February 19, 2026 • 8 mins
The third annual Florida Man Games take place Saturday (21st) at Freedom Factory, the racetrack owned by driver and YouTuber Cleetus McFarland near Bradenton. Events include the Evading Arrest Obstacle Games, the Grocery Aisle Brawl, and Taser Tag. We speak with founder and organizer, Pete Melfi.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Gordon Bird here with Beyond the News. The Florida Man
Games are back. The Games, based on so many of
those stories you hear on the news telling you what
a Florida Man did to get arrested, are taking place
Saturday in Bradenton and we certainly hope there won't be
any rests there. We have founder and organizer Pete Melfie
of the Florida Man Games here with us to talk
(00:22):
about it live from where they're taking place. Pete Melfie,
Welcome to you.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Gordon, great to be with you. Thank you for having me.
And I got to say, if somebody does get arrested
out here, that would be a great Florida Man headline,
wouldn't it. Florida Man gets arrested at the Florida Man Games.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
No kidding? Well, well, first, please tell us about some
of the unusual sports. Shall we say that athletes will
be competing in this year at the Florida Man Games.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Absolutely so. Our kind of marquee main event is the
Evading Arrest Obstacle course. That's the one everybody loves. That
is where guys have to go grab catalytic converters, run
through a bunch of crazy Florida obstacles and then get
away from the cops to earn their freedom and it's
really cool. Actually, Manatee County is sending their SWAT team
(01:09):
out this year. Our competitors have never faced a swat
team before, so this adds some high stakes to the competitions.
We have also got the Grocery Aisle Brawl, which is
another big one, very Florida, fighting for the last of
the beer and the toilet paper and the solo cups
on the grocery aisle shelves. That one always draws a
(01:29):
big crowd. We've got a couple of new events this year,
including a taser tag. We call it Taser Tag, but
we're actually using cattle prods, a very Florida type taser
where the guys are going to be kind of blindfolded
and they're trying to find the other competitors and knock
them out of the race before they get knocked out.
(01:50):
So that one should be very very interesting as well.
It's gonna be a fun day out here at the
Freedom Factory in Bradenton.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
That taser tag thing sounds like something I used to
see many many years ago when tasers were new and
at labor pools where they would you know, somebody got
a hold of a taser and they just go around
zapping everybody just for the heck of it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Yeah, It's something we used to do when we were
a little too inebriated at three in the morning. You know,
I'll just go around and chase your buddy to falling
asleep a little too early.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Now, some of the teams, let's talk about some of
the teams that you're going to have competing representing different
parts of the state. They're, to say the least, very
interesting and there are a couple of names involved at
least that many people listening will.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Recognize very exciting. We've got some great team captains this year,
including Kletis McFarlane, the owner of the amazing Freedom Factory
out here. We've got Mike Boyling from Mike's Weather Page.
He's running a team this year that's going to be exciting.
Lane Pittman, you know Lane Pittman, the guy who is
headbanging in the Hurricane with the American flag. He's going
(02:55):
to be the team captain for Team Duvall. We got
Matt Riddle, pro slur and a former UFC guy. He's
really excited to be back out here. The crowd loves him. Yeah. Man,
we got a lot of really cool folks uh competing
this year, So I'm really excited about that and UH
and and so is our our fans that are that
(03:16):
are shown up.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Now. Since you don't have arrest records and criminal courts
to work with, how do you judge the competition? How
do you judge the teams and award points we've got.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
We've got a lot of referees out here watching the
action and and kind of making sure everybody does what
they're supposed to do. You know, they're gonna throw penalties if,
for instance, maybe you miss an obstacle, maybe you don't
knock over the drive through attendant with an alligator, then
you're gonna get docked points for that, you know. With
things like the taser tag, it's last man out. Last
(03:48):
man standing gets the gets kind of the highest point total.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
There.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
We've got an event called the Naked Rampage, and that's
where I'm sure you've heard this story a couple of
months ago where the guy was caught on his ring
camera RUH, terrorizing his neighbor's backyard with absolutely nothing on.
So we're gonna have guys knocking over yard decorations and
things like that, and so they're gonna get scored on
how many yard decorations they're able to knock over. Things
(04:15):
like the grocery aisle brawl. They're gonna get scored on
what they can get in their cart. You know, beer
is worth kind of the most amount of points. Then
you got your toilet paper and things like that that
are worth less points. So it's been fun to kind
of come up with the scoring system because obviously these
are all brand new sports. These sports don't exist, so
(04:35):
coming up with the scoring systems for these has been interesting.
But I think we've got it down to a good science.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Now you're like a collection of James Nasmith's. They're inventing
all these games.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
It's fun, I can tell you for sure.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
It is fun.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
My job is not boring.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Now. You will also, in addition to all the competitions,
you'll also have a number of rides and attractions that
are very appropriate to the occasion. First of all, I
think of the mechanical gator.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yes, yes, the mechanical gator. We're going to have that
out there. We're going to have a hurricane simulator where
you're actually gonna get a chance to be Lane Pittman
stand in front of a hurricane neighborhood going through a
hurricane with some wind blowing in your face, and we're
going to give you an American flag so you can
have your Florida Man moment there. We're also going to
(05:24):
have a mobile smash room this year, which is really cool.
