Pics From Kenny Powers’ ‘Super’ Car Jump
Kenny Powers has always treated momentum like most people treat salad: optional. When he lined up that “super” car jump, everyone nearby knew the universe was about to learn something new about Kenny, not the other way around.
The photos feel like someone handed a cameraman ambition instead of a camera. Every shot shows Kenny trying to convince a car to behave with pure confidence, and whatever fumes were drifting around the lot.
We revisit these pics for the same reason people watch fireworks fail: there’s something comforting about a man who believes he can fly simply because he decided Thursday was the day.
Origin, 1947
Kenny Powers is born in Landrum, South Carolina, destined to flout physics, court danger, and turn stunts into a lifestyle.
Mad Canadian, 1965
Ken Carter earns his legendary nickname after Canadian stunts, creating a blueprint Powers would inherit.
Invincible, 1970
Crowds and sponsors are convinced that physics is optional when Carter is in control.
Carter Fame, 1973
High-risk stunts earn both reputation and capital, paving the way for the ultimate leap.
Impossible Mile, 1975
Carter formalizes the St. Lawrence River jump, daring from Canada to the US.
$250k Televised, 1976
Major funding from ABC turns the jump into a nationwide spectacle for millions of viewers.
Paper & Rockets, 1977
Lincoln Continental is transformed with a 1,400-foot ramp and rocket boosters.
Sponsor Pressure, 1978
Backers cut delays short, nudging Carter toward the stunt everyone knew was inevitable.
Weight of Risk, 1979
Years of planning and millions in funding ride on a single, daring drive.
Taking the Wheel, 1979
Kenny Powers accepts the jump Carter refused, stepping into danger and decades of expectation.
Rocket Fail, 1979
The Continental plunges short of the American shore, spectacular and tragic in equal measure.
Broken, 1979
A crash leaves Powers with a shattered back, proof that ambition can have a permanent price.
Forever Documented, 1981
Film preserves the madness, immortalizing a failed dream and its legendary fallout.
Gravity Wins, 1983
Ohio becomes the site of Carter’s fatal crash, proving that some forces can’t be outdriven.
Kenny’s Last Jump, 2009
Powers’ St. Lawrence attempt ends his life, cementing a legacy defined by audacious risk.
