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Fear Factor Episode 320
Original airdate: February 17, 2003

Players arrived along a lonely stretch of highway - or was it an abandoned airstrip? Either way, the first stunt would have players both driving and airborne! Joe revealed that players would sit in a car positioned atop a flatbed semi facing backwards. Attached to the flatbed was a second flatbed, coated with oil. When players received the green light, they were to jump the car from the first flatbed to the second, while the semi-truck sped and swerved along the desolate highway! If the car did not clear the gap between the two flatbeds, or if it skidded off the second flatbed, the jump would not count and the player would be disqualified. Kim was up first. While Jen and Shonda dissed each other backed by Joe, Kim gunned the engine and launched off the first flatbed. However, she came up short and got her rear tires stuck on the edge of the second flatbed. Since she didn't clear the gap, her jump was void and Kim was eliminated. Shonda was next and confident that she would blow away her remaining competitors. Shonda easily cleared the gap, but the slippery surface on the second flatbed sent her off the back of the truck! She crashed into the pavement and was eliminated. Mike was short on stature but big on bravado. He told Joe that he had no strategy, that he was leaving his victory up to fate. The others doubted this plan, but Mike launched between the flatbeds and literally bounced up onto the second flatbed after almost getting stuck in the gap. He had done it! His success boosted Jennifer's confidence as she climbed into the driver's seat. Jenn gunned it and cleared the gap. However, the slick surface sent her careening as the semi continued to swerve. Her left front and rear tires hung precariously over the edge of the back flatbed, but the car remained on top. That counted and Jen narrowly advanced to day two! Derek had the same problem Kim did. He failed to clear the gap and got the rear axle of the car hung up on the back edge of the second trailer. He was out. Last up was Hawaiian native, Kamalu. As the sun began to set across the desert landscape, Kamalu took his spot behind the wheel. He thought he had an advantage in going last, but wound up making the same mistake that Shonda did. He overshot the gap and skidded off the back of the second flatbed. Only Jennifer and Mike would advance to day two.

As Jennifer and Mike arrived in the foggy darkness at a deserted graveyard, Jennifer spoke about how she hates the dark and Mike admitted he was a little nervous. They found Joe chest-deep in an open grave, shoveling out dirt. Next to the open grave was an empty, wood coffin. Joe climbed out of the earth and described the stunt. Each player would lie down in the coffin. After plugging their ears and nose with plugs, and inserting a breathing tube in their mouth they would be buried under 500 pounds of earthworms! Covered, head to toe, with squirming stinking worms. Oh, but that wasn't the stunt. While struggling to breath under the crushing pressure, each player would have their hands free to work a knot out of a piece of yellow, nylon rope. They would each have three minutes to undo the massive knot. Jen stripped down to shorts and tank top and climbed in first. With only her hands visible above the swirling mass of worms, Jen started to work the knot once Joe said, "go." She did good loosening the rope, but got stuck on a tough spot. As the time ticked down, her movements got a bit more frantic. When time ran out, Jen threw the rope away in disgust. Once Joe helped her out from under the mass of worms, Jen got cleaned up and got ready to watch Mike. If they both failed, the prize money for day three would be cut to $25,000. If Mike completed the stunt, but obviously couldn't compete against himself on day three, he would receive a bonus $25,000.

Soon Mike was in over his head, literally. Buried in worms, he was very slow in untying the knot. He had a good technique going, until he unknowingly started tightening - instead of loosening - the knot! Time ran out, and Mike had failed. Both Mike and Jen would be back for day three, but competing for half the money!

On day three, Jennifer and Mike were excited to see their final stunt. Suspended high above water was a large, spinning clear tube with ten square sections cut out of it. Fourteen flags were secured to one end of the tube. Players would have to transfer the flags one-by-one from one end of the tube to the other, while the tube spun faster and faster. One misstep could send them through any of the open sections and into the water below. As an added incentive, whoever transferred all 14 flags would win $50,000 instead of the reduced $25,000.

Once again, Jen was up first. Geared up in her bathing suit, a life-vest and a catcher's mask-like protective helmet, Jen transferred her first flag quickly. She maneuvered through the maze of treacherous holes as the tube spun around her. In a little over a minute, she had captured her third flag. As she headed back with her fourth flag, she slipped and the flag floated down to the sea below. There went her shot at $50,000. She quickly grabbed another flag, but the spinning threw her off balance and she plunged into the water. If Mike could get three flags in less than a minute and thirty-five seconds, he would win the $25,000 and be named the new champ. If he could transfer all fourteen flags, he would claim $50,000 in addition to champ status. Mike started out slow, as Jen nervously watched from shore. He almost fell after grabbing his first flag, but soon got the hang of navigating the tube. He had his third flag in less than a minute, guaranteeing him at least half the cash and a trip to the Fear Factor semi-finals. He tried desperately to keep going, but after grabbing his fifth flag he couldn't keep his balance and fell into the water. Even with only half the cash, Mike was still the newest Fear Factor winner!