Montana is a huge state with a small population and more than 70,000 miles of roads, making it the perfect place to unleash a Raptor.
The state of Montana covers 147,000 square miles, which makes it the fourth largest state in the U.S., according to Montanakids.com. The state’s official website shows a population count of 1,005,141 people. When you crunch the numbers, that means there’s an average of less than seven people per square mile. That’s a whole lot of open space for Montanans to enjoy, which is exactly what a Ford F-150 Raptor driver does in this clip from YouTuber Jessica Pierce.
When you see video of a Raptor taking a flying leap, it’s usually over sand. But the location doesn’t matter in the end. Sand, dirt, rocks, logs – the Raptor will jump it as long as its driver is willing to go along for the ride.
Luckily for us, the person behind the wheel of this Raptor doesn’t hesitate to get airborne. In fact, they’re in a hurry to clock some hang time. The action starts on a dirt road in Belgrade, Montana, a place seemingly forever away from stoplights and Starbucks. An ocean of clouds sits tranquilly above a floor of horizon-filling mountains. Off in the distance, a pale brown sort of comet tail emerges from behind a dark square. As the square streaks toward the camera, it takes on the familiar shape of a first-generation Raptor. Using all of its 6.2-liter V8 firepower, it doesn’t take long to leave the ground.
It’s impossible to see without pausing the footage that this Raptor has been modified with a heavy duty front bumper with bull bar, black aftermarket wheels, and different tires. A spare has been strapped into the short cargo box.
The driver absolutely nails their landing and stays on the throttle. It’s a swift and graceful jump, but it’s not the only thing that stands out about this video and leaves us wide-eyed. Just look at what lies ahead. There’s not an office or even a house in sight. No power lines mar the beauty of the infinite sky. There’s only miles of empty trail ahead. Even better, we don’t see a single speed limit sign.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
