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The first successful front flip in a monster truck was a most excellent accident

"I’ve watched it probably 1,000 times, and I still can’t believe it."

By now, you may have seen footage of Lee O'Donnell's successful front flip in the Mad Scientist monster truck at the 2017 Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas. It was amazing. It was epic. It was unplanned.

"We were trying to accomplish a front flip ... I didn't think it was going to turn out the way it did. I thought we were going to kind of ride the slap-wheelie, hit the ramp, go to the front bumper and then back to the wheels again," said O'Donnell a few days after the event. "Obviously we had a little bit too much speed, so it kind of worked out for the better."

So, a happy accident, then. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's hard not to be impressed by the video above. Pay close attention to O'Donnell's full run and you can see how he deftly uses the throttle and brakes to dance the 1,500-horsepower monster truck through the air. "I've watched it probably 1,000 times, and I still can't believe it," said O'Donnell. We're right there with you, man.

You can bet that O'Donnell's accidental head-over-heels stunt will be attempted again. Now that the Monster Jam crowds know what's possible, we have a feeling that more drivers in more trucks will give it a go. Here's hoping they all stay safe out there.

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