Life of Evel: Evel Knievel (28 page)
1965
Date: Unknown
Venue: Moses Lake, Washington
Distance/obstacle: 40 feet over a box of rattlesnakes and two mountain lions.
Bike: 350cc Honda Twin
Details: Made the jump but clipped box on landing. Injuries: Sprained ankle
Date: 23 January
Venue: National Date Festival Grounds, Indio, California Distance/obstacle: 45 feet over two pick-up trucks parked end to end.
Bike: 750cc Norton
Details: The jump was successful and was the climax to a show by his newly formed troupe ‘Evel Knievel and his Motorcycle Daredevils’.
Injuries: None
Date: 10 February
Venue: Barstow, California
Distance/obstacle: n/a*
Bike: 750cc Norton
Details: Wind prohibited motorcycle jump so Evel attempted a star jump over speeding motorcycle but was struck in the groin.
Injuries: Several broken ribs
Date: 1 June
Venue: State Line Gardens, Post Falls, Idaho
Distance/obstacle: n/a
Bike: 750cc Norton
Details: n/a
Injuries: n/a
Date: 19 June
Venue: Missoula Auto Track, Missoula, Montana
Distance/obstacle: 13 cars
Bike: 750cc Norton
Details: Cleared 12 cars before landing short and crashing out.
Injuries: Knocked unconscious and suffered broken left arm and several ribs.
Date: 21 August
Venue: Great Falls Speedway, Great Falls, Montana Distance/obstacle: n/a
Bike: 750cc Norton
Details: Still injured from his Missoula jump, Evel merely made an appearance while his ‘Motorcycle Daredevils’ performed. This was the last performance from the troupe before Evel went solo.
Injuries: None
Date: 30 October
Venue: Naranche Memorial Drag Strip, Butte, Montana
Distance/obstacle: 14 cars
Bike: 750cc Norton
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 9 March
Venue: Ascot Park Speedway, Gardena, California
Distance/obstacle: 15 cars
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: June
Venue: Ascot Park Speedway, Gardena, California
Distance/obstacle: 16 cars
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 28 July
Venue: Graham Speedway, Tacoma, Washington
Distance/obstacle: 16 cars
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Cleared the cars but fell off on landing.
Injuries: Light concussion
Date: 18 August
Venue: Graham Speedway, Tacoma, Washington
Distance/obstacle: 16 cars
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 24 September
Venue: Evergreen Speedway, Monroe, Washington
Distance/obstacle: 16 Chevrolets
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Cleared the jump but landed hard.
Injuries: Compression fracture to lower spine.
Date: 23–26 November
Venue: San Francisco Civic Center, San Francisco
Distance/obstacle: 100 feet over three motorcycles, a Triumph Banner, a Volkswagen bus and a van.
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Three successful jumps over a three-day period.
Injuries: None
Date: December
Venue: Long Beach Sports Arena, Long Beach, California (indoor)**
Distance/obstacle: 10 cars
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 31 December
Venue: Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
Distance/obstacle: 141 feet over the fountains outside Caesar’s Palace hotel/casino.
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Cleared the fountains but crashed heavily on landing.
Injuries: Multiple broken ribs, broken left hip, crushed pelvis, 29-day coma and hospitalised for 37 days.
Date: 25 May
Venue: Beeline Dragway, Scottsdale, Arizona
Distance/obstacle: 13 cars
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Crashed on landing.
Injuries: Broken leg and fractured foot.
Date: 3 August
Venue: Meridian Speedway, Meridian, Idaho
Distance/obstacle: 13 cars
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 26 August
Venue: Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds Speedway, Spokane, Washington
Distance/obstacle: 13 cars
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 7 September
Venue: Missoula Auto Track, Missoula, Montana
Distance/obstacle: 13 cars
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 13 & 15 September
Venue: Utah State Fair, Salt Lake City, Utah
Distance/obstacle: n/a
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: n/a
Injuries: n/a
Date: 13 October
Venue: Tahoe-Carson Speedway, Carson City, Nevada
Distance/obstacle: 10 cars
Bike: 650cc Triumph Bonneville T120
Details: Crashed on the tenth car.
Injuries: Broke right shoulder and re-broke left hip. Contracted staph infection while in hospital.
Date: 24–27 April
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California.
Distance/obstacle: 80 feet over eight cars.
Bike: 750cc American Eagle (manufactured by Laverda)
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 23 January
Venue: Cow Palace, San Francisco (indoor)
Distance/obstacle: 11 cars
Bike: 750cc American Eagle (manufactured by Laverda)
Details: New indoor record
Injuries: None
Date: 5 April
Venue: Seattle International Raceway, Kent, Washington
Distance/obstacle: 13 cars/18 cars
Bike: 750cc American Eagle (manufactured by Laverda)
Details: Blew out rear tyre during practice jump over 13 cars then cleared 120 feet over 18 cars, a new personal best.
Injuries: None
Date: 10 May
Venue: Yakima Speedway, Yakima, Washington
Distance/obstacle: 100 feet over 13 Pepsi-Cola delivery trucks.
Bike: 750cc American Eagle (manufactured by Laverda)
Details: Landed on safety ramp covering thirteenth truck and fell off bike.
