Johnny Perry knows his way around his Harley and a weight room. The 6-foot-6-inch, 366-pound man can bench press more than 500 pounds. Last weekend, he qualified for the World's Strongest Man competition. The events were a little unusual.
"We had to flip three cars which were Ford Escorts, four-door escorts. That was kinda tough," he says.
Perry says the bigger he gets, the more attention he draws.
"(People say) Gosh, you're a big man. Patting me, touching me and stuff like that," he says. "Me and my wife have a lot of arguments about getting touched when we go out."
Perry is quick to remind to say the heart of a country boy beats behind his massive chest.
"I'm from Zebulon, North Carolina and I grew up eating Momma's home cooking," he says.
He is going to be a long way from his mother's kitchen when he travels to South Africa for next week's competition. With all his muscle and strength, Perry admits he has one weakness, flying.
"My buddy, Randy, took me to the airport for my first time. He had to give me a hug before I got on the plane," he says. "I didn't care too much for flying. I'm just a nervous wreck. I guess I'm just a big baby when it comes to flying."
The contest lasts until August 18. During his stay in South Africa, Perry can expect to pull, lift and carry everything from several people to planes, trains and automobiles.
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