After Inland practices, Travis Pastrana ready to replicate three Evel Knievel stunts
When daredevil Travis Pastrana was deciding which Evel Knievel stunt to recreate this summer, he kept returning to three legendary motorcycle jumps.
Pastrana — who practiced in the Inland Empire — said they were all so cool he couldn’t bring himself to eliminate any. So he decided to do all three — the same night.
That night will be Sunday, July 8, when the 34-year-old Maryland man who has won numerous X Games medals and performed death-defying stunts of his own, is set to attempt two jumps in the parking lot of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Pastrana plans to jump 52 crushed cars, traveling 145 feet through the air or the equivalent of 18 car widths, according to Dave Mateus, global head of events for sponsor Nitro Circus. The idea is to recreate — and surpass — Knievel’s Feb. 18, 1973, jump of 50 crushed cars or 17 car widths at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Then Pastrana will try to clear 16 Greyhound buses spanning 155 feet. That stunt is inspired by Knievel’s leap of 14 Greyhound buses on Oct. 25, 1975, in Ohio.
For the grand finale, Pastrana aims to replicate — without the same result — the Dec. 31, 1967, jump of the Caesars Palace fountains that fell short and severely injured Knievel.
“This is an awesome opportunity for us pay tribute to the pioneer, the legend, the stuntman who started the ability for the rest of us to go into action sports,” Pastrana said last month during a practice at a site that organizers asked not be revealed.
It is fitting, Pastrana said, that the climactic stunt take place at the famous hotel and casino.
“The most iconic stunt location in the world of all time has to be Caesars Palace,” he said.
Pulling it off will be tricky. Mateus said Pastrana will have half as much track as Knievel did to rev up to full speed — 208 feet, instead of 400 feet — before launching.
“The landing is super tight,” he added. “And you’ve got people everywhere.”
HOW TO WATCH
What: “Evel Live” — Travis Pastrana’s bid to replicate three Evel Knievel jumps
When: 5 p.m. Sunday, July 8
Channel: History plans to air the three-hour event live