POCATELLO — The promoter behind today's Monster Truck Grand Nationals inside ISU's Holt Arena, Big Ed Beckley, has big plans.

    Tonight the 62-year-old plans to tie the world record indoor motorcycle jump set by Evel Knievel by clearing seven tractor-trailers parked side-by-side. He says he may even go for eight. This August Big Ed is hoping to go even bigger and clear the Snake River Canyon near Twin Falls that stumped Knievel back in 1974.

    “I wanted something with some wow factor,” Beckley said about tonight's jump.

    To make that happen Beckley will be using a customized bike with a massive Harley-Davidson motor to hurl him over the big trucks. It features a 2000 cc engine that cranks out 144 horsepower on a frame that is painted red, white and blue.

    Friday Beckley was signing autographs for big truck fans inside Pocatello Cycle on Yellowstone Avenue. A monster rider truck was parked out front along with his custom motorcycle. Inside, the seasoned veteran was all smiles.

    “That bike is a custom built BTR which stands for Big Twin Racing,” Beckley said. “It's like Dumbo on steroids.”

    For the past 15 years Beckley has been the man behind the monster truck competition at Holt Arena and he said the event just keeps growing.

    “It’s the largest motor sports event in the state of Idaho,” he said.

    Beckley said he’s also proud of the fact that the roaring engines and big wheels draw a lot of business to Pocatello.

    “Our motels are plumb full,” he said. “Fans fly in here just to go to the event.”

    Instead of resting on the laurels of his business acumen which he says has allowed him “to have more fun than you should legally be allowed to have at my age,” Big Ed wants to be part of the show.

    “Some people’s highlight of the day is to go take a nap,” he said. “I’d rather go out and pop wheelies.”

    The need for speed started early for the native of Scott City, Kan., a tiny town in the western part of the state. After his parents took him to Sturgis, S. Dakota, when he was just four years old, he returned to the annual bikers’ paradise at the age of 14 to race his own Harley Sportster. Then he bought his first car at 18, a 1968 Mustang GT.

    “I promptly went out and took the mufflers off and put on headers,” he said.

    It’s going to take a little more than a boost in performance from headers to help Big Ed clear the Snake River Canyon — a task he’s aiming to attempt on Labor Day. Beckley said he has already met with city, county, state and federal officials to try to get clearance and feels confident it will be a go.

    Unlike Evel Knievel, Big Ed is not relying on a steep launch pad and a rocket to get him over the Snake River. He’s having the ramp and vehicle design done by Doug Malewicki, an aerospace engineer who worked with Knievel in 1974. Only this time parachutes like those used by base jumpers will help Big Ed sail over the canyon. To get him airborne he will use rocket assist that will send him 345 feet into the air above the canyon before the chutes deploy.

    But that danger is in the future.

    Tonight Big Ed will be working with ramps he’s only used during Friday practice runs to clear those semis. And he knows crashes are more than possible. In February Beckley crashed twice during jumps. He suffered a broken nose and a dislocated shoulder.

    He rolled up the pant leg on his left leg to demonstrate older war wounds. The calf was pure scar tissue.

    “The handlebar went in and scooped it all out,” he said about the missing muscle.

    Despite the setbacks, Big Ed said he’s pumped for tonight’s jump.

    “I want to put Pocatello on the map,” he said. “I want to make my mark. I just don’t want it to be on the north wall of the arena.”