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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 2:44 p.m., Saturday, June 7, 2008

Another successful jump for Knievel

Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas — Motorcycle daredevil Robbie Knievel successfully completed a shortened jump tonight at Texas Motor Speedway.

Knievel jumped over 21 Hummer vehicles, four less than had originally been planned because of a headwind gusting more than 30 mph. The landing ramp protected the last three of the large SUVs in the line, though Knievel easily cleared all the vehicles and avoided crashing even after hitting the landing ramp off-center.

"I love you Texas, bye-bye," Knievel said after the jump.

The 46-year-old Knievel, who has made more than 250 jumps since he was 9 years old, had said this would probably be his last jump in Texas.

It was the second jump in the last two weeks for the son of the late Evel Knievel.

At Kings Island in Ohio on May 24, Knievel jumped over 24 delivery trucks lined side-by-side. His father jumped 14 buses there in 1975, a stunt broadcast by ABC-TV's Wide World of Sports that set a record for total viewers.

Robbie Knievel's latest jump came before the IndyCar Series race, his second successful jump at Texas Motor Speedway. He jumped the starting grid of 20 Indy Cars before a 2001 race.

Before getting on his motorcycle, Knievel told the crowd that his father, who died in November, was a "great man, a great legend."

Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said the jump was shortened "in the best interest of safety."