From the Gumball3000 website :
If you've been reading the news section of this site, or spend time in our forum you be aware that the 2008 rally will be starting in San Francisco and finishing 8 days later in Beijing via a once in a lifetime trip to Pyongyang, North Korea.
If you've come here to check out the route and wonder what's going on, please read the Press release from Max.
As we're still confirming details of the 2008 rally the route is still subject to change.
August 2008
Registration
Launch Party
As it stands the proposed route is as follows:-
San Francisco
Los Angeles
San Diego
Las Vegas
Pyongyang
Shanghai
Xuzhou
Beijing.
so its just later than normal.