Bench Racing Ammo: 310' 4"
November 4, 2005 9:13am
“UNFREAKIN’ BELIEVABLE!” Monster Energy’s Ryan Capes Is First Ever To Eclipse Improbable 300-Foot Barrier!”
That was the title of the press release that was sent out after Washington’s Ryan Capes set the new world record over the weekend, jumping a Honda CR250R an amazing 310’ 4”, according to the news reports, thus surpassing the previous record, set earlier this year by Trigger Gumm at 277’. To see some incredible video footage of Capes' jump, click here—the video link is just below the photo. (It looks like that video will only work with Internet Explorer. If you're using a different browser, or if you'd like to get another perspective on the day's events, check out this Quicktime-format video as well.)
Let’s take a more in-depth look at what’s involved with distance jumping, the sport that Evel Knievel made famous, and who some of the past and current record holders are.
First off, the jump that Ryan Capes set the record with over the weekend was a ramp-to-dirt jump, which is defined on Johnny Airtime’s website (www.Johnnyairtime.com) as such:
RAMP TO DIRT RAMP. This category puts a ramp in place for the launch
and uses a landing ramp made of dirt for the landing. This is measured
just as a ramp-to-ramp jump would be measured, with ramp gap being
primary, then total distance and then clear gap. Dirt is an entirely
different medium than ramp structures and deserves its own category.
Those who over jump a ramp to dirt ramp jump and land on flat ground
will be listed as a flatlander.
a. RAMP GAP. The most important ramp-to-ramp record is measured in ramp gap. The ramp gap is the measurement from the high end of the launch ramp, past the flat, approximately level dirt protective apron, to the highest and nearest point of the downward angled dirt-landing ramp.
b. TOTAL JUMP DISTANCE. This record is of secondary importance to the ramp gap world record. This is the longest total jump distance ever recorded in ramp to dirt ramp jumping. It is measured from the top end of the launch ramp to the nearest edge of the nearest mark made by the motorcycle. The previous records are listed below:
Current 500cc record holder: Trigger Gumm, 250 feet*, 5-14-2005 at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records, Queensland Raceway, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
*verification pending
Previous 500cc record holder: Trigger Gumm, 193 feet, 11-11-2003, Diamond Bar, California
Previous 500cc record holder: Seth Enslow, 180 feet, Apple Valley, CA.
Current 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 235 feet, 10-29-2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA.
Previous 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 210 feet, 9-19-2003, Las Vegas Speedway, Las Vegas, NV.
Current MiniMoto record holder: Kyle Coen, 85 feet, 2 inches, 10-29-2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA.
c. TOTAL JUMP DISTANCE. This record is of secondary importance to the ramp gap world record. This is the longest total jump distance ever recorded in ramp to dirt ramp jumping. It is measured from the top end of the launch ramp to the nearest edge of the nearest mark made by the motorcycle.
Current 500cc record holder: Trigger Gumm, 277.5 feet, Honda CR500, 5-14-2005 at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records, Queensland Raceway, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
Previous 500cc record holder: Trigger Gumm, 208 feet, Honda CR500, Diamond Bar, CA, November 11, 2003 (Jeff Laubscher)
Previous 500cc record holder: Seth Enslow, 204 feet, Service Honda CR500AF, Apple Valley, CA
Note: this was the day before SE's 245'3" crash in Apple Valley, CA
Current 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 310 feet, 4 inches, Honda CR250, October 29, 2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA
Previous 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 260 feet, Honda CR250, September 19, 2003, Las Vegas Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
Current Women's 250cc record holder: Mary Perkins, 159.4 feet, 2006 Yamaha YZ250 on October 4, 2005 for a Guinness TV show at Bindoon Bike Drag Park in Perth, Australia.
2nd longest 250cc jump: Larry Linkogle, 255.4 feet, KTM 250 two stroke, 5-14-2005 at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records, Queensland Raceway, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
Current 125cc record holder: Robbie Maddison, 221 feet, Honda CR125, 5-14-2005 at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records, Queensland Raceway, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
Current quad record holder: Jamie Barkla, 149 feet, Yamaha YFZ450,
Current MiniMoto record holder: Kyle Coen, 108.5 feet, 10-29-2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA.
Note: Seth's triple clamp broke off during his 229-foot total distance jump, which is not listed here.
d. CLEAR GAP. This record is for the rider who jumps the largest clear gap with a dirt landing ramp.
Current 500cc record holder: Seth Enslow, 160 feet, Apple Valley, CA
Current 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 211 feet, 10-29-2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA
Previous 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 190 feet, 9-19-2003, Las Vegas Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
Not only did Ryan Capes break the world distance record, but he also broke the height record.
HIGHEST JUMP. This record is for the greatest height attained at apogee from the level ground the jumper accelerates on to approach the launch ramp. The jumper must land on a landing ramp to return to the same or approximate ground level as the launch ramp sits on. The landing ramp should not be so high as to be near apogee; this is not a step-up jump record.
