Nationwide Series - Travis Pastrana Makes NASCAR National Series Debut

Indianapolis, July 27, 2011: After back-flipping his way through the ESPN X Games, Travis Pastrana will catch a red-eye flight to Indianapolis to make his first ever start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend at Lucas Oil Raceway. The long awaited arrival of the action sports star is finally here.

Pastrana has 16 X Games gold medals in addition to multiple titles in supercross, motocross and rally cars. He’ll make his series debut for Pastrana-Waltrip Racing No. 99 Boost Mobile Toyota.

“For me it is always about a new challenge and finding the most competition,” Pastrana said.

Pastrana got a taste of NASCAR racing, having run a combination of five NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West races this year including his best finish of sixth in his NASCAR debut in January at the Toyota All-Star Showdown. His other NASCAR K&N Pro Series races were Phoenix (25th), Richmond (33rd), Iowa (22nd) and Loudon (22nd).

“It has been awesome,” Pastrana said. “I have been talking with [driver coach] Matt Crafton (see page 4 for more on his relationship with Crafton) and the team and really working on figuring out how to adjust the car. You might be good at the beginning of practice or the end of practice or good in your qualifying run or be good in the race, but it’s difficult. You have to continue to work with the team to make your car better. It has been a lot of fun and humbling for sure.”