Travis Pastrana wants to do what legendary stuntman Evel Knievel never could.
The multi-time X Games winner is booked for a special event in Las Vegas on Sunday night where he will attempt to break a number of Knievel’s records by jumping over 52 crushed cars, 16 lined up buses and, finally, the fountains at Caesars Palace.
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Knievel famously tried to jump the fountains on New Year’s Eve in 1967 but crashed when his motorcycle began to loose power as it made its way along the ramp. He suffered 40 broken bones in the crash, including a crushed pelvis and femur and was rumored to be in a coma for nearly a month after the fact.
Pastrana explained in an interview with PEOPLE that he’s attempting the jump as a tribute to Knievel.
“My dad, he has five brothers and they all had motorcycles and lived by the philosophies of Evel Knievel,” Pastrana said. “Henceforth I grew up learning, ‘be a man of your word, and if you say you’re gonna do something do it.’ Evel knew he wasn’t gonna make the jump at Wembley, but he said he was going to do it, so he went and he jumped it anyway. You only fail if you don’t try.”
The jump clocks in at 141-feet, the longest jump Knievel ever attempted throughout his storied stuntman career. Pastrana will use an Indian Motorcycle Scout FTR750 to try and make the stunt.
Pastrana will pay tribute to Knievel by wearing an American themed outfit for the stunt, complete white leather boots and a cape.
“Evel always wore a cape and white leathers, and he captured that America theme that everyone knows,” he said. “So we even went as far as going to the same tailor who did Evel’s boots, and they’re probably the most expensive item I’ve ever had! Definitely the most expensive shoes I’ve ever had.”
The event, dubbed Evel Live, will air on History at 8 p.m. ET.
Pastrana said his goal with the show is to help get a new generation excited about extreme sports.
“Our main goal is to help promote active lifestyles and basically, action sports,” Pastrana said. “Getting kids off the couch and riding their BMX bikes or their skateboards and help older generations of people to understand these are real sports now. At the same time, we get to honor a legend and I get to step up and see if I can actually fly a tank.”
