Even though Evel Knievel died in 2007 at the age of 69, he still lives today by way of Motocross legend Travis Pastrana.
Over the weekend, Pastrana, just 34 years old, performed three of Evel Knievel's iconic jumps, during a live event broadcast on the History Channel, including a jump over the Caesar's Palace fountains that nearly killed Knievel when he attempted it 50 years ago.
But there were TWO differences with the fountain jump....Pastrana had HALF the distance to get the bike to speed needed for the jump (70 mph) and he jumped the opposite way that Evel did.
The jumps were replicated down to the bike. Pastrana normally jumps with a dirt bike, but for these jumps, he used a specially made 'heavy bike,' an Indian Scout FTR750. At 350 pounds, the bike was more than 100 pounds heavier and with 8 inches less suspension than Pastrana is used to.
And he looked the part, wearing an Evel Knievel-like iconic red, white and blue leather suit and boots, complete with a cape, which was taken off before each jump.
He made all the jumps look easy...clearing the fountain with room to spare.
He jumped 52 crushed cars, clearing 143 feet.
And, he jumped 16 Greyhound buses at a distance of more than 192 feet.
"It's just such an honor to live a day in Evel's footsteps, and literally his boots. To be here in Las Vegas, so much of my history has been here. I proposed to my wife here, I had (the) first Nitro Circus show here. This was definitely the coolest thing I've ever done.
This is all about Evel, and the coolest thing about this whole thing, all of Evel's family is out here. This is the home of the most iconic jump, one of the most iconic events that has ever gone down. And to end at Caesars Palace, to have a chance to jump the fountain. It's not the longest jump but it's definitely the hardest."