BERKELEY – As Beth Farrell sat glued next to her husband to watch the gripping finale of “Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge,” she discreetly removed her glasses and wiped away a few stray tears.
Beth’s husband, Jerzey Jim Farrell, appeared on the screen as one of the three contenders in the show’s gripping finale of its first season. Since the episode’s taping last May, Beth had carried the knowledge of what lay ahead. Her unwavering devotion to her husband resulted in Beth traveling to England to witness the final outcome in person.
Although the coveted first place eluded Jerzey Jim in the end, one thing became evident. Jerzey Jim’s stature as a true champion remains undisputed among the nearly two dozen family members who gathered to view the show’s climatic finale. His shirt at the watch party boldly declared him the “People’s Champ.”
The event marked the third occasion that the group had convened for a watch party, hosted at the Berkeley residence of Farrell’s’ daughter and son-in-law, John and Amanda Carte. The initial gathering was an unforgettable moment, as an emotionally charged Jerzey Jim claimed victory in the show’s debut episode, with his yellow 1969 Dodge Charger popping a mesmerizing wheelie.
The second watch party, occurring just a week before the finale, resonated with the excitement of Jerzey Jim advancing to the finals. Jay Leno emerged that episode as a guest judge as Jim revealed his plan to transform a 1968 Volkswagen Van into a radiant purple hot rod.
Employing its ingenious “Inspirationator 5000,” the show’s creators allocated the challenge vehicles to each of the contenders. And, while Jerzey Jim confessed he hoped he’d be assigned to work on the 1978 Trans Am, his imagination went wild with what started as an older traditional vehicle.
Details became a critical part of the transition starting with something as small as transforming the recognizable VW logo into an HW to represent Hot Wheels. Jerzey Jim said he turned his work into a super fan van by adding a Corvette chassis to the rear. Taking one of the slowest vehicles and combining it with one of the fastest resulted in an amazing transformation.
Jerzey Jim couldn’t have been prouder when his creation roared onto the stage on the big screen. During the finale, Leno gave his opinion.
“I think it’s fascinating because when Hot Wheels came out it was all about power,” said Leno. “The engine was always the focal point. This is what I would have lusted after in high school because this is what you would have wanted to pull into the drive-in with a Friday night and rev the engine. It’s a Hot Wheels classic.”
In the inaugural episode, Jerzey Jim bared his soul, sharing the deep emotional bond he held with the yellow Dodge Charger. For the final watch party, the man with the engaging personality adorned with his trademark bandana in yellow. However, it turns out that Jerzey Jim also had some connection to the VW van.
“When my kids were smaller, we had a Volkswagen van that we used as a camper van,” Jerzey Jim explained. “They lasted one hour before all four kids started to cry.”
Beth smiled as she added to the memory from so many years ago. It turns out the van was parked right in the driveway. Any hopes Beth held for a moment of solitude swiftly dissolved, replaced by the urgent need to offer comfort to those around her.
To mark the significance of the finale, velvet red rope stanchions adorned the home’s entrance, leading the way to a grandiose big-screen TV. Adding a touch of cinematic magic, a popcorn machine heightened the ambiance to that of a genuine movie theater, while heartfelt speeches set the stage for the main event.
“The one thing I can say about this whole journey is that I am so proud of Jim,” said Beth. “I have never met anybody who felt so strong about a dream – and somehow it all came together.”
In a moving speech, Jerzey Jim’s sister Liz said their parents were looking down on them. She shared many special moments that united their family as “car people.”
Of the three finalists, the sole woman triumphed in the season finale with her Rally Resilience, a Nissan Skyline converted into a robust big-wheeled rally car. Arushi Garg won the $50,000 grand prize and the honor of having her car transformed into an official diecast Hot Wheels toy available for purchase.
“I told Hot Wheels it was never about the money for me,” said Jerzey Jim. “All I ever wanted was the diecast because it’s my legacy. I wanted my children and grandchildren to be able to walk into a store and see a car that I created from Hot Wheels.”
Social media came alive within moments after the winners were announced. Hundreds of people across the country said they disagreed with the judge’s selection and gave their accolades for Jerzey Jim’s great built.
Should Hot Wheels heed the voices of its dedicated fanbase, a glimmer of hope emerges for Jerzey Jim’s genuine aspirations. This potential holds the possibility of extending beyond Garg’s Skyline, encompassing two other new die-cast creations – Jerzey Jim’s VW van and Nick Harrison’s Trans Am.
