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Rhys Millen Trying to Backflip a Truck Again, Releases Video of Spine-Breaking Botched Attempt
Posted by Adam Frucci at 9:20 AM on November 21, 2008
If you're a longtime Giz reader, you may remember that on last New Years Eve, Rhys Millen was supposed to perform a backflip in a truck on live TV. One problem: he broke a bunch of his vertebrae during a practice run and had to cancel. Well, he's gonna give it another go this year, and to get you all amped up for it, Red Bull has released the video of his crash. Want to see a dude do half a backflip in a pickup truck? Follow me, ye of strong stomachs.
Yep, about what you expected, eh? Here's hoping he's learned a thing or two during those painful months of rehabilitation.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Jane Avenue
Posted November 22, 2008 4:43 AM
On the heels of Rhys Millen’s epic win in Long Beach for the 2008 Red Bull Drifting World Championship, order the new DVD documentary that tells the story of his last great championship victory. It’s a remarkable tale about an unforgettable driver. Here’s a brief synopsis:
Champion drifter and rally driver Rhys Millen revisits the exhilaration and intensity of the 2005 Formula D Season in the action packed documentary Mad Skills. Coming off a potentially disastrous crash in Chicago, Millen and his crew have less than a week to get his GTO ready for the finals in Irwindale. Complicating matters, the RX8 Rhys built for his father, the legendary rally driver Rod Millen, may not be able to compete in the final race.
Battling mechanical difficulties, crew troubles and formidable competitors including his good friends Samuel Hubinette and Tanner Foust, Rhys must remain sharply focused to ensure his victory and win the championship.
Filled with explosive door-on-door action, tire smoke and out of control spins Mad Skills offers a never-before-seen look into the art of driving sideways. Once you’ve seen it, you’ll never look at motor sports in the same way.
Buy it now on DVD! It makes a great stocking stuffer for the drifting enthusiast on your holiday gift list.
http://www.madskillsdvd.com
Check out the extended trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y3Djx5rALw
MINI Driver
Posted 11:54 AM 21/11/08
I hope the money makes it worth the pain....
MINI Driver
Parapraxis
Posted 11:54 AM 21/11/08
anyone else read this as a guy who tried to do a backflip INSIDE a truck?
You know, standing inside?
...
...
nevermind.
Parapraxis
efenili
Posted 11:44 AM 21/11/08
Looks like he makes it all the way around at the end of the video :)
efenili
dharasick
Posted 11:44 AM 21/11/08
Well I'll know what I'll be doing, yet again, on New Years Eve. Watching yet another crazy do something dumb.
dharasick
efenili
Posted 11:43 AM 21/11/08
Im surprised that messed him up so badly. He must not have been very secure in the truck. Obivously the cage held up really well but the thud fucked him up I guess.
Too bad they didn't have 40 more cardboard boxes :P
efenili
TVGenius
Posted 11:40 AM 21/11/08
@MagnoliaBoy: Yeah, that thing hits like a rock. Hopefully this year's model's frame has a little more give just in case.
TVGenius
purple-pillows
Posted 11:38 AM 21/11/08
red bull must have damaged his brain
purple-pillows
MagnoliaBoy
Posted 11:38 AM 21/11/08
I love the sound it makes when it hits. Satisfying, like popping bubble wrap.
MagnoliaBoy
P3nnst8r
Posted 11:37 AM 21/11/08
Obviously Red Bull did not give him wings.
P3nnst8r
erikislame
Posted 11:28 AM 21/11/08
"Here's hoping he's learned a thing or two during those painful months of rehabilitation."...
Yes, like how to BACKFLIP A TRUCK.
I hope he keeps trying this every year.
erikislame
takemetoyourtoaster
Posted 12:27 PM 21/11/08
@Parapraxis: I thought he was going to do a backflip over a truck, like stand on one end, do backflip, land on other side
takemetoyourtoaster
Shadow4720
Posted 12:24 PM 21/11/08
Darwin Awards reservation for a Mr. Rhys Millen.
"Here I am!"
Ah there you are sir, please take a seat next to the gentleman who tried to rob a gun store with a knife.
Shadow4720
rospaya
Posted 12:24 PM 21/11/08
I love the tag: Natural Selection at Work
rospaya
devilonsteroids
Posted 12:13 PM 21/11/08
@erikislame: LOL
devilonsteroids
frigg
Posted 12:08 PM 21/11/08
If this guy was an animal, PETA would never allow this to proceed.
frigg
redkamel
Posted 12:53 PM 21/11/08
why didnt he try this with remote control before?
redkamel
hummer_tied_to_a_tree
Posted 1:16 PM 21/11/08
Oh, the sarcasm. The comments started to look like Jalopnik for a second there...
hummer_tied_to_a_tree
tkohrs2002
Posted 12:59 PM 21/11/08
@frigg: Fortunately for us, PETA doesnt care about people.
tkohrs2002
matt_maslanka
Posted 1:36 PM 21/11/08
Wow. You actually don't have to get back on the horse, buddy. Because it isn't a horse. It's a truck that will land on your head. And you got in it willingly. *sigh*
matt_maslanka
BeautifulAgony
Posted 1:35 PM 21/11/08
Love this quote: "I'd be stupid not to say I was not a little nervous..."
