Emerging as a Champion

Pastrana was born in Maryland in 1983, and by age four he was riding a Honda one-speed. Although he excelled in mountain biking (placing first in dual slalom at U.S. Junior Nationals) and his studies (graduating high school three years early), the youngster found his calling in motocross, winning five Loretta Lynn National Amateur crowns beginning in 1992, plus a deuce of Canadian titles for good measure.

When the fourteen-year-old captured the world freestyle championship in 1998, he served notice of his versatility; but 1999 was even better. ?I won the first pro race I ever entered (125cc) and also won a gold medal in freestyle at the X Games even though I was the youngest person there,? Pastrana recalls. Other accomplishments that year included winning two gold medals at the Gravity Games, capturing his fifth national amateur title, and being honored with the Horizon Award for best amateur motocross racer.

In 2000, Pastrana devoted his full attention to pro competition, emerging as the 125cc national champion and taking three wins ? including the East/West Supercross Season Shootout championship ? to capture third overall in the national supercross series. Besides being the AMA Rookie of the Year, he was named to America?s Motocross des Nations team and took a repeat freestyle gold at the Summer X Games.

As the millennium continued, so did Pastrana?s dominance. In 2001 alone he captured the 125cc East Supercross Series championship and was awarded Motocross Rider of the Year at the ESPN Action Sports & Music Awards. By 2005, he had accumulated a career total of five X Games gold medals, five golds from the Gravity Games, and additional wins at events including the Dew Tour and Red Bull X-Fighters.