Photo: Subaru USA
There are three inevitabilities if you're a fan of rally racing today. Death, taxes, and Travis Pastrana. Wouldn't you know it, one of the biggest names in American motorsports found himself on top of the rally world this week. Tying with his own teammate for first place in the final round of the 2021 Nitro Rallycross Championship season in Florida.
The one-two podium finish between Pastrana and his teammate Scott Speed netted another rally racing manufacturers championship for Subaru. Another feather in the cap of a Japanese automaker perenially at the forefront of the international rally scene. Amazingly, Speed and Pastrana finished the event in a dead tie for first place at 219 points, one point above the third-place finisher Timmy Hansen.
"Wow! Three drivers within one point, we tied with Scott Speed for the championship… this has been an incredible season for the whole Subaru team," Pastrana explained after his team's victory that afternoon. "Scott was so quick this weekend and put so much into developing this car, to be tied for the top spot with him and just ahead of Timmy was just unbelievable. What a season!"
This latest first-place finish for Travis Pastrana perfectly contextualizes how far the only 38-year-old stunt and racing driver has come since his days as a daredevil motorcycle rider a-la Evel Knievel. Once he was done smashing Knievel's records without injuring himself and fooling around with the Nitro Circus traveling stunt team, he set off competing in several different racing disciplines. Including NASCAR Cup racing, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Rolex Sports Car Series, and, of course, rally racing.
Couple this with a second-place finish at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and a new world record for the world-famous Mt Washington Hillclimb, and it's safe to call 2021 one of the most successful single seasons not just for Pastrana, but any racing driver, apart from Lewis Hamilton, of course. Check back soon for more in the Pastranamania chronicles here on autoevolution.
"Wow! Three drivers within one point, we tied with Scott Speed for the championship… this has been an incredible season for the whole Subaru team," Pastrana explained after his team's victory that afternoon. "Scott was so quick this weekend and put so much into developing this car, to be tied for the top spot with him and just ahead of Timmy was just unbelievable. What a season!"
This latest first-place finish for Travis Pastrana perfectly contextualizes how far the only 38-year-old stunt and racing driver has come since his days as a daredevil motorcycle rider a-la Evel Knievel. Once he was done smashing Knievel's records without injuring himself and fooling around with the Nitro Circus traveling stunt team, he set off competing in several different racing disciplines. Including NASCAR Cup racing, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Rolex Sports Car Series, and, of course, rally racing.
Couple this with a second-place finish at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and a new world record for the world-famous Mt Washington Hillclimb, and it's safe to call 2021 one of the most successful single seasons not just for Pastrana, but any racing driver, apart from Lewis Hamilton, of course. Check back soon for more in the Pastranamania chronicles here on autoevolution.
Google News