The name Evel Knievel usually evokes images of a man who made a living off of death-defying stunts. With his trusty 1972 Harley-Davidson XR-750->ke300, Knievel did all sorts of things no rationale human would even attempt to do. The daredevil successfully pulled off some of the most breathtaking stunts in history. He didn’t always nail them, but for the damn sure, Knievel wasn’t afraid to try. One stunt that Knievel failed to accomplish was to jump over a line of 22 cars back in September 1972 at Sturgis. More than 40 years later, daredevil Doug Danger, an appropriate name if there ever was one, will attempt to what Knievel did back in 1972. And guess what, Danger will be riding the same 1972 XR-750 Knievel used over 40 years ago.

Danger’s stunt is scheduled to take place on August 6, 2015 at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip amphitheater as part of the Evel Knievel Thrill Show. In addition to displaying some of the legendary daredevil’s collection of curiosities, the event will also feature Danger will attempt to clear 22 cars using the iconic daredevil’s famed Harley.

Don’t be fooled by the spectacle of the stunt because at it’s core, it’s one of the most dangerous stunts anybody could ever try. Back in 2001, another daredevil tried to perform the same jump and that ended horribly for everyone involved. Danger, though, is unfazed about the difficulty of the jump, or at least he’s not showing it in front of everybody.

“This is the one jump Evel couldn’t make; he failed,” Danger said. “I know it’s dangerous, but death has had me by the throat twice in my life, and I spit in its face. When God’s ready, he’ll take me.”

Speaking like a man who has no problem admitting his lease on life, Danger’s going to attempt the stunt that not even the great Evel Knievel accomplished. Let’s all hope he succeeds because, quite frankly, any other result would be devastating for him.

Click past the jump to read more about Doug Danger's stunt attempt at Sturgis.

Why it matters

It matters because it’s a world record and Danger would be doing something not even Evel Knievel succeeded in doing. But that’s about the only thing good that could come out of this stunt. Unfortunately, the list of things that could go horribly wrong runs really long, which is why it’s understandable to be a little concerned about the stunt Danger wants to try.

Others apart from Knievel have tried but nobody has succeeded in doing it. There’s a reason for that and even if Danger himself can’t seem to grasp it, those around him are well aware of what could happen if he fails like so many others have in the past.

Buffalo Chip President Rod Woodruff is one of them and he isn’t afraid to let people know his thoughts about the jump, calling it an “incredibly difficult and terrifying jump.”

Like everybody else, Woodruff hopes that Danger pulls the stunt off, even if he is aware that Knievel’s Harley-Davidson bike isn’t built for a jump like this. But if there’s anything we’ve come to learn about daredevils, their understanding of sensibilities and rationale human behavior are quite different from the rest of the human populace. That’s how their brains are wired. Always have been and always will be.

On our end, we can’t tell you how nervous we are for Danger, even if we understand why he’s doing it. So here’s to hoping he clears it and puts the stunt to bed after doing so.

The Evel Knievel Thrill Show will be held from July 31, 2014 to August 8, 2014 at the CrossRoads area in Sturgis, South Dakota.