Las Vegas Weekly

December 9, 2008 · 9:48 AM

Backflip truck driver readies for death-defying NYE stunt at The Rio

By Robin Leach

Rhys Millen's backflip.

Photo: Garth Milan/Red Bull

Death-defying motor sports star Rhys Millen has just filmed the first video promos for his incredible back-flip truck attempt on New Year’s Eve at The Rio -- and Vegas DeLuxe has the first video look, which includes the disastrous practice run a year ago that nearly cost Rhys his life!

Rhys, who hails from New Zealand, hopes that the 12 months in between have completely healed his serious sustained injuries and also have conquered his fear of another failure!

His Australian stuntman pal Robbie Maddison also will be part of the live ESPN broadcast from Las Vegas on Dec. 31 when he attempts a motorcycle jump of 100 feet on to the top of the Arc de Triomphe entranceway to Paris Las Vegas. Then to double the odds, he’ll free-fall jump from it!

Most people make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking or save more money, but these two world-class athletes have resolved to break boundaries before the clock strikes midnight during Red Bull: New Year, No Limits. Robbie follows up his history-making motorcycle distance jump with another world-first performance. Rhys seeks redemption for what was supposed to be a New Year’s celebration a year ago before the training accident derailed his plans.

Red Bull: New Year, No Limits will be televised live on ESPN/ESPN HD at 8 p.m. Pacific Time (11 p.m. Eastern Time) prior to the midnight countdown. The show also will be simulcast live on ESPN360.com. Viewing of Maddison’s jump at Paris Las Vegas will be free to the thousands of revelers on the world famous Strip.

Having broken the Guinness World Record for a motorcycle leap with a jump of 322 feet, 7.5 inches over the length of a football field set up at The Rio during the 2007 Red Bull New Year’s Eve event, Maddison will attempt a more finessed, but equally challenging jump in just 12 days time. The 27-year-old Aussie will jump his bike more than 120 feet high and land on the top of the 96-foot-high and 40-foot-deep replica Arc de Triomphe in front of Paris Las Vegas.

What goes up must come down, and Maddison’s not going to argue with physics. Upon completing the jump, he will then drop off the Arc and free-fall 50 feet to a massive landing ramp below. Maddison’s impressive resume, in addition to his record-breaking distance jumps, includes a very successful freestyle motocross career. In March, Maddison leapt an astounding 378 feet in Australia.

“I had some doubts last year whether or not I could jump a football field,” Maddison said. “But as I practiced, I got more and more confident and realized I could pull it off; and I did, twice. This year, the doubts are way bigger. The jump has never been done before, but I’m confident in my ability, and I believe that as I start training, the dream that seems impossible will become a reality.”

Rhys will attempt to become the first person to complete and land a back flip in an off-road truck. The flip demands the truck to travel a distance of 80 feet at a height of 50 feet. During his final practice before the 2007 New Year’s event, Millen overshot the landing, resulting in injury, damage to his vehicle and his withdrawal from the event, as you saw in the video.

The 36-year-old New Zealand native is fully recovered and more determined than ever. Rhys’ motor sports credibility is unrivaled. He was the 2005 Formula Drift champion and 2008 Red Bull Drifting World Championship winner, Pikes Peak International Hill Climb world record holder and has been the lead stunt driver in several commercials and movies, such as The Dukes of Hazzard and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

“Last year, we attempted what was before then thought impossible,” Rhys said. “Laws of physics and vehicle dynamics were pushed to the limits with success, but failure came in one small miscalculation. My body can be broken, but my mind cannot. This year, people will witness the first ramp-to-ramp back flip in an off-road truck -- ever!”

Maddison and Rhys are already practicing for their epic night at the Red Bull Compound training facility north of Los Angeles, which features massive foam pits for each athlete to safely prepare to make history. They will move to Las Vegas to ensure that all the advance preparations are safely in place on Dec. 26.

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