As Felix Baumgartner steels himself to jump out of a capsule 23 miles above the ground, Jalopnik readers put together a reminder to him. These are his idols, the greatest daredevils of all.
Welcome back to Answers of the Day — our daily Jalopnik feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
Left out of this list are many of the pioneers of high speed travel. Astronauts like Gagarin and Shepard, and pioneers like Dr. John Stapp all deserve recognition for their work. We salute them as well.
Photo Credit: Red Bull
10.) Tanner Foust
Tanner Foust deserves a place on this list for his world records in the longest jump in a four-wheeled vehicle and his world record in the largest loop-de-loop in a car, held with Greg Tracy at 60 feet.
Suggested By: Superkiwizorro, Photo Credit: Hot Wheels
9.) Travis Pastrana
Aside from all of his stunts and his ventures into assorted motorsports, Pastrana may be best remembered for jumping out of a plane without a parachute. That takes balls.
Suggested By: foxbody, Photo Credit: Red Bull
8.) Seth Enslow
Known just as much for his crashes as his jumps, Seth Enslow is a daredevil in the classic motorcycle-jumping mold. He has made more motorcycle jumps than anyone else, and broke Evel Knievel's Harley Davidson jump record along the way.
Suggested By: Ghost of Rob, Photo Credit: Seth Enslow/Facebook
7.) Philippe Petit
There's nothing fast about Phillipe Petit. He is a tightrope walker. But you do not illegally climb the World Trade Center, walk between the two towers, and then get arrested for it without earning the title of one of the greatest daredevils to have lived.
Suggested By: timateo81, Photo Credit: Associated Press
6.) Alain Robert
Another slow Frenchman is Alain Robert, the French Spiderman. He's climbed the tallest buildings in the world and he's done it without anything but a bag of chalk. Well, except for the Burj Khalifa. He used a harness that time.
Suggested By: ninjagin, Photo Credit: Alain Robert
5.) Jeb Corliss
You may have seen Jeb Corliss and his wingsuit earlier this year when he broke his fibula, both ankles and three toes on a rock face during one of his flights. He is one of the best at his trade, but even then you suffer crashes.
Suggested By: minardi, Photo Credit: Jeb Corliss/Facebook
4.) Otto Lilienthal
Here is the man who inspired the Wright Brothers, the German hang glider Otto Lilienthal. He was the first great pioneer of flight. It was not a safe profession, ultimately killing him in an 1896 crash.
Suggested By: ADabOfOppo, Photo Credit: US Library of Congress
3.) Chuck Yeager
In 1953, Chuck Yeager heard that another American pilot, Scott Crossfield, had just broken Mach 2. Yeager, who was the first to break the sound barrier and held many other speed and altitude records, knew that at the upcoming celebration of 50 years of flight, Crossfield would be recognized as the fastest man alive. So Yeager went and broke Mach 2.44, nearly crashing in the run. He did it all just to spoil Crossfield's party. Yeager is a legend.
Suggested By: Patrick Frawley, Photo Credit: US Air Force
2.) Joseph Kittinger
Felix Baumgartner's jump will break the record of this man, who jumped 19.5 miles above ground back in 1960. His equipment, safety gear, and everything about the jump would seem almost primitive by today's standards.
Suggested By: there's a worm in my apple, Photo Credit: US Air Force
1.) Evel Knievel
If there was only one daredevil, it would be Knievel. He got his first motorcycle at age 13, immediately crashed it, and went on jumping and crashing motorcycles for years with innumerable broken bones, concussions and comas in between. He is the patron saint of stunts.
Suggested By: Elmnt80, Photo Credit: Getty Images