Photo: Guinness World Records
The Ford Ranger Raptor and stunt driver Paul Swift now hold the record for driving through a 35-inch gap on two wheels. As strange as it may seem, this duo is not the first to do it.
The stunt driver maneuvred the pickup truck through the gap of only 34.6 inches (88 centimeters). How did he do it, you would ask if you didn’t read the title and saw the main photo first.
It is a vehicle that measures 85.8 inches (2,179 millimeters) in width. So, how can it squeeze through that gap? Keep in mind that it is the narrowest gap that has ever been navigated by a pickup truck.
That’s where stunt driver Paul Swift comes in. He was the one who lifted the pickup truck up on two wheels. The stunt took place earlier this month, as part of the Guinness World Record Day.
The record was determined by measuring the exact width of the gap between the two obstacles that he had to put the truck through, in relation to the height of the truck. He thus broke the previous record by 0.39 inches (one centimeter).
Paul Swift managed to complete the world record after several failed attempts. Wind posed a major problem for the driver and the Ford Ranger Raptor, as it unbalanced the vehicle.
Furthermore, another vehicle would have helped more in this endeavor. It is a 4,232-pound (1,919-kilogram) pickup truck, which means that the team had to reinforce the ramp that launched the vehicle into the air. The height of the suspension also complicated things in terms of balance.
But the body-on-frame construction of the Ranger makes it one sturdy vehicle, which would not go to pieces if the other two wheels slam back onto the tarmac.
Paul Swift knows the Ranger well. He used it for other previous stunts, so he knows exactly what it can and cannot do. He labels it as “sort of indestructible.”
The Ford Ranger Raptor is powered by the Blue Oval’s 3.0-liter V6 EcoBoost linked to a ten-speed automatic. The power unit generates 405 horsepower (411 PS) and 430 lb-ft (582 Nm) of torque.
Swift also holds the record for the tightest parallel park in an electric car with a MINI and achieved the shortest time to perform five automotive stunts.
Stunt driving run in the family. Paul’s father, Russ Swift, was also a stunt driver. Paul grew up performing stunts since he was seven. According to his own website, the first of the stunts was on the family ride-on lawn mower in 1986.
He is also a seven-time British Motorsport Champion. He secured both the MSA Autotest Championship three times and the BTRDA Rally four times.
It is a vehicle that measures 85.8 inches (2,179 millimeters) in width. So, how can it squeeze through that gap? Keep in mind that it is the narrowest gap that has ever been navigated by a pickup truck.
That’s where stunt driver Paul Swift comes in. He was the one who lifted the pickup truck up on two wheels. The stunt took place earlier this month, as part of the Guinness World Record Day.
The record was determined by measuring the exact width of the gap between the two obstacles that he had to put the truck through, in relation to the height of the truck. He thus broke the previous record by 0.39 inches (one centimeter).
Paul Swift managed to complete the world record after several failed attempts. Wind posed a major problem for the driver and the Ford Ranger Raptor, as it unbalanced the vehicle.
Furthermore, another vehicle would have helped more in this endeavor. It is a 4,232-pound (1,919-kilogram) pickup truck, which means that the team had to reinforce the ramp that launched the vehicle into the air. The height of the suspension also complicated things in terms of balance.
But the body-on-frame construction of the Ranger makes it one sturdy vehicle, which would not go to pieces if the other two wheels slam back onto the tarmac.
Paul Swift knows the Ranger well. He used it for other previous stunts, so he knows exactly what it can and cannot do. He labels it as “sort of indestructible.”
The Ford Ranger Raptor is powered by the Blue Oval’s 3.0-liter V6 EcoBoost linked to a ten-speed automatic. The power unit generates 405 horsepower (411 PS) and 430 lb-ft (582 Nm) of torque.
Swift also holds the record for the tightest parallel park in an electric car with a MINI and achieved the shortest time to perform five automotive stunts.
Stunt driving run in the family. Paul’s father, Russ Swift, was also a stunt driver. Paul grew up performing stunts since he was seven. According to his own website, the first of the stunts was on the family ride-on lawn mower in 1986.
He is also a seven-time British Motorsport Champion. He secured both the MSA Autotest Championship three times and the BTRDA Rally four times.
Congratulations to stunt driver Paul Swift, who took to one side of wheels to set the record for the tightest gap driven through by a pickup truck on two wheels ????#GWRDay pic.twitter.com/4N1dKDlvUV
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) November 16, 2023
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