Travis Alan Pastrana (born October 8, 1983, in Annapolis, Maryland) is a motorsports competitor who has won championships and X Games gold medals in several events, including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, and rally racing.
Pastrana is best known for his exploits in freestyle motocross. He invented many of the young sport's tricks and became the sport's world champion at age 14. He landed a double backflip in his film Nitro Circus 3. On August 4th, 2006 at X Games 12 in Los Angeles, he became the first rider to land a double backflip in competition. The move won him the Moto X Best Trick Gold Medal. Only one judge did not rate the run 100/100, making the final score a 98.60. Pastrana claimed after the competition that he has no plans to attempt the trick again. Travis ended the X games with a knee injury walking to see his friends in the stands, so he couldn't perform a glory run for his Moto X Freestyle Gold Medal.
Pastrana has earned two motorcycle racing championships: the 2000 AMA 125cc National championship, and the 2001 125cc East Coast Supercross Championship. His hard-charging, go-for-broke attitude makes him a podium threat in any race he enters. Pastrana's stand-up style, ability to spot jump combinations and great speed through the whoops make him easy to spot on the track.
Pastrana has always raced and competed on Suzuki motorcycles, and remains fiercely loyal to the brand. His motorcycles and rally cars carry the number 199.
In 2003, Pastrana opened a rallying career in the Race of Champions, and began driving for the Subaru-backed Vermont SportsCar rally team in 2004. As of August 6, 2006, Pastrana leads the driver standings in the Rally America National Championship. On August 5, 2006 Travis won the gold medal in the first Rally Car competition at the X Games, edging out rally legend Colin McRae by 0.53 seconds after McRae rolled his car through the last jump.
Injuries have often taken Pastrana off the circuit for weeks or months. His medical record includes multiple concussions, a broken back, and severe knee problems due to cartilage degeneration.
Pastrana is featured in many motocross stunt videos, most notably in Gregg Godfrey's three "Travis and the Nitro Circus" DVDs.
External links
- Pastrana's official website
- Travis Pastrana site at EXPN (X Games) site
Videos
- Travis Pastrana Double Backflip at X Games Video on Budster
Categories: 1983 births | Living people | American motorcycle racers | American rally drivers | People from Maryland
