New record for flying Freightliner
Daredevil stuntman Gregg Godfrey has set a new record for jumping a prime mover at the Evel Knievel Days stunt festival in the USWe keep hearing that autonomous trucks are just around the corner – maybe they'll be able to fly too? Certainly stunt maestro Gregg Godfrey already has 'the jump' on the competition, as he just smashed the record for jumping a prime mover at the Evel Knievel Days stunt extravaganza held in Butte, Montana.
Godfrey piloted his nine-tonne Freightliner for a distance of 166 feet (50.6 metres) between two earth ramps at the event, obliterating the existing record
set by EMC and the Lotus F1 team last year.
It was a big day for the Godfrey family, as Gregg's nephew Tanner Godfrey also set a world record of his own – for jumping a Polaris RZR side-by-side vehicle for a total of 202 feet (61.6 metres).
Via Instagram, Gregg Godfrey said the jump went off far better than he ever expected.
"Got the record at a 160ft," he wrote.
"I meant to only go 140. So stoked for @tgodfrey155 for go over 200ft in his Polaris RZR. Thanks to everyone for your support."
Gregg Godfrey reportedly accelerated his truck to 70mph (112km/h) in order to make the jump, which was executed before a crowd of around 2000 people.
The Evel Knievel Days festival was held over January 23 to 25 in Butte, the birthplace of the late stuntman extraordinaire after which the event is named.
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