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Travis Pastrana Interview by Carl Stone 2/13/01 Carl Stone caught up with Travis Pastrana in the early rounds of the EA Sport's Supercross series. Travis was trying his luck out in the 250 ranks before launching his assault on the 125 eastern region rounds. Having won that first eastern round, Travis pretty much set the pace for the rest of those rounds. Travis's positive attitude and refreshing outlook, mixed with an uncanny natural ability on anything with two wheels puts him in the spotlight as one of the sports youngest, as well as most talented role models to come along for quite some time. Read on to see what Travis had to say. Carl Stone:As much freeriding as you do it seemed to be such a freak thing that you broke your leg on a BMX bike. How is your leg feeling now? Do you feel you are 100% recovered? Travis Pastrana:Yeah, the leg is 110%. Well, I guess you can only go to 100% (laughs) but yeah, its back to normal and I don't even think about it as I'm riding out there. CS: How do you like riding the 250 in Supercross? Are you more comfortable on it then the 125? TP: I'm way more comfortable on a 250, I like it a lot more as a bike, but the competition is so much tougher than last year. I have a few troubles, if I'm not the fastest or I'm not on the pace I always want to win, and when I come from behind I don't ride very smart. I just want to get to the front. So I am working on it a lot and riding the 250 on the West Coast is really going to help me in the East Coast championship. CS: Was it your decision to ride in the 250 class? TP: We had been talking about it coming towards the end of last year when I started riding a little more consistently in the 125s, I think I lead every lap of the last 4 motos of the outdoors. So, I am pretty confident coming into it, but it's just a whole new level, and it's definitely a lot of fun, but its tough. CS: Are you going to ride the 250 in the west Supercross, and then go back to the 125s in the east? TP: I'll be going back to the 125s for the Eastern races. CS: Are you going to stay on the 125 for the Nationals? TP: I'm definitely staying on the 125 for the outdoors, Grant Langston, Bobby Bonds the new guy, Tallon Volland, and a couple new guys on the Suzuki team. It's just going to be a great outdoor series. CS: How does it feel riding the bigger bike (250) in Supercross? TP: Bigger bike, well I just rode the first round, and I did get a little winded, which is unlike me. I really like to take pride in making sure I am 100% until the end, but I don't think I took a breath for the first 5 laps, well not literally (laughs), maybe it was nerves were just killing me. CS: Do you still train with Gary Bailey? TP: Oh yeah, Actually he is down here right now. He comes to a lot of the races just to help me out a little bit. When I get done practicing with him I feel so much smoother and more confident, usually when I get to the race I go back to everything like I had been doing before (laughs). So he has been working with me a lot at the races trying to get me smoother and more under control. CS: You two seem to have a great relationship. How is he to train with, and do you feel he has been a big part in your success as a rider? TP: I definitely do, without Gary I would be a lot worse off for sure. I feel like Gary has helped me be better as not only a rider, but a jumper and through the whoops. His big things were wheelieing, you know learning how to wheelie, I feel like that has helped me out a lot in dealing with the track and getting the bike how you want it in the air and whoops. I feel like in all those departments I am doing really well. CS: You also seem to have a great relationship with your Mom and Dad. I have had a chance to talk with them and they are such positive people. It's obvious where you get it. Do they still play an important role in your racing career? TP: My parents, for sure. They do everything; I mean they and Malcolm McCassey (No Fear) I guess, But just getting everything together, I don't have to deal with anything, except for racing. My parents do everything, they line up my plane tickets, my hotels, everything, Suzuki doesn't do it, my parents do. Financially, they are my agents, they do everything. CS: The team is a little different from last year with the retiring of Greg Albertyn and the departure of Robbie Reynard. How do you feel about having Kevin Windham as your new teammate? TP: It's really great having Kevin here, I have never seen a rider that is more naturally talented then Kevin Windham is. Riding with him is like riding with no one else I have ever ridden with in my entire life. He goes out and he is just incredible, he just flows around the track. He is just phenomenal to watch, but beyond that he just jumps anything. When he walks the track he seems like he is nervous about everything, but on the first lap he will do stuff that I would not even think of or looked at and for me that drives me crazy because I am usually the first one to do everything. Some of the stuff that he does is just so impressive to me. CS: I've talked with Kevin, he says he needs to put some more fun back in his riding and someone like yourself would be the person to make that happen. Have you had a chance to ride with Kevin yet? TP: You know what? In practice a little bit, but our schedules have just been completely opposite, so I have not had a chance to, but I can't wait to ride with him. It should be really good. CS: Robbie Reynard and you seem to be really good friends. How do you feel about him leaving Suzuki? TP: It was disappointing that Robbie left the team this year. Until I started riding with Kevin, he was the most naturally talented rider, actually I think both Kevin and Robbie are extremely naturally talented. Amazing people, really nice, genuinely down to earth both are just laid back, but both are hard workers. So to be able to ride with both of those guys just puts me in awe. When I practiced with Robbie Reynard last year, he would lap me. During the races, he always had a little bit of trouble mentally, but as far as talent nobody could touch him. CS: Do you prefer the East Coast Supercross tracks over the West Coast tracks? Or do you feel that there is not much of a difference? TP: East Coast week to week the tracks change a lot which I like, because I like the diversity. West Coast, after the first round when the season is still new to everybody the tracks all seem identical. Not that the tracks themselves are identical, the layouts are different, but the soil is the same. There are no ruts, they kind of crumble a little bit and they get blue grooved. So yes, I definitely prefer the East Coast tracks more, not all East Coast tracks, but even like Daytona it is completely different then anything else you would ride on the west coast. CS: Well Travis there is no doubt that you are such a positive influence for the sport of Motocross. At the races (especially the Nationals) you are like the last rider left signing autographs. I cannot tell you how much that means to the race fans. I wish you well in your chase for the 125 eastern region title. Is there anyone you would like thank here? TP: I would like to thank the fans especially, for coming out, I remember when I was in an autograph line and they shut it down on me. That's something I hope to never have to do unless I have a real good reason. CS: Travis, Thanks for taking the time to talk with me good luck in Indy. TP: Thanks a lot! I would like to give special thanks to Robert and Debbie Pastrana for making this interview possible.-Carl Stone Send questions, comments, or suggestions to CBook4@home.com More from Carl Stone Date Title 2/13/01 Travis Pastrana Interview 11/23/00 Kevin Windham Interview 11/2/00 Interview with Ryan Hughes 10/8/00 Interview with Ricky Carmichael Sign up for the e-mail discussion list and send in your comments. enter your email address --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other stories all stories all story summaries all Carl Stone stories most popular stories Search for and display titlessummaries Earn cash, post your story! Find out how .
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