Burning Man 1998​ - Art Cars Cruise to the Fence Line​

SEP 04 1998 · 16:00

So Harrod​ Blank​, Danger​ Ranger​, some ​BLM honchos, and ​others worked up a plan to take a remuda of​ Art Cars​ outside the trash fence​ (in it's first year at BRC)​ and into the open playa for some photo and film opportunities. The plan called for the cars to start up close to center camp and drive in a slow V formation behind a Bronco with​ a​ British film crew​, and others,​ shooting out the back. ​Yeah right... that lasted about a minute​ ​till ​the "look at me, look at me" instincts kicked in and everybody was jockeying for position up behind the Bronco to get in the frame. Then the speed kept picking up and the race was on. This was a couple of years before Art Cars were banished and only Mutant Vehicles could be licensed, so you'll see some of the classics that were regulars at the event from the git go... Tom Kennedy's "Ripper the Friendly Shark", Charles Linville's "Jesus Chrysler", Gump's "Host" (van with the VW Bug morphed on top), Rick McKinney's "The Duke" (with the trunks stacked on top that was his living quarters, and others. But Mutant Vehicles, not so much..... yet. Also, the guy (can't remember his name) with the homemade jet engine on a go cart that was a fixture in those early daze. The Death Guild folks in/on their car and some motorcycles were doing their Road Warrior bit jumping from car to motorcycle and back. Mishaps occurred, as mishaps are wont to do, and several of them were killed and​/or​ dismembered... just kidding, but one of them did break his shoulder and this freaked the BLM guys out and they canceled t​he​ going outside the fence plan... so, everyone slinked back to camp in shame and disappointment, but it was fun while it lasted. This video was shot by Phil Hollenbeck and some clips by world class slacker, Doug Wellman.