Today we’d like to introduce you to Jim York.
Hi Jim, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
The whole story for me is funny. At a young age, I remember being kind of a wuss. I remember going to Lake Powell my neighbors and the two girls younger than me were jumping off the houseboat and having a great time and I was terrified and couldn’t do it. I don’t know when exactly things changed but it’s for sure that one day the switch flipped. I went from watching “Wondering why would anyone do that?!” to “That’s awesome and I want to try!” I know influences came from action sports being at its pinnacle, watching Travis Pastrana who was close to my age crushing FMX, Dave Mirra landing the double backflip in competition, and buying my first motorcycle video (on VHS) Crusty’s Demons of Dirt 4 I was hooked.
Things progress when I got a video camera (VHS again) filming small “stunts” around the house. Sledding down my stairs, jumping off my roof, jumping pit bikes on my roof. It was fun, I loved the reactions from people whether I crashed or made it. This was all around the middle school time frame, then I got my driver’s license. Things went to a whole other level. After my first speeding ticket 2 months into being a licensed driver I knew it was what I wanted to do, drive that is. I told my parents I wanted to go to stunt school and specialize in CSR stunts…. As most parents would be they were apprehensive. It’s not an easy field to get into and even harder to keep up with and/or survive. So, I kind of let the dream die for a bit. I went to college as that’s what was “normal” even through college though the only part I enjoyed was playing rugby. Hitting and getting hit.
I saw everyone marching to the beat of a drum that a professor was grooming them for. I knew I had to find my beat. I got an internship that turned into my full-time job with Maverik gas stations as a field marketing and social media manager. This is when social media was very new and I wanted to try things. I convinced my boss that we should do videos that coincided with promotions Maverik was having to get the word out…. And he let me do it!! I jump a truck for a promo that has to deal with fountain drinks for a buck. Called it the “truck buck” promo and things started rolling. That was my first “paid stunt” I also build a raft from full potato chip bags and took rafting as a video to launch our private label chips and a handful of other stunt videos and loved it.
Things changed a bit and I found myself bouncing from place to place trying to find that same type of conurbation that would value a high-action social media and stunt-style program and be unsuccessful for a bit. Settling for a handful of office jobs I was miserable, and it showed. The worst was a 3-week stint I did at a home builder company where I quit hating the cubicle life that much. I didn’t know what I was going to do but I knew I had to change to keep my sanity (funny thinking how much I get called insane for what I do now). I landed at Silencerco in west valley city. We were running a campaign to find those outside the firearms industry and tell their stories and relationships with firearms. It just so happened Travis Pastrana was one of those people.
We went out to Pastrana land to film the spot where while filming I was lucky enough to get to backflip a pit bike along with a couple of late-night 4-wheeler rides and just hang out with the guys for a couple of days. These were my kind of people. I loved it and envied that they had found a way to make the good times their every day. It lit the fire again and it’s what I needed to pursue. I stayed in touch with them and was even able to sponsor a handful of Pastrana’s NASCAR endeavors. Being the awesome guy, he is and I guess me leaving a good enough impression I was invited to his 4th of July extravaganza circa 2015. During the festivities, I spoke to a neighbor that had an old junker car that said he’d let me jump it. I took the opportunity and instantly hopped in the driver seat and while the jump didn’t go great (I crashed the car into the landing of a jump) it started a now almost 10-year friendship that has also afforded me the life I’ve always dreamed of.
I didn’t just want to be a tag along and ride coat tails even if I kind of did for a few years. Not to say I didn’t add to the party. Running with the best of them at pit bike races. I was always good for the crash reel. That’s what people want to see anyway ha! In 2020, I went out and organized my stunt with a local event company. Then as part of the state fair in 2020, I successfully got the world record distance jump for a hearse. Yep, no one had ever done it so pretty easy to get. Though the record still holds today, I jumped 110 feet and no one has gone further in a hearse. Two weeks later Pastrana called asking if I’d want to jump one of my limos for his first installment of the Gymkhana series. For that video, we locked in the limo world record, and from his amazing driving/stunts to my cameo of the limo jump the video garnered 50 million plus views. The momentum from that has built.
In 2022, I raced offshore power boats me driving and Pastrana running throttle, it’s a two-man operation. We finished the year 2nd in the world. It’s bad Co. Stix has NEVER driven a boat let alone a race boat, even more so in a race offshore with some races having 8’ swells. This year and the future are looking awesome from more racing and more stunts I can’t wait to let it all unfold with a new YouTube channel Pastrana myself and a few of our friends just rolled out called “Channel 199.” We’ve got some wild ideas that if we can make work the world is in for an entertaining treat.
In summary, I’ve been very fortunate to find like-minded people in the world and play. While I currently handle motorsports for Dixxon Flannel they also afford me a lot of freedom let alone support to pursue the life I’ve always dreamed of and to do a lot of tumbles I thought I never could or would. Saying yes to opportunities even when it was a big risk has been the key I think and I planning on taking every opportunity I can to keep the train rolling till the wheels fall off.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a rough road. For starters convincing a company that jumping a limo or racing a limo in an Offroad race is a good idea is not easy. You get a lot of rejection and have to keep your head up knowing that idea is good it’s just not for everyone.
The other hurdle is with relationships. Being gone at LEAST half the year can make finding a significant other difficult. It leads to my divorce 5 years ago. Though currently have found a partner that understands the lifestyle and lives it herself and couldn’t be happier there.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My job is with Dixxon Flannel Company working as the sponsorship and motorsports marketing director. What sets me apart is I play and know what it’s like on both sides of the fence. I know what I want as a sponsored athlete/creator but I also know what I want to see as a business from a creator and to that point can be fair, knowing the worth of what I’m expecting and what I’m getting or giving.
My other full-time job is the stunted life and YouTube channel “channel 199” I’m proud that for the most kart that has been all me and a lot of luck. I’ve been creative in a stagnant space. For example, I’m an Offroad champion, how?? I was the only person in my class ha! This doesn’t mean that was easy. To be the first team to successfully finish the Mint 400 in a limo a car never intended to go on a dirt road let alone the most challenging Offroad race in North America was a (pardon my language) pain in the ass!
But we finished being two stubborn individuals, myself and codriver that is. This part of my professional career requires a lot of creativity and being able to solve problems you don’t know exist until you’re faced with them and often no one has face cause I’m the first person to attempt it.
What does success mean to you?
Happiness. Am I happy then yes, I’m successful. You can make a bunch of money and be miserable. You can have a partner that is beautiful but doesn’t understand you.
While happiness is a choice, those that choose to not follow their actual true passions can’t truly be happy and therefore never find true success.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim_york/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/standardoftheworld?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@channel199official
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jim_york?_t=8e6cV8mWemg&_r=1
