place Team Evo's 4:50 run. Team Lexus finished first on the driving leg, and chose Team Evo to join bottom teams Ferrari and Avalanche in the challenge.
• Team Evo was the fourth team eliminated after finishing 3rd in a 3-way 'Prison Break' challenge with Team Dart and Team Avalanche. Team Evo's time was just 2 seconds behind 2nd place Team Dart's 2:20 run. Team Solstice finished first on the driving leg, and chose Team Avalanche to join bottom teams Evo and Dart in the challenge.
• Team Camaro was the fifth team eliminated after finishing 3rd in a 3-way 'Slalom Drag' challenge with Team Solstice and Team Corvette. Team Camaro's time was 17 seconds behind 1st place Team Corvette's 1:56 run. Team Avalanche finished first in the driving leg, and chose Team Camaro to join the bottom teams Solstice and Corvette in the challenge.
• Team Dart was the sixth team eliminated after finishing 3rd in a 3-way "Desert Blitz" challenge with Team VW and Team Avalanche. Team Dart's time was only 3 seconds behind 2nd place Team VW's 1:26 run. Team Corvette finished first in the driving leg and chose Team Avalanche to join bottom teams VW and Dart in the challenge.
• Team Solstice was the seventh team eliminated after finishing 3rd in a 3-way "Thunder Road" challenge with Team VW and Team Avalanche. Team Solstice's time was 14.47 seconds behind 2nd place Team Avalanche's 0:43.66 run. Team Corvette once again finished first in the driving leg and once again chose Team Avalanche to join bottom teams VW and Solstice in the challenge. The challenge was different from the other challenges in that each competitor drove identical stunt vehicles rather than the vehicles they brought to the rally.
• Team Lexus was the eighth team eliminated, competing in their first ever challenge, after finishing 3rd in a 3-way "Drift and Smash" challenge with Team Avalanche and Team Shelby. Team Lexus' time was 23.5 seconds behind 2nd place Team Shelby's 0:35.9 run. Team Corvette finished first in the driving leg, for the third time in a row, and chose Team Avalanche, for the third time in a row, to join bottom teams Shelby and Lexus in the challenge.
• Team VW was the ninth team eliminated after finishing 3rd in a 3-way "Autobowl" challenge with Team Shelby and Team Corvette. Team VW's time was 8.1 seconds behind 2nd place Team Corvette's 0:33.4 second run. Team Avalanche finished first in the driving leg and the other three teams were automatically put into the challenge.
• The Season 2 finale's challenge was similar to the Season 1 challenges in that it took place in the middle of the episode and did not determine eliminations. All three remaining teams competed in the challenge for time bonuses to be subtracted from their overall driving leg times, 10 minutes for 1st place, 5 minutes for 2nd and no bonus for 3rd. Team Shelby came in 1st in the challenge with a time of 12 seconds, with teams Avalanche and Corvette coming in 2nd and 3rd respectively.

  Car troubles

• Episode 1: Team Shelby had engine problems, but since the challenge took place at the Shelby plant, they fixed it. Team Porsche had clutch problems during the challenge, directly contributing to their last place time.
• Episode 2: Team Pantera had to stop and seal a leak in their fuel tank. Team Pantera also developed a clutch problem. With help from numerous other teams, and the use of the equipment at a small boat shop, they finished major repairs just in time to compete in the 3-way challenge.
• Episode 3: Team Avalanche had trouble with a tire but this did not affect them in the competition.
• Episode 4: Team Evo sped through the gate at the end of the challenge and crashed into a concrete slab, severely damaging their car while deploying their airbags. Team Dart finished the challenge then celebrated by fishtailing through the prison yard and struck a concrete curb, rolling the car. Team Dart, with the help of most of the other teams, spent the majority of the night working on the car and were able to repair the damage in time for the next driving leg.
• Episode 5: Teams were affected by light snowfall in the early morning and freezing temperatures through the first part of the day. Team Solstice's low ground clearance added to difficulties in the snow. Team VW's vehicle lacked a heater, which left both teammates very cold and caused ice to build up on their windshield. Team Dart's repair job from the previous day's rollover left many spaces through which freezing air entered the passenger compartment.
• Episode 6: Team Solstice experienced engine sputtering, but were able to fix the problem by turning off the engine and restarting it. Team Avalanche lost a significant amount of air from their right front tire during the challenge but were able to re-inflate it.
• Episode 7: Team VW had a problem with exhaust fumes flowing into the vehicle. After suffering for some time, they were able to correct the problem themselves.
• Episode 8: Starting the day with cold temperatures and snow cover, Team VW once again had problems starting their vehicle and moving through the snow. The next day, in the challenge event, Team Shelby had a problem with their emergency brake which prevented them from e-brake drifting like teams Avalanche and Lexus, but they were able to use their car's high horsepower to induce power oversteer instead. Both teams Avalanche and Shelby sustained moderate cosmetic damage caused by hitting the targets in the challenge.
• Episode 9: Poor weather, this time in the form of heavy rain, once again caused problems for Team VW. Their lack of windshield wipers and a defogger made it very difficult for them to keep their windshield clear. Their flip up "safari style" front windows also constantly leaked water into the passenger compartment. Team Corvette sustained minor cosmetic damage to their front bumper from accidentally hitting a tire barrier during the challenge.
• Episode 10: No major car troubles. Team Corvette had a problem with their traction control which was confused into thinking their rear wheels were spinning out of control as they tried to drive up a ramp onto a moving truck in the challenge. As a result, the system cut power to the rear wheels which directly contributed to their last place finish in the challenge.