Injuries: Broken collarbone
Date: 19 June
Venue: Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver (indoor)
Distance/obstacle: 12 cars
Bike: 750cc American Eagle (manufactured by Laverda)
Details: Successfully set new indoor personal best.
Injuries: None
Date: 4 July
Venue: Seattle International Raceway, Kent, Washington Distance/obstacle: 19 cars
Bike: 750cc American Eagle (manufactured by Laverda)
Details: Set new outdoor personal best but slid off after landing on wet grass.
Injuries: Several cracked ribs and fractured vertebrae.
Date: 16 August
Venue: Pocono International Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Distance/obstacle: n/a
Bike: 750cc American Eagle (manufactured by Laverda)
Details: Crashed on landing.
Injuries: Cracked vertebrae, broken shoulder and broken right hand.
Date: 12 December
Venue: Lions Drag Strip, Los Angeles, California
Distance/obstacle: 13 cars
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 2 January
Venue: Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas (indoor)
Distance/obstacle: 13 vehicles
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Twice cleared indoor record of 13 vehicles.
Injuries: None
Date: 27–28 February
Venue: Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario, California
Distance/obstacle: 129 feet over 19 cars.
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successfully set new personal best.
Injuries: Fractured right hand during preliminary jump.
Date: 26–28 March
Venue: Chicago International Amphitheater, Chicago, Illinois
Distance/obstacle: n/a
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: n/a
Injuries: n/a
Date: 8–11 July
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York (indoor)
Distance/obstacle: Nine cars and one van
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Made four clear jumps over four nights.
Injuries: None
Date: 15–17 July
Venue: Lancaster Speedway, Buffalo, New York
Distance/obstacle: 13 vehicles
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 29–30 July
Venue: Pocono Downs horse track, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Distance/obstacle: 12 Stegmaier Beer trucks
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 27–28 August
Venue: Philadelphia Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance/obstacle: 10 Chevrolets
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 16–18 September
Venue: Great Barrington Fair, Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Distance/obstacle: 16 cars/10 cars
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Cleared 16 cars on first night but lost control after landing. Second night cancelled due to rain, cleared ten cars on third night.
Injuries: None
Date: 25–26 September
Venue: Kansas State Fair, Hutchinson, Kansas
Distance/obstacle: 10 Kenworth trucks
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 21 October
Venue: Oregon Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon (indoor)
Distance/obstacle: 12 cars and 2 vans
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Set new indoor record but suffered heavy landing.
Injuries: Broken left hand
Date: 23 January
Venue: Tucson Dragway, Tucson, Arizona
Distance/obstacle: 12 cars and 3 vans
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful despite rough landing.
Injuries: None
Date: 11–13 February
Venue: Chicago International Amphitheater, Chicago, Illinois
Distance/obstacle: n/a
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 2–3 March
Venue: Cow Palace, San Francisco, California
Distance/obstacle: 12 cars/15 cars
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successfully cleared 12 cars on first night but crashed heavily while landing on second night.
Injuries: Broken ankle, heavily bruised hand and ribs.
Date: 24–26 March
Venue: State Fairgrounds Coliseum, Detroit, Michigan
Distance/obstacle: 13 cars
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successfully cleared 13 cars but crashed into a wall after landing.
Injuries: Broken collarbone
Date: 8–9 April
Venue: Emerson Ranch, Plymouth, California
Distance/obstacle: 100 live rattlesnakes and 2 vans
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 11 June
Venue: Lakewood Speedway, Atlanta, Georgia
Distance/obstacle: 13 Cadillacs
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Overshot practice jump over 4 trucks and crashed, ruling out scheduled Cadillac jump.
Injuries: Hurt both hands and suffered compression fracture in back.
Date: 17–18 June
Venue: Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Distance/obstacle: 3 cars on day one, then 5 cars and 2 vans thereafter.
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: Still wearing a back brace for compressed vertebra.
Date: 24–25 June
Venue: St Louis International Raceway, East St Louis, Illinois
Distance/obstacle: 10 cars
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: None (still wearing back brace)
Date: 16 July
Venue: Minnesota Dragway, Coon Rapids, Minnesota
Distance/obstacle: n/a
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: n/a
Injuries: n/a
Date: 30 July
Venue: Continental Divide Raceways, Castle Rock, Colorado
Distance/obstacle: 7 trucks and 4 cars
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 1–2 September
Venue: Evergreen Speedway, Monroe, Washington
Distance/obstacle: 22 cars
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Cleared 21 cars but came down on safety ramp above twenty-second car. Remains the highest number of cars he ever jumped.
Injuries: None
Date: 5–7 January
Venue: Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Distance/obstacle: Several jumps leading up to 13 vans.
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successful
Injuries: None
Date: 19–21 January
Venue: Dallas Convention Center, Dallas, Texas
Distance/obstacle: n/a
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: n/a
Injuries: n/a
Date: 18 February
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Distance/obstacle: 50 cars (piled)
Bike: 750cc Harley-Davidson XR-750
Details: Successfully cleared the cars which were piled two-to-three high making the numbers deceptive and, in distance terms, equivalent to jumps he had completed before.