VW area man breaks indoor jump record

Van Wert independent/contributor content

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Stuntman and Van Wert resident Henry “The Pitbull” Rife, returning to the scene of one of his worst crashes, successfully jumped 10 cars on an all-terrain vehicle Saturday night at the Rumble in Fort Wayne auto races to set a world indoor record.

Rife, 43, broke the record on his first attempt by clearing nine cars. With the crowd egging him on, he returned six minutes later and easily jumped 10 cars on his modified Honda TRX 450R quad, landing smoothly and stopping several feet shy of the concrete barriers lining the racetrack at the Memorial Coliseum Expo Center.

The stunt was performed in conjunction with the 14th annual Rumble in Fort Wayne midget races. Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart was bidding for his record-extending ninth victory later Saturday.

Rife crashed on landing last year at the Rumble, tumbling head over heels and suffering a fractured collarbone.

“I didn’t want to repeat what I did last year,” Rife said, “because I don’t like to break dance.”

Rife, who patterns himself after the late Evel Knievel, appeared on “Late Show with David Letterman” in 2007, jumping six taxicabs on 53rd Street in New York City. He performs 20-25 shows a year.

The 1986 graduate of Van Wert High School has been doing daredevil stunts since  he was 6 years old.