Photo: screenshot
Famous stuntman Evel Knievel's spirit has been brought back recently, as one of his fans successfully completed a jump the legend couldn't at the time. We're talking about rocketing over a canyon here, not your average motorcycle jump over some buses.
Mister Eddie Braun, a long time Evel fan and actual professional stuntman, managed to jump over the Snake River Canyon recently in a custom-built rocket named "Evel Spirit."
The contraption was launched off a steep ramp on the edge of the canyon and reached around 400 mph (644 km/h) before the parachutes deployed and landed safely in a field, 1,400 feet (427 meters) away on the other side.
"I like to say I'm not doing something that Evel Knievel couldn't do," he told the Idaho Statesman before making the jump. "I'm simply finishing out his dream. How many people get to finish the dream of their hero?"
According to Popular Mechanics report, Braun's rocket was built by Scott Truax, whose father built the original one for Evel Knievel. The new machine was based on the old plans down to every bolt, with the only modifications being done to the parachute system.
Although this was the first man to try the stunt since Knievel's attempt, Braun had trouble finding sponsors. So he had to spend about $1.5 million of his own money to build and test the rocket.
But even so, the guy said he was happy to do it. First, he scored a Guinness World Record and, second, he wanted to pay homage to Knievel, the celebrity he got inspired by to become a stuntman.
Back in 1974, Knievel tried the same stunt, but he landed at the bottom of the canyon as his parachute opened too early. Braun got inspired by this story and wanted to prove the daredevil could have made it across the canyon if his parachute had deployed at the right time.
The contraption was launched off a steep ramp on the edge of the canyon and reached around 400 mph (644 km/h) before the parachutes deployed and landed safely in a field, 1,400 feet (427 meters) away on the other side.
"I like to say I'm not doing something that Evel Knievel couldn't do," he told the Idaho Statesman before making the jump. "I'm simply finishing out his dream. How many people get to finish the dream of their hero?"
According to Popular Mechanics report, Braun's rocket was built by Scott Truax, whose father built the original one for Evel Knievel. The new machine was based on the old plans down to every bolt, with the only modifications being done to the parachute system.
Although this was the first man to try the stunt since Knievel's attempt, Braun had trouble finding sponsors. So he had to spend about $1.5 million of his own money to build and test the rocket.
But even so, the guy said he was happy to do it. First, he scored a Guinness World Record and, second, he wanted to pay homage to Knievel, the celebrity he got inspired by to become a stuntman.
Back in 1974, Knievel tried the same stunt, but he landed at the bottom of the canyon as his parachute opened too early. Braun got inspired by this story and wanted to prove the daredevil could have made it across the canyon if his parachute had deployed at the right time.
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