Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Toys/Games
We all did it as kids – grabbing one end of an impossibly long stretch of plastic track, heaving it up and attaching one end to the highest object we could find (usually a door) and creating a ramp at the other end with a carefully planned trajectory to score the longest possible airborne distance, then finally setting our favorite Hot Wheels car on a journey of no return.
Team Hot Wheels, a newly created group of stuntmen and extreme sports addicts, are setting out to recreate those childhood memories in the real world. To get there, the group is assembling a 100-foot-tall starting ramp in the shape of a door that leads to – you guessed it – a giant jump. The resulting flight has a goal of reaching 302 feet, which would be a new world record distance.
We don’t know who’s piloting the machine just yet (we suspect we’ll find out for sure if it’s an official record). In any case, it’s the actual off-road truck, which features rear fins reminiscent of a ’59 Cadillac, and the giant Hot Wheels V-Drop replica track that are the real stars here.
Are you asking yourself why Hot Wheels is going to all this trouble to promote kids toys? Well, therein lies the issue. These don’t have to be just toys for kids – Hot Wheels is hoping to attract the attention of adults (males mostly, as you’d imagine) that grew up with these little cars and have fond memories of them. Collectors, take note.
Click past the break for a little teaser video of the event that’s scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 29th. You’ll also find the complete press release for your reading pleasure, if you’re so inclined.
[Source: Hot Wheels]
Continue reading Hot Wheels to attempt World’s Longest Jump at Indy 500 [w/video]
Hot Wheels to attempt World’s Longest Jump at Indy 500 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It seems there aren’t many news cycles that go by without a celebrity being accused of cheating on their spouse. But for some reason, when Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson is alleged to have been caught making out with a production assistant on the Top Gear World Tour, he gets a £1 million ($1.64M U.S.) offer to be the spokesperson for an adultery website.
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The Isle of Man TT Races could become an international series as soon as 2014, according to the British island’s government. The Isle of Man’s Department of Economic Development is considering expanding its most-recognized brand into a multi-national racing series.
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