Bullrun is an American reality competition series based on the international car rally of the same name which features 12 teams of two drivers each, who use their own cars in a rally that takes them across America.
The series originally premiered in the USA on Spike TV on 13 March, 2007. A second season is planned for 2008.
Bullrun premiered in South Africa on DStv's M-Net Action channel on Monday 24 March 2008, at 19h00. There are 10 hour-long episodes in the first season.
Repeats
Tuesdays: 10h00
Fridays: 18h00
Sundays: 14h00
Synopsis
Based on Bullrun Live!, the Bullrun reality TV series is the ultimate test of mind and machine, pitting twelve teams of two people against each other for 4,000 gruelling miles.
The drivers are behind the wheels of their own cars, from American muscle, to exotics, to tuners.
Teams must use every trick under their hoods, choose alliances carefully, and navigate down to the last turn in order to make it to daily checkpoints first or risk finding themselves in the most explosive challenges ever seen on television.
The first team to cross the finish line win $200,000.
How It Works
Each team begins the day off choosing whether to follow "My Way" or "The Highway". In the first leg, the teams must reach a checkpoint in the fastest time. However, if a team is caught speeding, that team receives a five minute penalty.
After all the teams complete the first leg of the race, the two teams with the fastest times choose two teams to compete in a challenge, in which the winning team will gain the faster time of the first leg between the two.
Finally, the teams compete in a way similar to the first leg, but a time bonus may be added midway on the routes, depending on the length of the second leg.
After all the teams complete leg two, the times for both legs (including time bonuses) are combined. The team with the longest time to complete both legs is then returned the keys to their vehicle, in which they must immediately leave.
Routes
Before races begin, the teams have 2 options on how to get to their destination: "My Way" or "The Highway". "The Highway" is the route the producers of the show have chosen for the day's race. It is generally easier, but may take longer to complete.
The second option is "My Way", which is a route the teams make up on their own. Chances are the routes they choose are shorter, but harder to complete.
The only rule of these two options is that once you choose "My Way or the Highway", you have to stick to it until the end of the second leg of the day.
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. Each start of day, cars can 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 outside the maximum time allowed for each leg will get picked up by the ‘reaper’ and towed – leading to disqualification.