Comedian Dave Dugan served as the entertainment for the International Roundabout Conference hosted by Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard in 2011.
“I guess this thing has been in my blood for awhile,” said Dugan, who often uses roundabouts in his comic routine.
To raise money for the Cancer Support Community, Dugan took pledges for the number of laps he would travel around the same roundabout on Horseferry Road in the Village of West Clay. Dugan chose it because it because in 2016 it was recognized as the “International Roundabout of the Year” by the United Kingdom Roundabout Appreciation Society. It was featured in a calendar of the world’s most beautiful roundabouts.
Dugan, a Carmel resident and 1973 Carmel High School graduate, chose to drive the roundabout Feb. 2, otherwise known as Groundhog Day, since he would mimic the character in the movie “Groundhog Day,” who relives the same day over and over.
Dugan set the world record for laps around a single roundabout, completing 717 . He spent 3 hours and 10 minutes completing the mission.
Among the passengers were WTHR-13 anchor John Stehr and Kristi Lee from “The Bob & Tom Show.” Another passenger was Carmel resident Oran Sands, who set a record for time going around the same roundabout in Carmel in 3 hours, 34 minutes and 33.24 seconds, which was verified by RecordSetter.com. Dugan stopped because, although he was aiming for a lap mark, he didn’t want to accidentally get credit for breaking Sands’ time record.
“Although there were complaints from passengers of dizziness, etc.,” Dugan said, “I didn’t experience any physical drawbacks other than neck pain from constantly being pulled to the left.”
Dugan said the only breaks were to pick up the passengers. Prior to the lap record, Dugan took some ceremonial laps with Brianard.
“I also did several laps prior to the world record attempt for the video that was being produced for the Cancer Support Community folks, who will use it to kick off their annual fundraiser, Laughing Matters, at the (Hilbert) Circle Theater,” Dugan said.
The fundraiser is set for April 14, and Dugan will serve as host. More than $1,000 has been raised so far by Dugan, who is in the midst of his Comedy 35th Anniversary Tour.
“All in all, the roundabout fundraiser/world record was a great experience and one I had been planning for years in honor of and inspired by my mom, Martha Dugan, who was a resident here in Carmel for 50 years,” Dugan said. “I had plenty of time to think of her and many of the other close family members and friends that inspired me to seek this quest.”
His mother, who had lung cancer, died from surgical complications at age 81 in 2013.
“I also had plenty of time to reflect on myself, in the rearview mirror, and am considering growing my hair out again. I got a short cut right before hitting the roundabout and didn’t realize my ears were so big,” Dugan said. “I await anxiously to see this record acknowledged, possibly right across the page from the guy with a beard of bees.”
For more, visit cancersupportindy.org/dave-dugan/.
