Watch These British Daredevils Impersonate Evel Knievel
People have been coming up with new types of motor sport since the dawn of the automotive age. Whether it comes in the form of high-speed open wheel or local stock car racing, folks spend nearly every weekend of the year pushing automotive limits. That said, we’re fairly certain you’ve never seen a motorsports event quite like the U.K.’s annual Car Jumping Championship.
Like something straight out of a Top Gear episode, drivers from across the U.K. come together every year to put on their best Evel Knievel impressions for a crowd of onlookers at Angmering Raceway’s oval circuit in West Sussex. The participants are tasked with taking beater hatchbacks and launching them off of a shockingly steep ramp, with the ultimate goal of clearing a large collection of vehicles parked below. Some of the braver competitors even attach a caravan camper to the back of their rides for an additional challenge. Like with most of Knievel's own stunts, things don’t always go so well for the drivers. As can be seen in the TikTok below, some of the resulting shunts are quite hard. An incomplete jump doesn’t necessarily mean disaster in the championship however, as points are awarded across several categories, including spectator reactions. That said, plenty of drivers are able to get some spine-shattering air after leaping off the ramp. Most vehicles understandably don’t make it past the first run, but any surviving cars are allowed to give the ramp another go. Why you would do such a thing is beyond me.
While crashes are a part of motorsport, there aren’t many events where it's a guaranteed experience for all of the drivers involved. As such, there is certainly an ever-present injury risk involved with this car-based long jump. As anyone who has jumped a vehicle can attest, landing is rarely a high mark of automotive pleasure. Then again, it’s hard to put a price on glory. On the other hand, back surgery is fairly simple to price out.
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