Trouble in Phoenix, But TP Gains Valuable Experience

The original plan for the Pastrana-Waltrip Racing Team was to have Travis fly under the radar and out of the spotlight for his first few outings in a stock-car.??However, that really isn?t a possibility for the 27-year-old who is one of the most recognizable action sports athletes in the world.?When you?re Travis, nothing is done under the radar, not even a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race.

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Thursday night?at Phoenix International Raceway, Travis, with his driving coach Matt Crafton in the spotter?s stand, crossed the line in 25th, three laps down from the leader after qualifying an impressive 10th.??Pastrana ran most of the race in the top half of the field, but wrecked with only three laps remaining, causing him to fall a few laps behind.

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Despite not having as much success as he had in last month?s Toyota All-Star Showdown in Irwindale, a sixth-place finish overall, Pastrana said ?I definitely learned a lot in both races.?When we got sixth at Irwindale, I felt like we were a 15th-place driver.??Here, getting 25th, I felt like we were maybe a sixth-place driver.?

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Travis plans on racing next in the K&N Pro Series East race in April at Richmond International Raceway, in preparation for his Nationwide Series debut this July at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis.??Travis plans on racing seven Nationwide races in the 2011 series and 20 in 2012.

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?I want to basically earn some respect and have the ability to figure out how to win," Travis continued. "Every driver out?here thinks that they can be the best. That?s why we?re all here. I just really want to go to the most competitive sport in the world, where all the top drivers in the U.S. go, put myself up against them and see how I fare.?

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The biggest challenge Pastrana faces is his own schedule.??The star of MTV?s ?Nitro Circus? still plans on competing in this year?s X Games, taking a few spins in a rally car and making appearances at the Nitro Circus Live tour.??So for now, how much time Pastrana gets in a stock car between now and Richmond remains to be seen. He hopes to test before the Richmond race, but he?s not sure quite yet.

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People will say that it was not a great day at the track for Travis because he failed to finish.??But it was only his second race in a stock car, and for someone who has been asked to skydive into a racetrack prior to his Nationwide race there, he?s doing just fine.

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?It?s a Catch-22," said Travis. "I?m going to make mistakes. I?m going to have bad races. We?re going to try to not make a fool of ourselves as long as I can.?

02.27.2011