‘Star Wars’ Just Killed Off the World’s Best Stunt Driving Show

The First Order has this fiery showcase in its sights.

On April 2nd, Darth Vader‘s Death Star will move within firing range of the little world depicted by Disney World’s “Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show,” blasting it to rubble like a planet of pesky rebels. That’s when, Disney has announced, the show will close to make space for planned Star Wars attractions.

Since 2008, Disney World has run the world’s best stunt driving show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios park in Orlando. It includes an elaborate 6.5-acre street set depicting a French town and a towering 5,000-person grandstand, where visitors can take in a show that includes James Bond-style pursuits and shootouts in cars, motorcycles and jet watercraft.

Unfortunately, for fans of such mayhem as well as the cast of 30 stunt drivers, technicians, actors and stunt managers, plus mechanics and other crew who keep the show going, Disney will raze the show’s set to clear room for a huge expansion of its Star Wars attractions at the park.

The show features custom-built tube-framed stunt cars wearing Opel bodywork and powered by 1300cc Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle engines as its stars. Drivers utilize a sequential shifter and a hand lever for the rear brakes, to provide rally car-like control as the cars pirouette in unison during the show.

In the end, the villain slides a motorcycle through a line of fire and succumbs, before getting blasted by a fire extinguisher. No word on whether the show itself will go out in a similar blaze of glory April 2, but that closing night performance is surely going to be a show worth seeing.

And if you miss it, don’t fret. There’s still the “Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show” attraction at Disneyland Paris.

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