When Brian Ashley, a native of Orlando and the uncle of Florida Institute of Technology punter/kicker Brion Ashley, made his throw to the 17-yard line, everyone in the stadium knew he had a chance.
With a brand new 2015 Audi A3, courtesy of Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi of Melbourne, on the line, Ashley lined up to attempt a 27-yard field goal.
He was nervous. It was obvious. He had never kicked a field goal in his life.
But the 46-year-old former basketball player and track-and-field athlete belted the line-drive kick through the uprights, becoming the first person to ever make the kick and win a new car at an FIT football game as part of the punt, pass and kick competition.
"I'm ready to drive," Ashley said shortly after converting the kick. "I didn't come here expecting to do this. I came here to see a game, and I'm driving away happy."
Ashley got the competition started with a solid 41-yard punt, which put the ball on the 31-yard line. But he put himself in position to win the new car when he launched a 52-yard bomb, landing the ball at the 17-yard line on the other side of the field.
The rest was history.
As soon as the football split the uprights, Ashley raced down the field to meet his nephew. The two jumped in the air for a celebratory hip-check.
"To this second, I still can't believe it went through," Ashley said of the car-clinching kick.