I'm sure you've seen those rage rooms, those smash rooms
where you just going to break stuff, and people are
going to be able to do that on site here today,
I'm sorry, on Saturday, so that's that's going to be
really exciting as well. And then Friday night for VIPs
and campers, we're also putting on a show with the
(05:44):
Lingerie Fighting Championships, a great group out of Las Vegas actually,
and they put on very very exciting shows. So there's
gonna be a lot for people to do, a lot
for people to experience out there.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
And you mentioned that, and of course that also brings
up that this isn't just a one day event. It's
for many people. It's a weekend.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah. Absolutely, if you're a camper out here, you're a vip,
We're going to have a big party tomorrow night where
you can just hang out, have fun and enjoy some
shows and kind of get a look at behind the
scenes here at the at the legendary Freedom Factory track,
which you know used to be the DeSoto Speedway. Here,
a lot of people know that, and so you get
(06:26):
kind of a behind the scenes look if you're a
VIP and a camper on Friday.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
And let's talk about that legendary location which is recognizable
to a lot of people from the west coast of Florida.
But for those who aren't familiar with the Freedom Factory,
as you mentioned, the former DeSoto Speedway, how do you
get there? Where should you park? Times, The best way
to get tickets, everything you need to know to withold
tend the Florida Man Games. Yes, Sarah, thank you.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
The best way to get tickets is through the Floridamangames
dot com. And there's tons of park here on site,
so they'll get here to the Freedom Factory and there's
a great staff who's going to help them make sure
they get where they need to go, whether they're VIPs
or campers or in general admission folks. So that'll be
(07:13):
very very easy to getting here. On site. You know,
I'm not extremely familiar with the area myself. I'm the
North Florida boy personally, so I can't tell you very
many landmarks to look forward to make sure you're in
the right place. But if you just type in Freedom
Factory and your ways or your Google Maps, it's going
to take you right here.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Excellent the Florida Man Games. We are speaking with the
founder and organizer, Pete Melfie. They're going on Saturday at
the Freedom Factory, which is just east of Bradenton, and
as he said, check it out on any map. It's
a little bit to the east and you shouldn't have
too much trouble getting there from I seventy five or
other major thoroughfares wherever you're coming from. Pete Melfie, thank
(07:58):
you very much for taking time out of a busy
organization for that event, and thank you for joining us
on Beyond the News.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Thank you, Gordon. It was an absolute pleasure.
Gordon Bird here with Beyond the News. The Florida Man
Games are back. The Games, based on so many of
those stories you hear on the news telling you what
a Florida Man did to get arrested, are taking place
Saturday in Bradenton and we certainly hope there won't be
any rests there. We have founder and organizer Pete Melfie
of the Florida Man Games here with us to talk
(00:22):
about it live from where they're taking place. Pete Melfie,
Welcome to you.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Gordon, great to be with you. Thank you for having me.
And I got to say, if somebody does get arrested
out here, that would be a great Florida Man headline,
wouldn't it. Florida Man gets arrested at the Florida Man Games.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
No kidding? Well, well, first, please tell us about some
of the unusual sports. Shall we say that athletes will
be competing in this year at the Florida Man Games.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Absolutely so. Our kind of marquee main event is the
Evading Arrest Obstacle course. That's the one everybody loves. That
is where guys have to go grab catalytic converters, run
through a bunch of crazy Florida obstacles and then get
away from the cops to earn their freedom and it's
really cool. Actually, Manatee County is sending their SWAT team
(01:09):
out this year. Our competitors have never faced a swat
team before, so this adds some high stakes to the competitions.
We have also got the Grocery Aisle Brawl, which is
another big one, very Florida, fighting for the last of
the beer and the toilet paper and the solo cups
on the grocery aisle shelves. That one always draws a
(01:29):
big crowd. We've got a couple of new events this year,
including a taser tag. We call it Taser Tag, but
we're actually using cattle prods, a very Florida type taser
where the guys are going to be kind of blindfolded
and they're trying to find the other competitors and knock
them out of the race before they get knocked out.
(01:50):
So that one should be very very interesting as well.
It's gonna be a fun day out here at the
Freedom Factory in Bradenton.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
That taser tag thing sounds like something I used to
see many many years ago when tasers were new and
at labor pools where they would you know, somebody got
a hold of a taser and they just go around
zapping everybody just for the heck of it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Yeah, It's something we used to do when we were
a little too inebriated at three in the morning. You know,
I'll just go around and chase your buddy to falling
asleep a little too early.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Now, some of the teams, let's talk about some of
the teams that you're going to have competing representing different
parts of the state. They're, to say the least, very
interesting and there are a couple of names involved at
least that many people listening will.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Recognize very exciting. We've got some great team captains this year,
including Kletis McFarlane, the owner of the amazing Freedom Factory
out here. We've got Mike Boyling from Mike's Weather Page.
