New AFT Flagman to jump 14 GMC pickups at DAYTONA TT
Daytona Beach, Fla., Mar. 12—American Flat Track (AFT) and Bubba Blackwell are going to extreme lengths—the length of 14 GMC Canyon pickup trucks lined up side by side, to be precise— to ensure the season-opening Harley-Davidson TT presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys at DAYTONA is nothing less than unforgettable.
That’s right, “The American Daredevil” Bubba Blackwell will kick off the 2018 AFT season with a high-flying, jaw-dropping stunt at Daytona International Speedway to elevate what’s already a hugely anticipated event in the motorsports world to a full-blown spectacle.
Blackwell will execute the jump at 6:00 pm to set the opening ceremonies into motion. The stunt will take place on Pit Road, in perfect view of the grandstands and skirting alongside the edge of the Bigger, Better, and Faster DAYTONA TT course.
And as if there was any doubt, Blackwell will be performing the terrifying 14-GMC leap aboard the legendary Harley-Davidson XR750—the perfect beast for the task made all the more fitting considering its iconic status in the dirt track history books.
After completing the stunt, Blackwell will showcase his versatility by immediately getting mic’d up and taking hold of his new collection of racing flags. In a unique arrangement, Bubba will assume the role of series flagger in 2018 while maintaining his prior role as paddock emcee.
Once again adding color to the play-by-play commentary of lead PA announcer and “Voice of American Flat Track” Scottie Deubler, Blackwell’s trackside view and flagger status will see him serve as a sort of de facto ringmaster for both the fans in attendance and those at home (and elsewhere) following the action on FansChoice.tv.
Blackwell first gained worldwide attention for breaking a series of world records previously set by Evel Knievel. He officially retired from the stunt game back in 2015 but can be coaxed out of retirement on rare occasion by the most special of events.
“It’s been a long, cold winter, and I’ve been on the couch and off the bike for a bit,” said Blackwell. “But I’m excited about my new role with American Flat Track, and getting back on the legendary XR750 for a jump over 14 GMC Canyons. I’m just glad they’re pickups and not Snake River Canyons!”
American Flat Track will kick off its highly-anticipated 2018 season with the Bigger, Better, and Faster Harley-Davidson TT presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys at DAYTONA under the lights inside the fabled trioval at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, March 15, 2018. Tickets start at just $30 and are available for purchase now at DaytonaInternationalSpeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
