Pastrana’s stunt jump over Ego Alley in jeopardy
Motorsports star may move act after details made public
Action sports superstar and Annapolis native Travis Pastrana was planning to film himself jumping a specially-designed rally car over Ego Alley in October.
But after a letter from a member of Hoonigan Industries, the company planning to film the stunt was emailed to residents Thursday by Alderwoman Elly Tierney, Pastrana said told The Capital he might cancel his plans.
Pastrana wrote in a text message Friday morning that he was disappointed by the turn of events and said the stunt might now need to be performed in a different city.
San Diego-based Hoonigan Industries has applied for a permit fromthe city to film the stunt around City Dock for hours on Oct. 19, said city spokesperson Mitchelle Stephenson.
“This stunt, if approved by the appropriate authorities, would involve restricted parking and intermittent traffic control in the area around Ego Alley and the City Dock,” Patrick Burn, location manager for Hoonigan Industries. wrote in a letter to the city.
“This stunt and film work would take approximately four hours in the morning, after the morning rush hour and be completed in this area in the early afternoon. The intermittent traffic control would be in short intervals during the actual stunt, taking only a few minutes each time.”
Pastrana previously performed stunts that required the closing of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles without word leaking beforehand, he said.
Secrecy is paramount because the stunt is being filmed as part of a $5 million movie project. Nowthat all of Annapolis knows the details of the stunt — specifically date, time and location — every amateur videographer will be at City Dock with a camera to record it, Pastrana wrote.
“If we can’t keep this under wraps, this stunt can’t happen,” Pastrana wrote in a text
message. “If anyone films it and posts it on social media, then our video is useless.”
Pastrana had been looking forward to performing the stunt in his hometown and having Annapolis as part of the movie. He and other organizers of the project will now regroup and decide how to move forward now that their plans have been made public.
Last week, the federal government released a proposed rulemaking announcing that, if approved, boats would be prohibited from entering an area that covers all navigable waters in Spa Creek from the shoreline to shoreline within Market Slip. The announcement estimated it covered about 285 yards in length and 50 yards of width.
The plans could change pending a shortened 15-day comment period. Those interested may submit a comment to the Federal e Rule making Portal at regulations.gov.
Additional stunt driving— but not jumps — would take place around Church Circle and along West Street, Burn wrote. That portion would take about three hours to film and be completed by evening rush hour.
Tierney said she was only concerned about the potential for drawing crowds to the area to watch the filming that could violate coronavirus restrictions and not the stunt itself.
“I think we need this right now. It’s something to talk about other than COVID,” she said.
Tierney said she has received a mix of responses about the announcement, from those in favor to others strongly opposed.
“I do not believe that activity of this nature is keeping with the historical nature of Annapolis,” one Ward 1 resident wrote. “Do we really want this kind of activity in downtown Annapolis? Doing wheelies around Church Circle? I am against it.”
Another resident said, “I am sure some folks will freak out a bit, but come on… this is too cool. Not quite Evil Knievel jumping over Niagara Falls, but close. … Maybe Travis P should wear Colonial Attire when he does these stunts!”