This is Day FIVE of the 5-day Challenger Challenge — Nicolas Stecher’s drive across the south in a Dodge Challenger SRT8. From New York City to Alabama in 5 days, hitting 10 states and traversing 1,000 miles…and using no technology that existed before 1974. It will be madness. To start at the beginning, click Day ONE.

DAY FIVE
5:02 am Ramada Inn, Downtown Atlanta
My god, is that my alarm clock or the fist of god slamming in my ear to wake me up? Who’s horrific idea was it to get me on a 7 am flight, anyways? Oh yeah, mine. I was gonna take the subway to the airport, but Robert’s been incredibly cool and volunteered to drive me. Above and beyond the call of duty BK!!

5:52 am Hartsfield International Airport, Atlanta
I’m sitting at my gate, trying to cut through the general buzz of my neurons — and contemplating the great adventure that I just completed — when I get a phone call from Robert. “Dude, you’re not gonna believe what just happened to me!” he stammers over the phoneline. Apparently, he was in such a rush to get back to the hotel to sleep he got popped going 152 miles per hour in the early morning emptiness of Atlanta. ONE HUNDRED FIFTY TWO miles an hour! Once pulled over, they drew their sidearms, made him get out of the car, put his hands on his head and drop to his knees. “I was scared shitless, man. I thought for good I was a goner. He called two more cars for backup, and I thought for sure I was going to have to call you to bail me out.” There he was, alone, with 3 cop cars’ blue lights flashing around him in the dark empty ATL highway, staring at certain jailtime for getting busted driving at over 150 mphs. Doomed as doomed can be. Fortunately for Robert Kerian, this certain officer happened to be a huge MOPAR fan. And the cops he called for backup? They were too; the officer just wanted to show his buddies the car. The end result? Rob got away with a warning, going 152 miles per hour.

Who knew—I guess it really was Christmas. For everyone…

[NOTE: Check out the second gallery of pics below highlighting a family of cockfighters we found en route. Since cockfighting is illegal throughout the US, we didn’t want to get these guys in trouble. They were, however, excited to enlighten us on their hobby…in exchange for a ride, of course. All images by Robert Kerian]