  Show cars

Season 3

Rule Changes vs Season 2

Teams

Winner and runners-up

Elimination Challenges

• Team VW was the first team eliminated after running slowest in a 3-way 'Jet Rescue' challenge with Team Challenger and Team Mustang. Team Viper finished first on the California driving leg of Corona-downtown Los Angeles-Mojave Airplane Graveyard, and chose Team Mustang to join the bottom teams Challenger and VW in the challenge.
• Team Corvette was the second team eliminated after running slowest in a 3-way 'Rollerball' challenge with Team BMW and Team Hummer. Team Hemi-Cuda finished first on the California driving leg of Mojave Airplane Graveyard-Laguna Lake in San Luis Obispo-Continental Grain Company in Lemoore-Eagle Air Field in Firebaugh, and chose Team Hummer to join bottom teams Corvette and BMW in the challenge.
• Team Viper was the third team eliminated after running slowest in a 3-way 'Heist' challenge with Team Hemi-Cuda and Team Hummer. Team Challenger finished first on the California driving leg of Eagle Air Field in Firebaugh-The Duck Pond in Palo Alto-Howard Landing in Walnut Grove-Sacramento Railyard, and chose Team Lambo to join bottom teams Hemi-Cuda and Viper in the challenge. When Lambo revealed their immunity token, Team Challenger then chose Team Hummer.
• Team Mini was the fourth team eliminated after running slowest in a 3-way 'Thunder Run' challenge with Team Lexus and Team Hummer. Team NSX finished first on the California to Nevada driving leg of Sacramento Railyard-The Little Cottage Café in Twain Harte-Glen Brook Pier in Lake Tahoe-Little John's Wrecking Yard in Carson City, and chose Team Hummer to join bottom teams Lambo and Lexus in the challenge. Team Lambo revealed the immunity token to avoid the challenge, and the next lowest team, Mini, was placed in the challenge.
• Team Mustang was the fifth team eliminated after running slowest in a 3-way 'Slingshot' challenge with Team BMW and Team Hemi-Cuda. Team Hummer finished first in the Nevada driving leg of Little John's Wrecking Yard in Carson City-unspecified location in Luning-unspecified location in Austin-Fernly Raceway in Reno, and chose Team Challenger to join the bottom teams Mustang and BMW in the challenge. When Challenger revealed their immunity token, Team Hummer then chose Team Hemi-Cuda.
• Team Lexus was the sixth team eliminated after running slowest in a 3-way 'Switchblade' challenge with Team NSX and Team Hemi-Cuda. Team Challenger finished first in the tri-state driving leg of Fernly Raceway in Reno NV-High Desert State Prison in Susanville CA-Canby CA-Lakeview Dragstrip in Lakeview OR, and chose Team Lambo to join the bottom teams Hemi-Cuda and Lexus in the challenge. When Lambo revealed their immunity token, Team Challenger then chose Team NSX.
• Team Challenger was the seventh team eliminated after running slowest in a 3-way 'Kidnap' challenge with Team BMW and Team Hemi-Cuda. Team Hummer finished first in the Oregon driving leg of Lakeview-Christmas Valley-Alfalfa-Oakridge Industrial Park in Oakridge OR, and chose Team NSX to join the bottom teams Challenger and BMW in the challenge. When NSX revealed their immunity token, Team Hummer then chose Team Hemi-Cuda.
• Team BMW was the eighth team eliminated after running slowest in a 3-way 'Blockade' challenge with Team NSX and Team Hemi-Cuda. Team Lambo finished first in the Oregon to California driving leg of Oakridge-Union Creek-O'Brien-Siskiyou Motor Speedway in Yreka, CA. This leg, as will the legs after it for the rest of the season, did not have an immunity wrench for anyone to gain. In an unusual twist, Lambo handed their right-of-choice to Team Hummer, who picked the only remaining team, Hemi-Cuda, to join the bottom teams BMW and NSX in the challenge.
• Team Hummer was the ninth team eliminated after running slowest in a 3-way 'Ring of Fire' challenge with Team Lambo and Team Hemi-Cuda. Team NSX earned the only bye from the challenge, finishing first in the California driving leg of Yreka-the Samoa Dunes near Eureka-Hayfork-Shasta Raceway Park in Anderson.
• The Season 3 finale's challenge was similar to the final challenge in Seasons 1 and 2. The challenge took place in the middle of a series of California driving legs of Anderson-Alameda-challenge-Lombard Street in San Francisco-Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco-USS Hornet in Alameda. The challenge did not determine eliminations, but rather all three remaining teams competed in a 'Rundown' challenge for time bonuses to be subtracted from their overall driving leg times, 20 minutes for 1st place in the challenge, 10 minutes for 2nd and no bonus for 3rd.

  Car troubles

• Episode 1: Team Volkswagen had engine problems early on in the driving leg causing the car to fill with smoke. They were able to fix it on the side of the road and carry on. During the challenge the starter failed and the team had to push start it leading to a last place finish in the challenge.
• Episode 2: No car troubles.
• Episode 3: Team Hemi-Cuda got bad gas and was stuck for 30 minutes on the freeway causing them to come in 2nd to last place.
• Episode 4: Team Lexus lost power while driving through the high mountain pass on this leg. The same team had trouble restarting their car during the challenge event, almost eliminating them.
• Episode 5: Team Mustang finished last in the leg after running very low on gas and siphoning fuel from some ATVs. Team Hemi-Cuda received some passenger front fender damage bouncing off one of the trucks used in the challenge event.
• Episode 6: Team Hemi-Cuda had water in their gas tank, bringing the car to a full stop. They lost more time drilling a hole in the side of the gas tank to drain the watery gas, and still more time stopping to repair the hole. Team Lexus lost time when pulling a U-turn on a highway and getting stuck in a ditch. Team Lambo lost time when pulled over by police.
• Episode 7: As the Bullrunners moved through Oregon, Teams BMW, Challenger, Lambo and NSX were pulled over at different times by local police. While all teams were let go with warnings and occasional directions, they did lose time while pulled over.
• Episode 8: No car troubles. All Bullrunners did lose time avoiding a forest fire, resulting in longer times for everyone.
• Episode 9: Team NSX had some clutch problems at the start of the day. They found that their clutch fluid reservoir was empty and were able to quickly refill and proceed.

  Show Cars

Production