Watch Rob Dyrdek set a world record for longest reverse ramp jump in Chevy Sonic

Fri, 14 Feb 2014

Apparently if you're good on a ramp, you're good on a ramp – be it with a skateboard underneath you or a subcompact hatchback. That's the lesson we've gotten from pro-skater and reality television star Rob Dyrdek, who recently set a world record for the longest jump off a ramp in a car... going backwards.

Officially nailing the record for "Farthest Reverse Ramp Jump by a Car," Dyrdek hit a mark of 89 feet, 3¼ inches, while performing a so-called "kick-flip" off a ramp in a Chevrolet Sonic. The skater professes to be "a Chevy guy," saying in a press release that using the Sonic as his preferred ramping tool, "just made sense."

So, what do you have to do to a Sonic to make it ready to fly? Well, aside form adding a ballsy pilot, the Chevrolet you see here did undergo some pretty serious preparation. Chevrolet officials tell us that a roll cage was added, along with racing seats and harnesses, and a five-gallon fuel cell was installed in place of the stock gas tank. Modifications also involved redistributing the weight to achieve a 40/60 front/rear split, removing the exhaust and stock battery, and, of course, uprating the shocks and struts to a beefier system from Jem FX.

The record-breaking jump will punctuate the season finale of Dyrdek's show, Fantasy Factory, airing on March 13 at 10:30PM on MTV. Of course, you can get the gist of the spectacular stunt right now, by checking out the video down below.

VALENCIA, Calif. – Driving a Chevrolet Sonic, television star and former professional skateboarder, Rob Dyrdek successfully set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® record today for the Farthest Reverse Ramp Jump by a Car with a total of 89 feet 3¼ inches.

This is the second time Dyrdek, star of MTV's "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory," has used a Sonic to set an automotive first. In 2011, Dyrdek successfully performed a 360-degree kick-flip off a ramp in a Sonic.

"The Sonic is a great car for firsts," said Dyrdek. "I have always been a Chevy guy, so when we decided we wanted to set a Guinness World Record for the finale of "Fantasy Factory," using the Sonic again just made sense."

Dyrdek performed the stunt before spectators at Six Flags Magic Mountain, while MTV filmed the jump for the season finale of "Fantasy Factory," which is set to air on March 13 at 10:30 p.m. EST/PST on MTV. To qualify for a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS achievement, Dyrdek had to successfully land the Sonic on the catch ramp and be able to drive away from the stunt.

With all high-speed action stunts, safety is a priority. The Sonic offers 10 standard air bags and high-strength steel as part of its body structure, making the small car a strong choice for this challenge.

"We take extra care and precautions with each and every stunt we create," said Elia Popov, owner, J.E.M. F/X Inc. "Rob is always willing to try anything once, and for this backwards jump we felt confident that the Sonic would keep him safe."

To learn more about the Chevrolet Sonic, visit the Chevy Sonic Facebook page or follow @ChevyLife on Twitter

By Seyth Miersma