Less than 83 hours after departing from Deadhorse, Alaska, the Trans-USA Challenge driving team has rolled into Key West, Florida. The drive shattered the previous record of 96 hours. The charity event was held to benefit the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC).
(PRWEB) July 13, 2005 -- The Trans-USA Challenge driving team has broken one of the most hallowed long distance driving records in the world. The journey began at the northern-most point in the United States accessible by road, Deadhorse Alaska. From there, the Trans-USA team drove to Key West, Florida, the southern-most point. The entire trip, which mapped out at 5440 miles, took only 82 hours and 24 minutes, shattering the 1996 record of 96 hours.
The Trans-USA team was comprised of two Americans, Jason Miklian and Scott Roecker. For their expedition, the team equipped their 2005
Volkswagen Jetta TDI with several enhancements, including both a Dieselgeek Panzer skid plate and fuel tank modifications to limit possible delays. These enhancements, along with shrewd map reading, enabled the two man team to shatter the previous time. In the words of Miklian, "We feel that this record is now impossible to beat."
In achieving this record, the team followed the strict rules established by the Guinness Book of World Records for road events. Per Guinness regulations, a radar detector was forbidden and the team received no speeding tickets during the journey. According to Scott Roecker, "We knew that this record could be broken without excessive speed. We diligently followed the rules of the road, and truly beat this record only through some good luck with weather and traffic, limited breaks and lots of Red Bull."
Not everyone was so certain that this record could be broken. According to the official witness in Deadhorse, Alaska, the record was impossible to break. "Never gonna happen" was repeated every time Roecker mentioned what their plan was. Despite this early skepticism, the Trans-USA Challenge driving team was able to meet their goal.
The trip is a charity event to raise awareness for the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC). Several distinguished individual
sponsors have combined with generous corporate assistance to ensure the logistical success of the trip, providing both supplies to the
Trans-USA team and financial contributions to the NCVC. The Trans-USA Challenge hopes to raise several thousand dollars for the NCVC in
conjunction with this event.
About the Trans-USA Challenge
The Trans-USA Challenge concept was first formulated in late 2004 by Jason Miklian and Scott Roecker in an effort to raise awareness for charitable organizations while at the same time setting some of the most grueling and demanding driving endurance records known to man. 2006 plans will include an effort to break the world record for fastest land circumnavigation of the planet.
About the National Center for Victims of Crime
The NCVC is the nation's leading resource and advocacy organization for crime victims. Since 1985, the NCVC has worked with more than 10,000 grassroots organizations and criminal justice agencies serving millions of crime victims. Additional information can be found at
www.ncvc.org.
Contact Information:
Trans-USA Challenge
1817 Independence Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20016
1 (202) 294-5374
wedrivefar@gmail.com
###
|