He's running a team this year that's going to be exciting.
Lane Pittman, you know Lane Pittman, the guy who is
headbanging in the Hurricane with the American flag. He's going
(02:55):
to be the team captain for Team Duvall. We got
Matt Riddle, pro slur and a former UFC guy. He's
really excited to be back out here. The crowd loves him. Yeah. Man,
we got a lot of really cool folks uh competing
this year, So I'm really excited about that and UH
and and so is our our fans that are that
(03:16):
are shown up.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Now. Since you don't have arrest records and criminal courts
to work with, how do you judge the competition? How
do you judge the teams and award points we've got.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
We've got a lot of referees out here watching the
action and and kind of making sure everybody does what
they're supposed to do. You know, they're gonna throw penalties if,
for instance, maybe you miss an obstacle, maybe you don't
knock over the drive through attendant with an alligator, then
you're gonna get docked points for that, you know. With
things like the taser tag, it's last man out. Last
(03:48):
man standing gets the gets kind of the highest point total.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
There.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
We've got an event called the Naked Rampage, and that's
where I'm sure you've heard this story a couple of
months ago where the guy was caught on his ring
camera RUH, terrorizing his neighbor's backyard with absolutely nothing on.
So we're gonna have guys knocking over yard decorations and
things like that, and so they're gonna get scored on
how many yard decorations they're able to knock over. Things
(04:15):
like the grocery aisle brawl. They're gonna get scored on
what they can get in their cart. You know, beer
is worth kind of the most amount of points. Then
you got your toilet paper and things like that that
are worth less points. So it's been fun to kind
of come up with the scoring system because obviously these
are all brand new sports. These sports don't exist, so
(04:35):
coming up with the scoring systems for these has been interesting.
But I think we've got it down to a good science.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Now you're like a collection of James Nasmith's. They're inventing
all these games.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
It's fun, I can tell you for sure.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
It is fun.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
My job is not boring.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Now. You will also, in addition to all the competitions,
you'll also have a number of rides and attractions that
are very appropriate to the occasion. First of all, I
think of the mechanical gator.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yes, yes, the mechanical gator. We're going to have that
out there. We're going to have a hurricane simulator where
you're actually gonna get a chance to be Lane Pittman
stand in front of a hurricane neighborhood going through a
hurricane with some wind blowing in your face, and we're
going to give you an American flag so you can
have your Florida Man moment there. We're also going to
(05:24):
have a mobile smash room this year, which is really cool.
I'm sure you've seen those rage rooms, those smash rooms
where you just going to break stuff, and people are
going to be able to do that on site here today,
I'm sorry, on Saturday, so that's that's going to be
really exciting as well. And then Friday night for VIPs
and campers, we're also putting on a show with the
(05:44):
Lingerie Fighting Championships, a great group out of Las Vegas actually,
and they put on very very exciting shows. So there's
gonna be a lot for people to do, a lot
for people to experience out there.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
And you mentioned that, and of course that also brings
up that this isn't just a one day event. It's
for many people. It's a weekend.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah. Absolutely, if you're a camper out here, you're a vip,
We're going to have a big party tomorrow night where
you can just hang out, have fun and enjoy some
shows and kind of get a look at behind the
scenes here at the at the legendary Freedom Factory track,
which you know used to be the DeSoto Speedway. Here,
a lot of people know that, and so you get
(06:26):
kind of a behind the scenes look if you're a
VIP and a camper on Friday.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
And let's talk about that legendary location which is recognizable
to a lot of people from the west coast of Florida.
But for those who aren't familiar with the Freedom Factory,
as you mentioned, the former DeSoto Speedway, how do you
get there? Where should you park? Times, The best way
to get tickets, everything you need to know to withold
tend the Florida Man Games. Yes, Sarah, thank you.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
The best way to get tickets is through the Floridamangames
dot com. And there's tons of park here on site,
so they'll get here to the Freedom Factory and there's
a great staff who's going to help them make sure
they get where they need to go, whether they're VIPs
or campers or in general admission folks. So that'll be
(07:13):
very very easy to getting here. On site. You know,
I'm not extremely familiar with the area myself. I'm the
North Florida boy personally, so I can't tell you very
many landmarks to look forward to make sure you're in
the right place. But if you just type in Freedom
Factory and your ways or your Google Maps, it's going
to take you right here.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Excellent the Florida Man Games. We are speaking with the
founder and organizer, Pete Melfie. They're going on Saturday at
the Freedom Factory, which is just east of Bradenton, and
as he said, check it out on any map. It's
a little bit to the east and you shouldn't have
too much trouble getting there from I seventy five or
other major thoroughfares wherever you're coming from. Pete Melfie, thank
(07:58):
you very much for taking time out of a busy
organization for that event, and thank you for joining us
on Beyond the News.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Thank you, Gordon. It was an absolute pleasure.
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