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The Danger Run is a Halloween driving game played in a car. Participants are given a book of cryptic directions written as 5-line limerick clues. Clues are solved and are used as directions for participants to find their way to selected locations that participate on the Danger Run, which are usually two haunted attractions. The object of this game is for participants to precisely decipher the clues and drive the course exactly as it was designed to accumulate the actual mileage to complete the course (within one tenth of a mile). Those that accumulate the exact mileage will then compete in a final competition and the winners of the finals win some form of prize. For example, a cash prize or some kind of Danger Run regalia.
History
The Danger Run was founded in 1994 in Louisville, Kentucky by Joseph Bulleit. The Danger Run was the first ghost run to incorporate a major haunted house into the event. It was also the first ghost run to create clues out of rhyming limericks. This clue writing style was inspired by the television show the Andy Griffith Show.
An example of a limerick is:
"But back on track we quickly got And apologized that we had fought, "Oh how I love you honey, Now let's get back in the money." So when driving back corners I did chop"
During the first season, Danger Run had an attendance of 2,000 people. Then in 1995, the Danger Run expanded to two starting locations in the Louisville area. In addition to the Clarksville, Indiana location, Danger Run offered a starting location on Dixie Highway in Louisville. Attendance in 1995 jumped to over 5,000 people.
In 1996, the Danger Run expanded again to a third location. A location was opened at Bigg's Hypermarket in Middletown. Danger Run attendance jumped to more than 10,000 people that year.
By 1997, the ghost runs that originally inspired the idea of Danger Run were all gone. The Danger Run had become the only ghost run in existence. The Danger Run was then bought from Joseph Bulleit by the Nightmare Network. It operated under this umbrella company for 12 years.
In the 2005 season, the Danger Run expanded to open a second attraction called Nightmare Run. Nightmare Run was also a ghost run, but written in a different style. However, upon the occurrence of Hurricane Katrina gas prices skyrocketed. This caused a major decrease in participation of Danger Run. So for the first time, in 2006 Danger Run closed its doors to find a solution to the problem caused by Hurricane Katrina and in 2007 Danger Run opened back up after reinventing itself. The Danger Run would now offer free gasoline for groups of four or more.
Then in 2009, Joseph Bulleit along with Michael Kimzey and Michael Book purchased the Danger Run from the Nightmare Network. While Joseph was the original owner, both Michael Kimzey and Michael Book had worked for Nightmare Network to produce the Danger Run year after year. The once big powerhouse of the Louisville haunt industry, Nightmare Network, no longer existed.
To this day, the Danger Run still operates with three starting points, using 5-line limerick style clues and includes admission to two stand-alone commercial haunted attractions. In addition, the Danger Run has corporate sponsorships through Dairy Queen, Domino's Pizza, Lowe's and Speedway.