Travis Pastrana: “I thought NASCAR was boring”

Nitro Circus co-creator and badass freestyle motocross rider Travis Pastrana is one of the most beloved and well-known action sports stars of all time, and certainly of our lifetime. While he’s known mostly for his exploits atop a freestyle motocross bike, he’s actually competed, and excelled, in several other disciplines, including rallyross, hill climb, and even took a shot at a few races behind the wheel of a stock car.

While he touted NASCAR as one of the toughest forms of motorsports to excel in, due to the undeniable parity amongst the cars, he is also quick to point out that before driving one himself, he found the sport boring. Only after climbing into the cockpit and racing door to door with some of the all-time greats did he realize what kind of finesse and control it takes to compete at stock car racing’s highest level. As he points out, in every other form of racing he’s competed in, there were chances to make up time by taking risks that other drivers might not take, but in NASCAR, you have to make up time by being good, and that’s not a problem, generally speaking for Pastrana. However, as we all know, the drivers in NASCAR all seem to be on that next level, talent wise, meaning all hit natural talent got him was a fairly decent shot at a level playing field among some of the best drivers in the world.

In November of 2013Travis walked away from his first stint in the sport citing a lack of sponsorship, wanting to spend more time with his family, and frustration with his performance on the track as the reason. However, it seems Mr. Pastrana will be behind the wheel, determined to prove that he can win at the sport’s highest level.