BBC Knowledge premieres Richard Hammond’s Crash Course in August as the Top Gear star crosses the US in outlandish vehicles.

…….Do not attempt this at home?

Top Gear star Richard Hammond travels across the US for his ultimate motor challenge, seeking out and driving the country’s toughest and most extraordinary vehicles. These awesomely powerful machines have very specific jobs to do – and operating them is no easy feat, even for a confirmed motor nut like Hammond! No two are the same, so before getting behind the wheel, joystick or control panel of these outlandish vehicles Hammond is taught how to handle them by the people who operate them on a daily basis.

Over the series he trains with firefighters for his encounter with the supercharged Striker fire engine, learns to fire and maneuver the mighty Abrams M1A1 tank, heads for logging country to master the tree-devouring danglehead processor and conquers huge specialist cranes on demolition sites and oil rig salvage barges.

Sundays at 8.30pm from August 19.