JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – How far have you driven during a road trip? 100 miles, 500 miles? Imagine doing that drive in a toy car.
Two women, Cassie Aran and Lauren, are attempting a 500-mile drive down the coast of Florida to earn the Guinness World Record for Longest Distance by Toy Cars, and their journey began in Duval County, according to News 6 partner WJXT.
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Cassie and Lauren, who asked us not to use her last name, started their journey at Friendship Fountain in Jacksonville and will end at the Southernmost Point Buoy in Key West. With occasional assistance from Cassie’s boyfriend, Brandon Lucante, they expect the attempt to take two months.
Cassie and Lauren’s Story
Cassie and Lauren have been close friends since their kindergarten days in New Jersey, where they rode battery-powered toy cars in the neighborhood.
“This just kind of came as this wild idea because we had these cars as kids,” Lauren said. “We used to ride around with toy cars as kids and have always wanted a Guinness World Record attempt. So we’re like, this would be a fun way to kind of honor our childhood.”
The two have a great relationship and love pushing the boundaries to add excitement and spontaneity into their lives. They aim to inspire others to do the same throughout this process and to remind everyone not to take life so seriously.
“We just love to do crazy adventures and push the limits of what is possible and try to inspire other people in the process,” Lauren said.
Why?
The million-dollar question, or record-setting question — why?
Besides aiming for a Guinness World Record — which doesn’t currently exist, by the way — Cassie and Lauren said they’ve transformed the endeavor into a memorable road trip. Why go five miles to set a record with your best friend when you can go 500, right?
And did we mention their mission is also raising money to save animals?
Cassie and Lauren encourage donations by giving shoutouts on social media to their top donors. With more than one million followers on social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram — the duo raised more than $600 during the first 24 hours of their journey.
Their fundraiser aims to reach $10,000, which they will donate to the Red Panda Network in Nepal, the Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center, the Save a Fox Rescue in Minnesota, the World Bird Sanctuary in Missouri and more.
Cassie also owns a clothing company called “The Ear Socks,” where 10% of all proceeds from sales of shirts, stickers and hoodies go toward the Best Friend’s Animal Society to help end all kill shelters by 2025.
You can learn more about their mission to save animals by visiting their website.
Preparation
The Guinness World Record folks are sticklers and getting into the record book isn’t easy.
Cassie and Lauren told News4JAX it took nearly a year for the Guinness team to approve their attempt for the “Longest Distance by Toy Car.”
When they finally gave the pair the “OK,” they also sent a laundry list of requirements the duo will have to track for the attempt to be counted (see below).
One of the first things Cassie, Lauren, and Brandon had to do before starting their journey was drive along their chosen routes to verify accessibility. One of the paths they have to use is through the Everglades.
Official Rules and Regulations
To receive the official title of “Longest Journey by Toy Car,” Guinness must be 100% certain the two didn’t cheat.
So Cassie and Lauren created a daily checklist to keep track of the dozens of things they must have in order at the end of their journey.
The rulebook: Guinness sent the two a giant rulebook of things they can and can’t do. Some rules include: the shell of the cars must remain the same during the entire journey. The batteries, tires and wires may be replaced, but they must be the same ones that came with the vehicle. They must carry specific things with them at all times. Cassie and Lauren must adhere to these specific guidelines, and more, outlined by Guinness World Records for the record they are attempting.
The logbook & witness book: The two must also use a logbook to track every stop they make, even if it’s to use the bathroom. They must record why they stopped in the logbook and include photos, receipts, and signatures (witness statements) of individuals who saw them there. They also must take a picture with every known Florida landmark along the route. These details provide comprehensive and verifiable evidence that supports the record attempt. Cassie and Lauren will also use their video recordings on social media as documentation of their day-to-day journey.
“The daily checklist is like our Bible,” Cassie said. “Like, if we miss one little thing, it’s over. We could lose the whole world record if we left one thing off that checklist.”
GPS tracker: Guinness World Records gave Cassie and Lauren a GPS tracker they must turn on every day before their journey to ensure the attempt is accurate and authentic and that they’re not cheating or manipulating data. The GPS tracks where they go, how fast they go, when they stop, etc.
The two must follow the Guinness guidelines, which include making safety a priority so they don’t hurt themselves or anyone else.
Break any of the rules and Cassie and Lauren will not be awarded the record.
“It’s a lot,” Lauren said. “It’s intensive and it’s all day. It’s a lot of work. It’s not like we’re just driving cars all day. It’s a lot of logging things and taking photos and getting signatures.”
Trials and tribulations
This isn’t Cassie and Lauren’s first attempt at the record. The toy cars they used on their first go-round hit the sidewalk and failed them only a few miles in.
“The first time that we attempted this, the batteries did not last as long as they did in testing for us, and it was like half as long,” Lauren said.
The two weren’t even out of Jacksonville before they had to start over, this time with new vehicles — Freddo Rocket toy cars. The two-seaters can handle rough terrain and can reach 11 mph (now you see why it’s going to take at least two months). The cars have headlights, emergency brakes and even play music. One major obstacle they face while driving these cars is they must steer clear of significant cracks and potholes due to the low clearance of their vehicle.
When they tested the battery life on the Freddo Rocket cars, they lasted around 11 miles. Yes, that means they have to stop to change out their batteries every 11(ish) miles. They plan on charging the batteries overnight at hotels.
With the new cars, they were off again and so far, so good.
But of course, it’s Florida.
The weather and other factors will come into play for sure. How fast can an alligator go again?
Cassie and Lauren said that when it rains, they have to use car covers and umbrellas to protect the vehicles and essentially have to ride out the storm.
Support
To stay updated on Cassie and Lauren’s journey, check out their YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok channels, or visit their website. Learn more about The Ear Socks.
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