On Sunday swarms of people headed down to the Strip to witness Travis Pastrana pay tribute to Evel Knievel by completing three of Knievel's most famously-attempted jumps. The first was to jump 52 stacked cars, in honor of Knievel's jump of 50 stacked cars in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1973. The second jump was of 16 Greyhound buses, in reflection of an (ultimately failed) attempted to clear 13 buses at London's Wembley Stadium in 1975.
The final jump Pastrana attempted was the famous jump of the fountains at Caesars Palace. Knievel made his attempt in 1967, but failed, resulting in being unconscious for 29 days after the jump and sustaining multiple injuries. Despite the failed attempt, the Caesars Palace jump helped skyrocket Knievel into American icon status and helped further his career as one of the most famous "daredevils" in American history. In 1989, Evel Knievel's son Robbie Knievel successfully jumped the fountains, completing something his father was not able to do.
Pastrana cleared the Caesars Palace fountains with ease, making history and celebrating by diving into the fountain.
Photos: Getty Images
Pastrana's jump of 52 stacked cars:
Jump 2, of 16 Greyhound buses:
Jump 3, of the Caesars Palace fountains: