Travis Pastrana - could he be WRC champion?
Discussion
I thought this question was a bit silly until I remembered that he's still only 25! (the git)
I reckon he actually has a chance at it - he's clearly very talented (5th in PWRC in Mexico) and, given his profile, he won't have a problem getting the right equipment. It also seems that he's not the sort of bloke to do things by halves, I'd bet my bottom dollar that he's working hard on getting better through actually practicing rather than just competing. He's not short of time either - Loeb was thirty before he won his first championship and is 34 now - almost a decade Travis's senior.
Whadya reckon?
I reckon he actually has a chance at it - he's clearly very talented (5th in PWRC in Mexico) and, given his profile, he won't have a problem getting the right equipment. It also seems that he's not the sort of bloke to do things by halves, I'd bet my bottom dollar that he's working hard on getting better through actually practicing rather than just competing. He's not short of time either - Loeb was thirty before he won his first championship and is 34 now - almost a decade Travis's senior.
Whadya reckon?
He's certainly talented and he's always struck me as the type of bloke who knows what's involved in being in the top flight, he was in awe of going head to head with McRae at the X Games a couple of years ago as he KNEW exactly what he'd done in the sport, something a lot of the US rally drivers probably care little about.
He's got a certain amount of pace and is a factory PR teams wet dream! Whether he can raise his game up to Leob standard, remains to be seen. But if he does, the WRC has the possibility of going meteoric if the US fans really get on board!
Definately one to keep watching, he'll probably pull a few surprises on WRC events over the season.
He's got a certain amount of pace and is a factory PR teams wet dream! Whether he can raise his game up to Leob standard, remains to be seen. But if he does, the WRC has the possibility of going meteoric if the US fans really get on board!
Definately one to keep watching, he'll probably pull a few surprises on WRC events over the season.
I'd never heard of him until he was on 5th Gear. I reckon he could do it though, for the reasons you have already given. He's young, talented, got loads of money and is high profile.
He's also absolutely fearless! Reckon he could be in the mould of Colin McRae - always flat out, either winning or crashing (big style!)
He's also absolutely fearless! Reckon he could be in the mould of Colin McRae - always flat out, either winning or crashing (big style!)
John D. said:
He's also absolutely fearless! Reckon he could be in the mould of Colin McRae - always flat out, either winning or crashing (big style!)
I was actually just thinking that as I was reading 4WD's post - when crashers calm down they are generally able to turn that fearlessness in to some real face-melting pace, just like McRae in WRC or Helen Mortimer in DH MTB racing.Pastrana has a good analytical mind too, crucial for a good rally driver.
John D. said:
I'd never heard of him until he was on 5th Gear. I reckon he could do it though, for the reasons you have already given. He's young, talented, got loads of money and is high profile.
He's also absolutely fearless! Reckon he could be in the mould of Colin McRae - always flat out, either winning or crashing (big style!)
Colin was his hero.He's also absolutely fearless! Reckon he could be in the mould of Colin McRae - always flat out, either winning or crashing (big style!)
They competed in the Rally X Games, Pastrana just beating McCrae after McCrae rolled it right at the end.
McCrae's run - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci_p6ulyTRg
Pastrana's run - http://youtube.com/watch?v=KjqAekNzfcw
What the hell is World Rally Driver of the Year?!Some footage of the high point (and end of) Travis's career - no nasty crash, just the point at which he realised that there wasn't any point in competing any more. When you see the trick, you'll probably understand where he was coming from!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sf4698CiMfQ&feat...
I've actually been 'following Travis' career' since the beginning - when he jumped his bike over the crowd, off a cliff and into the sea. The man's a legend and he's one of those people who you feel really deserves everything he gets.
ETA: I will never EVER get tired of watching that video!
Edited by MrKipling43 on Wednesday 20th February 17:16
The kid is very talented.
Were i was involved with motocross when i was 13-18 he was winning national series and is few years older than me.
He does very well at everything he turns his hand to and is a genuinely nice guy to go with it.
Did some half decent performances against proper world champions are the ROC.
I wish him every success and would love to see him get that far.
Were i was involved with motocross when i was 13-18 he was winning national series and is few years older than me.
He does very well at everything he turns his hand to and is a genuinely nice guy to go with it.
Did some half decent performances against proper world champions are the ROC.
I wish him every success and would love to see him get that far.
He's clearly very gifted, but he always strikes me as suffering from ADD. He bounces around from one motorsport to the next (FMX, motox, supercross, rallying, beach racing, enduro, baja 1000, rallying again) so much that he never really shows what he is truly capable off. He could be WRC Champ, but he would really need to knuckle down and fully commit to achieving it.
The guys a legend, whether on two wheels or four wheels! Yes he has adhd, which is actuaslly well suited to the demands of freestyle - extreme focus for a very short time. Rallying might be a different deal, but he's also very analytical and if you've watched any of the Nitro Circus dvd's is actually quite technical in the way he'll describe a trick. If you've seen these dvd's, you'll know that he's also completely fearless!
He's a great character and would definately open the door to WRC in the US and in a big way. The kids would lap up a Pastrana rally game! I hear a lot of Americans thought Colin Mcrae was a fictional character in the games - only when he showed up at X Games did they realise that he was real! And they loved him, as anyone would....
He's a great character and would definately open the door to WRC in the US and in a big way. The kids would lap up a Pastrana rally game! I hear a lot of Americans thought Colin Mcrae was a fictional character in the games - only when he showed up at X Games did they realise that he was real! And they loved him, as anyone would....
stockhatcher said:
isn't he mr PINK?
That was Carey Hart they divorced last week or so. Carey was the first person to land a backflip(but not ride away) and also a bloody legend. I think he could do it a lot of rally drivers where late starters. He always succeeds. Wasn’t Loeb a pro gymnast at Pastrans age? I seem to remember that Atkinson started late to.Ta
he could do it, hes admitted hes still learning with the co driver and pace notes. Apparently in the US races they all use standardized pace notes for each stage!
He was never quite good enough in the motox races, then again up against carmichael nobody was. Hes now doing stock car development work.
He was never quite good enough in the motox races, then again up against carmichael nobody was. Hes now doing stock car development work.
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