Yeah... I was just thinking the same thing... THAT is what would be stupid. Totally.
BeautifulAgony
eldouche
Posted 1:29 PM 21/11/08
@efenili: Cages can be a mixed blessing like that. Too strong, and the impact goes right through to the softest part (the driver). Too soft, and it falls apart.
Seems like he needs a crazy strong suspension seat, or a truck full of foam (like Demolition Man).
eldouche
Tjoez
Posted 1:26 PM 21/11/08
i am looking forward to the succeeded attempt, i am sure it will work!
Tjoez
VakeroRokero
Posted 2:37 PM 21/11/08
If watching this show on New year's eve is what you are planning, you probably already have a case of Red Bull by your side.
VakeroRokero
BigViper
Posted 2:35 PM 21/11/08
that video was FANTASTIC! Am I the only one who feels watching the truck do an actual flip and landing it would just be a let down? Now somome PLEASE set up
the murderer island ppv network please
BigViper
VakeroRokero
Posted 2:34 PM 21/11/08
@takemetoyourtoaster: he's no Jackie Chan.
VakeroRokero
VakeroRokero
Posted 2:32 PM 21/11/08
@erikislame: He probably has been playing "Excite Truck" on the hospital's Wii 8 hours a day. That's enough to do it in real life.
VakeroRokero
snowninja
Posted 2:06 PM 21/11/08
no props for you. nerd.
snowninja
DestroyerMTL
Posted 2:02 PM 21/11/08
@purple-pillows: Awesome comment.
DestroyerMTL
aerospaceman
Posted 2:51 PM 21/11/08
no skillz man, no skillz....
aerospaceman
pito189
Posted 3:48 PM 21/11/08
@erikislame: Thank you that was hilarious.
pito189
totoro
Posted 4:15 PM 21/11/08
What a Maverick.
totoro
DeeJayQueue
Posted 4:09 PM 21/11/08
@frigg: Nobody's MAKING Rhys do this. He's doing it of his own volition. That's the difference. Animals don't have the choice.
DeeJayQueue
DeeJayQueue
Posted 4:07 PM 21/11/08
@efenili: In a crash like that, your body wants to keep going down when the truck hits the ground, at the same speed you were falling before. The only thing that keeps it from moving is the safety harness. On a crash like that the seat does absolutely nothing to absorb force. It's all pushed right through the harness into the shoulders, compressing and cracking the vertebrae.
Picture what would have happened had there been no truck and he was just falling from that height (about 20 feet) head first. I'd say the safety equipment performed admirably.
DeeJayQueue
Zencyde
Posted 6:56 PM 21/11/08
@redkamel: Too easy. :)
Zencyde
Zencyde
Posted 6:56 PM 21/11/08
@DeeJayQueue: There's an interesting argument. Is it possible to be willing to do something without being able to expressly convey consent? Honestly, I think it's kind of bullshit automatically assuming "no". But, we live in a world that has to be safe for every living thing.. yep yep.
Zencyde
OldCrow
Posted 7:02 PM 21/11/08
Never heard of Darwin?
OldCrow
hanswurst0815
Posted 7:25 PM 21/11/08
@Parapraxis: When I read "trying to backflip a Truck", I thought of something like this:
[static.howstuffworks.com]
hanswurst0815
Nickbee
Posted 11:00 PM 21/11/08
Special kind of stupid right there.
Nickbee
b-radicate
Posted 1:30 AM 22/11/08
@totoro: Lol.
b-radicate
thesum
Posted 2:10 AM 22/11/08
That sound was kinda satisfying indeed...
thesum
closhedbb
Posted 2:28 AM 22/11/08
@redkamel: I was thinking the same thing. It's not like an actual driver can do anything than just hit the jump at the right speed and hope for the best. It's not like a motorcycle where you have actual control of the vehicle throughout the turn.
I bet if he had done it RC before hand, and seen this outcome... he still would have done it, as proven by the fact that he crashed once, shattered vertebrea, and is doing it again.
closhedbb
GTgeek
Posted 2:47 AM 22/11/08
@erikislame: Haha, loved your comment.
GTgeek
grawss
Posted 6:41 AM 22/11/08
@efenili: Spoilers: He hits some power lines and asplodes.
grawss
honozooloo
Posted 7:29 AM 22/11/08
given the kind of rally racing and driving rhys normally participates in...the risks here aren't outside of anything he does for a living anyway.
the biggest risk probably being the fact that he doesn't have any car-flipping experience...
WTF though. who has time to watch this on NYE?
honozooloo
Imadoctornotapoolman
Posted 11:30 AM 21/11/08
Not even close...oh well...do it again its funny
Imadoctornotapoolman