Renowned British stunt driver Paul Swift has added another Guinness World Record to his collection by successfully maneuvering a Ford Ranger Raptor through a gap measuring just 88 cm (34.6 inches) in width. This achievement marks the tightest gap ever navigated by a pickup truck on two wheels.
Swift completed the feat on a blustery morning earlier this month, as part of the Guinness World Record Day. His record was determined by measuring the width of the gap between the two obstacles he had to navigate, relative to the height of the truck he drove. By this metric, he surpassed the previous record by a mere one centimeter (0.39 inches).
“It feels great to get this record, especially for Guinness World Records Day,” said Swift. “To be part of such a special group of people is fantastic.”
Although he makes it look easy, Swift says he faced significant challenges in setting this record, and only completed after a few failed attempts. Firstly, adverse wind conditions posed a major obstacle for the driver. Additionally, the choice of vehicle itself added to the difficulty of the endeavor.
The size and weight of the Ranger Raptor meant that Swift and his team had to strengthen the ramp that launched the left side of the vehicle into the air. In addition, the height of the suspension made keeping the truck stable on two wheels difficult. However, the sturdy construction of the off-road ready pickup truck meant that it could slam back down onto its wheels without concern.
“I’ve used that car for quite a few other stunts recently, with various filming jobs that we have done,” said Swift of the Ford, “and I have found it to be sort of indestructible.”
In addition to this recent achievement, Swift has a history of securing Guinness World Records. His previous records include the tightest parallel park in an electric vehicle, the most doughnuts driven around a motorcycle while performing a wheelie in one minute, and the shortest time to perform five automotive stunts.
Touchingly, this is a family business for Swift, whose father was also a stunt driver. That means that Paul has been driving on two wheels since he was seven, taking his family’s lawnmower tippy drives across the yard.
Congratulations to stunt driver Paul Swift, who took to one side of wheels to set the record for the tightest gap driven through by a pickup truck on two wheels 🤩#GWRDay pic.twitter.com/4N1dKDlvUV
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) November 16, 2023