Current 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 10-29-2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA, 55.7 feet, Honda CR250.
Current 500cc record holder: Butch Laswell, 55 feet, Honda CR500.
All of this information is courtesy of www.johnnyairtime.com.
That was the title of the press release that was sent out after Washington’s Ryan Capes set the new world record over the weekend, jumping a Honda CR250R an amazing 310’ 4”, according to the news reports, thus surpassing the previous record, set earlier this year by Trigger Gumm at 277’. To see some incredible video footage of Capes' jump, click here—the video link is just below the photo. (It looks like that video will only work with Internet Explorer. If you're using a different browser, or if you'd like to get another perspective on the day's events, check out this Quicktime-format video as well.)
Let’s take a more in-depth look at what’s involved with distance jumping, the sport that Evel Knievel made famous, and who some of the past and current record holders are.
First off, the jump that Ryan Capes set the record with over the weekend was a ramp-to-dirt jump, which is defined on Johnny Airtime’s website (www.Johnnyairtime.com) as such:
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a. RAMP GAP. The most important ramp-to-ramp record is measured in ramp gap. The ramp gap is the measurement from the high end of the launch ramp, past the flat, approximately level dirt protective apron, to the highest and nearest point of the downward angled dirt-landing ramp.
b. TOTAL JUMP DISTANCE. This record is of secondary importance to the ramp gap world record. This is the longest total jump distance ever recorded in ramp to dirt ramp jumping. It is measured from the top end of the launch ramp to the nearest edge of the nearest mark made by the motorcycle. The previous records are listed below:
Current 500cc record holder: Trigger Gumm, 250 feet*, 5-14-2005 at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records, Queensland Raceway, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
*verification pending
Previous 500cc record holder: Trigger Gumm, 193 feet, 11-11-2003, Diamond Bar, California
Previous 500cc record holder: Seth Enslow, 180 feet, Apple Valley, CA.
Current 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 235 feet, 10-29-2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA.
Previous 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 210 feet, 9-19-2003, Las Vegas Speedway, Las Vegas, NV.
Current MiniMoto record holder: Kyle Coen, 85 feet, 2 inches, 10-29-2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA.
c. TOTAL JUMP DISTANCE. This record is of secondary importance to the ramp gap world record. This is the longest total jump distance ever recorded in ramp to dirt ramp jumping. It is measured from the top end of the launch ramp to the nearest edge of the nearest mark made by the motorcycle.
Current 500cc record holder: Trigger Gumm, 277.5 feet, Honda CR500, 5-14-2005 at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records, Queensland Raceway, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
Previous 500cc record holder: Trigger Gumm, 208 feet, Honda CR500, Diamond Bar, CA, November 11, 2003 (Jeff Laubscher)
Previous 500cc record holder: Seth Enslow, 204 feet, Service Honda CR500AF, Apple Valley, CA
Note: this was the day before SE's 245'3" crash in Apple Valley, CA
Current 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 310 feet, 4 inches, Honda CR250, October 29, 2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA
Previous 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 260 feet, Honda CR250, September 19, 2003, Las Vegas Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
Current Women's 250cc record holder: Mary Perkins, 159.4 feet, 2006 Yamaha YZ250 on October 4, 2005 for a Guinness TV show at Bindoon Bike Drag Park in Perth, Australia.
2nd longest 250cc jump: Larry Linkogle, 255.4 feet, KTM 250 two stroke, 5-14-2005 at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records, Queensland Raceway, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
Current 125cc record holder: Robbie Maddison, 221 feet, Honda CR125, 5-14-2005 at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records, Queensland Raceway, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
Current quad record holder: Jamie Barkla, 149 feet, Yamaha YFZ450,
Current MiniMoto record holder: Kyle Coen, 108.5 feet, 10-29-2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA.
Note: Seth's triple clamp broke off during his 229-foot total distance jump, which is not listed here.
d. CLEAR GAP. This record is for the rider who jumps the largest clear gap with a dirt landing ramp.
Current 500cc record holder: Seth Enslow, 160 feet, Apple Valley, CA
Current 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 211 feet, 10-29-2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA
Previous 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 190 feet, 9-19-2003, Las Vegas Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
Not only did Ryan Capes break the world distance record, but he also broke the height record.
HIGHEST JUMP. This record is for the greatest height attained at apogee from the level ground the jumper accelerates on to approach the launch ramp. The jumper must land on a landing ramp to return to the same or approximate ground level as the launch ramp sits on. The landing ramp should not be so high as to be near apogee; this is not a step-up jump record.
Current 250cc record holder: Ryan Capes, 10-29-2005, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA, 55.7 feet, Honda CR250.
Current 500cc record holder: Butch Laswell, 55 feet, Honda CR500.
All of this information is courtesy of www.johnnyairtime.com.