Photo by Larry Chen

What hasn’t Travis Pastrana accomplished in motorsports? This year’s PRI Show Grand Opening Breakfast speaker reveals which race vehicles challenge him most, his favorite race car he’s driven, and why he believes the world’s best driver is yet to be discovered.

From two wheels to four wheels, Travis Pastrana is renowned for pushing the boundaries of performance in all forms of motorsports. A native of Annapolis, Maryland, Pastrana’s combination of exceptional talent, versatility, and personality is unmatched in the world of motorsports.
We’re thrilled to announce that Pastrana will be the special guest for our Grand Opening Breakfast, which officially opens the 2024 PRI Show on Thursday, December 12, in Indianapolis, Indiana. In addition to a hearty complimentary breakfast, the event will feature a talk-show style interview between Ralph Sheheen and Pastrana, providing attendees an opportunity to hear about his varied experiences in racing, entrepreneurship, and motorsports marketing.
Pastrana has claimed victory at the highest levels of competition, racking up 11 X Games gold medals and several championships across supercross, motocross, and rally racing. Frankly, it would probably be easier to list the racing series he hasn’t competed in, rather than those he has.
Notable races he’s competed in include the Daytona 500, Prelude to the Dream, Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, and the Rolex 24 at Daytona. If that’s not diverse enough, he’s also participated in Monster Jam, Extreme E, World Rally Championship, Race of Champions, NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series, AMA Motocross Championships, World Freestyle Motocross Championships, and more.

If it involves an engine, there’s a good chance Pastrana has raced it, though he’s much more than a prolific competitor. Pastrana is a consummate showman and successful entrepreneur, having co-founded both Nitro Circus and Nitrocross.
Nitro Circus, which he co-founded in 2003, was Pastrana’s first successful foray into the world of motorsports business. Nitro Circus is a global entertainment brand that has revolutionized the world of action sports. What began as a small group of friends performing jaw-dropping stunts has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon, with live tours, a popular television series, and blockbuster films.
Launched in 2018, Nitrocross is a US-based rallycross race series that features tight tracks, huge jumps, and no-holds-barred racing that showcases the full power of high-performance electric vehicles. The series continues to grow in popularity and is currently one of the premier showcases for the possibilities of EV racing, with cars boasting more than 1,000 horsepower and going 0–60 mph in 1.5 seconds.
Both Nitro Circus and Nitrocross showcase Pastrana’s relentless pursuit of conquering the next big challenge, pushing the limits of what’s possible in motorsports, and captivating audiences around the globe. The success exemplifies his ability to turn passion and creativity into thriving business ventures.
In anticipation of welcoming Pastrana to the PRI Show in December, we connected with the motorsports legend to get his thoughts on the challenges of competing in various disciplines, his favorite race car, advice to young racers, and why success requires more than just winning races.

PRI: Participating in multiple disciplines of motorsports has been a hallmark of your career. What are the benefits and challenges associated with competing in various forms of motorsports?
Pastrana: Seat time in any vehicle is helpful. You learn something from every race, and a lot of it is transferable to other forms of racing.
Many of the launch procedures are different, and even the fastest line you want to take on the same track can vary from car to car. So, when you race multiple vehicles on the same day, you need to consciously think about which car you’re in and visualize the procedures and lines before starting the next race.
PRI: What type of race vehicle challenges you the most and why?
Pastrana: Rear-wheel-drive vehicles are the most challenging for me because I grew up on dirt bikes, where the motto is, “When in doubt, throttle out.” Then I moved to rally (all-wheel-drive cars on mostly dirt and gravel), where the motto is the same. On pavement, though, you have to be more precise to find time, and with rear-wheel-drive vehicles, you have to be more precise in how you put the power to the ground. Combining those factors makes it very difficult for me to be competitive.
PRI: Do you have a favorite type of racing or race car? If so, what is it?
Pastrana: Nitrocross racing is my favorite. I took all the elements I love and put them together. My favorite vehicle of all time is the Gymkhana Subaru Huckster.
PRI: What is your most memorable moment in your career so far and why?
Pastrana: Winning the Motocross of Nations for Team USA in France when I was 16. One hundred thousand screaming French fans booed me around the track as I passed the French rider on the last lap for the win.
PRI: What do you consider your biggest contribution to motorsports?
Pastrana: The ramp and airbag design for freestyle motocross helped elevate the sport in a safer direction. Also, building Nitro Circus around the globe.
Time will tell, but hopefully, Nitrocross will grow into my top contribution over the next decade or so.
PRI: Your Nitrocross series has provided a great platform for the possibilities of EV racing. Can you discuss what you have learned about EV capabilities and what place it has in the motorsports landscape going forward?
Pastrana: Electric vehicles are practically limitless in terms of power, which allows us to have more suspension and bigger vehicles.
PRI: When we spoke with Chip Pankow at Nitrocross, he told us it was your firm belief that the world’s best driver is still yet to be discovered. How can the motorsports industry do a better job of discovering new talent, even if they lack resources to compete in top-level racing series? Do you think sim racing is a viable path for discovering talented young drivers?
Pastrana: Sim racing has been a platform for many up-and-coming racers to showcase their skills and eventually take their love of racing from the screen to reality. The more drivers who are interested in racing, the more competition there will be, and the better drivers will have to be to rise to the top.

PRI: As the owner of Nitrocross, what have you learned by being on the other side of the series, as opposed to being a competitor?
Pastrana: When you’re a competitor, it’s hard to see past your own race. You get hyper-focused on the nuances and rarely take the time to look at the big picture. Being able to watch the show from a fan’s perspective allows me to dive deeper into the show and entertainment aspects.
We have the fastest cars and some of the best drivers on the planet, but with each round, we aim to improve the tracks and up the entertainment value for the fans.
PRI: Being a successful racer requires much more than results. For up-and-coming racers out there, can you speak to the importance of building a personal brand and how to effectively use that brand to connect with sponsors and partners?

Pastrana: While winning races is the ultimate goal of every driver, you must remember that you’re not being paid just to win—you’re being paid to represent the brands that sponsor you.
The better you perform, the more likely you’ll be covered by cameras, and the more visible your sponsors will be to the world. But now, with social media, it’s possible to build a following that exponentially increases your value to sponsors before you even step foot on a race track.
PRI: A 16-year-old Travis Pastrana asks you for advice on building a career in motorsports. Based on what you’ve learned over the past two decades, what would you say?
Pastrana: Follow your passion. It takes working seven days a week, 365 days a year, to make a living from your hobby. But as long as you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.
PRI: Since you will be the Grand Opening Breakfast speaker at this year’s PRI Show, how can PRI—through the trade show and magazine—be beneficial to inspiring racers and teams?
Pastrana: So many enthusiasts, up-and-coming talent, as well as driving legends, all come together at this amazing event. Keep inspiring the next generation to drive.

PRI: What’s next for Travis Pastrana?
Pastrana: I’m always trying to find the balance between family time, being on the road, and being on the road with the family.
I’m building Nitrocross and Nitro Circus while also working on a YouTube channel with my friends (Channel199). I’m promoting racing, building pathways for people to get into racing more affordably, and finding time to continue racing myself.