Cassie Aran and Lauren attempt 500-mile Florida toy-car record
Cassie Aran and Lauren set off from Jacksonville for Key West in battery-powered toy cars, but no certification outcome is documented.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
2 min read
A toy car world record attempt sent Cassie Aran and her longtime friend Lauren down Florida’s coast in battery-powered ride-on vehicles, with a reported goal of covering about 500 miles from Jacksonville to Key West.
According to a March 20, 2024 report by News4JAX, the pair began at Friendship Fountain in Jacksonville and planned to finish at the Southernmost Point Buoy in Key West. Lauren asked the outlet not to publish her surname.
The women were seeking a Guinness World Records title for the longest journey or distance by toy car. The material available documents an attempt, not a completed trip or a record awarded by Guinness World Records.
What was the toy car world record attempt?
Aran and Lauren expected the trip to take about two months, News4JAX reported. Cassie’s boyfriend, Brandon Lucante, was expected to help at times.
The friends told the outlet they had known one another since kindergarten in New Jersey and had ridden battery-powered toy cars as children. They said the drive grew from that shared memory and their desire to make a Guinness World Records attempt.
The route did not get off to a flawless start. News4JAX reported that their first set of toy cars failed only a few miles into an earlier effort because of battery problems. The pair restarted with Freddo Rocket two-seat vehicles, which the outlet said could handle rougher surfaces and reach speeds of up to 11 mph.
What rules did they say they had to follow?
The participants told News4JAX that Guinness had approved the attempt after nearly a year of discussions and supplied detailed requirements. The report said the vehicles’ outer shells had to remain unchanged for the full trip, while batteries, tires and wires could be replaced only with the same types originally fitted to the cars.
They also said they needed to record every stop, collect receipts and witness signatures, take photographs and use a GPS tracker supplied for the attempt. Those records were intended to document the journey for Guinness, according to the local report.
Alongside the drive, the pair said they were raising money for animal-related organizations. News4JAX reported a $10,000 fundraising target and said they had raised more than $600 during the first 24 hours. Neither figure establishes final donations, and the available reporting does not confirm whether the route was finished or a Guinness title was certified.
Readers can review News4JAX’s March 2024 report for its account of the route, cars and documentation requirements.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.