AXELL HODGES CRASHES WHILE PREPARING FOR WORLD-RECORD DISTANCE JUMP

On Jul 6, 2019 Last updated Jul 7, 2019

AXELL HODGES INJURED IN CRASH WHILE PREPARING FOR WORLD-RECORD DISTANCE JUMP AT THE EVEL LIVE 2 EVENT THIS SUNDAY

This is how Axell landed, right before he crashed. – photo by the History Channel

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO OF THE CRASH

While preparing for the Evel Live 2 event this Sunday, Axell Hodges crashed and injured both of his ankles. Axell was attempting to jump further than any man has jumped before by exceeding Robbie Madison’s 2011 stunt when he soared 378 feet and 9 inches. Now the History Channel in partnership with Nitro Circus have announced a revamped format of this Sunday’s live television event “Evel Live 2” due to to the crash. In the revamped show, beginning at 9pm ET, exclusive crash footage of Hodges will be revealed and four-time X Games Medalist Vicki Golden will aim to set a new world record in an epic live motorcycle firewall stunt.

Axell Hodges practicing the long jump. – photo by the History Channel

“Having a crash ahead of something you’ve been working so hard toward just plain sucks,” said Axell Hodges. “The team and I were making a lot of progress during testing and the distances we were approaching looked good for Sunday’s event. Unfortunately, I made a mistake in air and wasn’t able to adjust in time for landing. I’m shocked I’m not in worse shape and feel extremely grateful to have been able to get up from this crash.”

Axell Hodges started racing motocross in the amateur ranks but he became a star when he turned his focus from racing to making free-riding videos and competing in the X Games Best Whip and High Jump competitions.

Viewers will first watch as Golden aims to shatter the motorcycle firewall record where she will speed through a series of flaming wooden boards. Golden will be the first female to attempt to break the current record of 12 which was set back in 2007. The motorcycle that will power her through the flames is the Indian FTR1200 S with a 1203cc V-Twin engine, 120 horsepower and 87 ft-lbs of low-end torque. “When pushing the limits of what is possible, risk comes with the territory, and the extraordinary feats which Vicki and Axell have been training so hard for contain so much risk that few riders would even think of taking them on,” said Andy Edwards, Nitro Circus CEO. “While Axell is devastated not to be able to ride this Sunday, we know he is excited for Vicki as she aims to make history.”

X Games Medalist Vicki Golden will aim to set a new world record in an epic live motorcycle firewall stunt. Vicki was already set to be apart of the show, but now her stunt will be the main attraction.

How do you prepare to break the firewall record? “Unfortunately, there’s no good way to practice going through walls except to go through the walls,” Golden told Road & Track in the days leading up to Evel Live 2. “If I’m sitting upright, I could just get pulled off the bike. Debris is going to get stuck in my chest and in my lap. And, you know, if it’s on fire, that’s definitely not going to be good,” she said.

She’ll be aiming for an average speed of around 30 mph. “The two points of contact are the front of the bike and my forehead,” she said. “If I start going any faster, I might literally give myself a concussion.” Tucked down behind the handlebars, she’ll have a severely constrained view ahead. “When you’re flying blind at 30 miles an hour, that’s pretty fast,” she said.

And did we mention these walls will be on fire? “The heat kind of gets trapped,” she said. “The fire stays with you. Once you start going through multiple walls, it’s never able to get away from you.”

VICKI GOLDEN IS READY FOR THE EVEL LIVE 2 EVENT