The Crowd Pleaser.

[Missoula, Montana]

This man was getting a haircut at the same time that I was.

Today he was going to the fair and jump a Subaru.

He was asked to clarify this, was he going OVER the car or was the CAR going over something?

The car was going up a ramp at 40mph and would be airborne for an unspecified amount of time.

Was there going to be a landing ramp or just the level ground?
“Just the ground” he said proudly.

I asked “how high up do you think the car will go?”
He thought about fifteen feet. (I thought that sounded painful.)

While we were both getting our haircut I found out a few more details.
It's called a Tough Truck Competition. It is a whole course in an arena with a lot of bumps, corners, moguls, and a jump.
Last year he did it in his truck and the frame broke behind the cab so the whole truck was in a vee-shape dragging on the ground between the front and rear wheels.
THIS year he is better prepared. He's got a Subaru.

He shortened the steering column to give more slamming room for his chest and he removed 450 pounds worth of unneeded stuff. He has a harness, but he didn't mention a rollcage. (The rollcage may have been sacrificed in an effort to reduce weight and increase flying time.)

When he was registering for the race the guys were shocked when he said his truck was going to be a Subaru, but after the laughing and snortin was over they said that they “had heard that those for'en cars can take corners pretty good”.

... Yes, he gets paid.
“$500” he says with a big grin.

... Yes, there is a prize for the winner of the Tough Truck Competition but he's not even trying to win, he's just doing it to please the crowd.
The BIG Jump.

Jump higher and land harder than anybody else.

“It should work. I think I'll be okay.”

“I'm just doing it to please the crowd!”

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COMMENTS
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chemo-sabe said...
Obviously, this dude never heard of the Darwin Awards!!!!

Love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!

chemo-sabe

August 24, 2007 8:55 AM