Extreme rider jumps 82m - in a rally car! (V)

Published Jan 7, 2010

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RAMPED UP: Watch Travis Pastrana's record rally car jump - over water.

Rally cars often become airborne over obstacles on special stages and their suspension is built to take it but imagine jumping a Subaru Impreza STI 82m from one ramp to another - over water!

That's what extreme sportsman Travis Pastrana did at the No Limits event at Rainbow Harbour in Long Beach, California to set a World record for jumping a rally car, 30m further than the previous mark set by his team mate Ken Block in 2006

The four-times Rally America champion and nine-times X Games gold medallist launched a Subaru off the Pine Avenue Pier at 147km/h, soared 82m over Rainbow Harbour and landed on a floating barge in front of more than 75 000 fans.

Pastrana said: "I was really nervous all day long but when I got in the car I felt really calm. It was a lot more fun than any of my practice runs and, when I landed, man, did that retaining wall come up fast! I'm just happy the car and I didn't end up in the drink."

Subaru had supplied three Impreza STIs for Pastrana to work with but the one he used for the record jump was actually the one he rolled in practice.

"This is this is a street-legal car with a roll cage and some safety adjustments," he said, "but the suspension is pretty much the same as the rally set-up. We didn't put any additives in the fuel, just changed some of the gear ratios."

Pastrana - the first rider to pull off a double back-flip on a motorcycle - celebrated with a back flip off the ramp into the harbour. - INL Motoring

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