It was a warm, sunny afternoon at Disney California Adventure when Jackson and his wife Kimmi made their way toward Radiator Springs Racers—the iconic “Cars” ride tucked inside the red rock canyons of Cars Land.
“This line is so long,” Jackson grumbled as they entered the queue, towering over most of the other park guests. His Raiders jersey sleeves were rolled up in the heat, sunglasses perched on his head. “This ride better be worth it.”
“Oh, it will be,” Kimmi promised, practically bouncing on her toes. “It’s the best ride here. Trust me. And don’t act like you’re scared.”
“Scared?” Jackson scoffed. “I literally get tackled by 300-pound men for a living. What’s a little animated car ride gonna do?”
Kimmi just gave him a smirk. “We’ll see.”
As the line crept forward and they entered the loading bay, Jackson eyed the ride vehicles—a lineup of cartoon cars with big smiling faces. “This looks… harmless,” he muttered, climbing into the front row with Kimmi beside him. The lap bar came down, and Kimmi was already giggling in anticipation.
“Here we goooo!” she said, gripping his hand.
The ride began gently enough, taking them through a scenic tour of Radiator Springs—past waterfalls, tractors, and animatronic versions of Lightning McQueen and Mater. Jackson looked totally relaxed, cracking jokes and making car sounds under his breath.
But then…
The doors opened.
The calm tour turned into a race.
The car jolted forward, accelerating fast. It whipped around the canyon turns, dropped unexpectedly, and sent wind blasting into their faces.
And that’s when it happened.
Kimmi heard it first—a sharp, panicked yelp.
She whipped her head toward Jackson.
He was screaming.
Not a small, surprised shout. A full-on, hands-in-the-air, “I’m-gonna-die” scream.
“AHHHHH—WHY IS THIS THING SO FAST?!”
Kimmi BURST out laughing mid-race, her hair whipping in the wind as their car flew around a sharp curve. “OH MY GOSH!” she shouted, barely able to breathe. “YOU’RE SCREAMING!”
“I THOUGHT THIS WAS A KIDS RIDE!” Jackson yelled, eyes wide behind his sunglasses, gripping the bar like the world was ending. “THEY LIED TO ME, KIMMI!”
By the time the ride coasted back into the station, Jackson was slumped in his seat, hair messed up, eyes still wide in disbelief.
“I saw my life flash before my eyes,” he muttered as they stepped out.
Kimmi was howling with laughter, wiping away tears. “You screamed, babe! Like legit screamed! I’ve never seen you like that in my life!”
“Don’t tell the guys,” Jackson grumbled, adjusting his hat. “If Max Crosby finds out I screamed on the Cars ride, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“Oh, I’m telling everyone,” Kimmi grinned, immediately pulling out her phone. “In fact, I might make it my ringtone.”
He groaned. “This is worse than film day.”
Kimmi wrapped her arm around his. “Don’t worry. You’re still my tough NFL lineman… just one who’s terrified of Lightning McQueen.”
Jackson gave her a playful side-eye. “I wasn’t terrified. I was just… surprised. That car had torque.”
“Uh huh,” she smirked. “Want to go again?”