On Friday I put my life in the hands of Brad Markovic.
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He's not a doctor. He's a rally car driver.
Ahead of the National Capital Rally in Canberra this weekend the media were invited to ride shotgun next to the madmen who slide around gravel corners at 190kph for a living.
As any insane person would - I agreed.
Canberra Times sports journalist Eamonn Tiernan jumped in a rally car with Australian Rally Championship driver Brad Markovic. Photo: Rohan Thomson
After signing my life away I pulled on a jumpsuit and took my seat next to Brad.
With my life on the line and a few minutes to burn before go time I decided a quick interrogation of Brad's credentials was in order.
Keeping with the theme of the day - Brad decided to take me for a ride.
Me: So you been doing this long mate?
Brad: Me? No not long at all. This is actually my first race.
Me: Seriously? Have you ever crashed?
Brad: Not this week. Wait no, that's not true.
Me: Have you been drinking?
Brad: Not in the last 20 minutes.
Brad took Eamonn on more than one ride with some banter moments before they took off. Photo: Rohan Thomson
With those terrifying final words - only half sure he was joking - we were off. And I mean off!
You know when you're driving with an 18-year-old and your foot is repeatedly slamming the passenger side floor?
Times that feeling by about a million.
We flew through the first two bends before hitting a stretch and as we approached the first corner the speedometer in front of me read 131 kph.
It sure as hell didn't feel like we were slowing down any time soon then in a split second Brad showed his expertise and dropped two gears and the clutch before guiding us through the corner sideways.
The pair hit the first corner at more than 130 kph. Photo: Rohan Thomson
I reckon the only people crazier than the adrenalin junkies behind the wheel are the photographers who line the track and capture this organised chaos.
The rollercoaster continued and once I was content with Brad's ability to handle this death machine - I was actually able to sit back and enjoy the crazy adventure.
After a thousand more tress flew past and few profanities escaped my lips it was all over with the mad dash lasting one minute and 45 seconds.
Eamonn is now considering leaving journalism for rally racing. Photo: Rohan Thomson
Turns out it wasn't Brad's first rodeo with the 38-year-old a veteran of the Australian Rally Championship tour.
This weekend however Brad will race in his first FIA Asia-Pacific Championship race against some of the world's best drivers.
The father-of-two said there's no feeling in the world like rally racing and as I drove the dirt roads out of Kowen Forest back to the office in my Hyundai i30 - I reckon he might be onto something.