The Road to Sunrise: Dylan’s Supra and the Journey That Nearly Ended It All

There’s a certain kind of beauty in finishing a long-term project. For Checkpoint, the completion of Dylan’s Supra wasn’t just the result of countless hours in the shop; it was a dream finally realized. This car had reached a milestone; it was done. To celebrate that, we decided to do what we do best: film a cinematic where we could capture it in motion, in the golden light of a new day. We slept the night before inside an aircraft hangar, curled up on beanbags and couches, a handful of close friends who’ve all been part of this build in one way or another. The alarm went off just before 4:00 AM. The hangar doors rolled open to a still, dark runway, stars fading into the soft purple of dawn. It was time.

We began filming the cinematic right there at the airport as the first light crept in. The Supra looked incredible. The early morning light wrapped around its lines like it was meant to be seen this way. It felt like a reward for all of our hard work. And for a few hours, it was just that, a celebration of our persistence and passion.

But life doesn’t always let you coast on your highs.

Later that morning, as we were wrapping up filming, Reid was driving the Supra on the highway. The unthinkable happened, and the back left tire de-beaded from the wheel at speed. In a moment, the rear subframe hit the ground, grinding violently against the pavement. The car could’ve spun out. It could’ve hit the barrier. Reid could’ve been seriously injured, or worse. 

By pure instinct and control, Reid managed to hold the car steady, keep it off the wall, and bring it to a stop safely on the shoulder. The aftermath wasn’t pretty. The custom fender arch that we had laboured over took the brunt of it; the heat of the friction cooked the paint clean off. The subframe, after dragging along the asphalt, took a beating. It was a gut punch after such a high.

Still, it could have been so much worse.

And this is where everything shifted, from disaster to resilience. We had something invaluable in that moment: friends who don’t hesitate. Without skipping a beat, everyone came together. We swapped to a different pair of wheels in the rear, got the car loaded onto a trailer, and ensured it was safely back home. No drama, minimal panic, just action.

This moment reminded us why we do what we do. Not for the likes or the views, but for the journey. For the people beside us, when things go right, and especially when they go wrong. Friendship saved that day. Preparation and luck helped, but the support of a tight-knit group who knew what needed to be done made the real difference.

The damage is frustrating, but it’s fixable. This won’t be a rebuild, just a recovery. Soon, the Supra will be back, looking exactly how it did the morning we filmed it against the sunrise. With a bit of creativity, maybe it’ll even be a bit stronger, smarter and safer too. And when it’s ready, we’ll be back out there, camera in hand, making the cinematic it deserves.

All in all, this is just another chapter of the Supra, one that tested us and reminded us why we do this in the first place.

See you at sunrise.