DeSoto only made two 1953-model automobiles: the Firedome Topline series (1952–1954) and the Powermaster (1952–1954). Both of these were cars. The 1953 DeSoto Firedome averaged a fuel-economy rate of 13.6 mpg ((13.4+15.4+12.6+13)/4) on a 16.9 gallon tank, giving it a range of 229.8 miles per tank. The 1953 DeSoto Powermaster averaged a fuel-economy rate of 16⅓ mpg ((17.4+17.9+13.7)/3) on a 16.9 gallon tank, giving it a range of 276 miles per tank.

In the United States, gasoline pumps are limited to a flow rate of 10 US gallons per minute, meaning that both DeSotos would require approximately 1.69 minutes to fill a completely empty tank. This will be rounded to ten minutes to allow for other pit-stop activities.

Due to the 1973 oil crisis, from January 1974 – April 1987, the US federal government withheld Highway Trust Funds from states with speed limits above 55 mph, effectively emplacing a national speed limit for 1986.

Seventy-two hours of non-stop driving at 55 mph equals 3960 miles (6373 km). To drive this, the Firedome would need 172.32 minutes of refueling time, while the Powermaster would need 143.5 minutes. Deducting these from the total distance calculation produces 3802.04 miles (6118.8 km) and 3828.46 miles (6161.31 km), respectively.

Regardless of which DeSoto was driven, the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota can be driven to from any of the 49 continental United States in the timeframe allowed.

In fact, disregarding bodies of water: all of Canada, the southern 3/5 of Greenland, Ireland, Scotland, all of North and Central America, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, the northern 1/3 of Peru, most of northeastern Chukotka and Kamchatka, the Caribbean, Iceland, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, and a sliver of Norway are all within the adjusted 72-hour driving radius. (A mere 90 minutes of additional travel-time excludes Hawaii from being the Yankovics’ home.)