XtraPix: Man, Bike, Gravity - First Look

Here’s some extra material and photos from our August, 2007 Race Watch feature “Man, Bike, Gravity,” about the Red Bull X-Fighters freestyle motocross competition.

In one way, Travis Pastrana has outpaced MotoGP star Valentino Rossi. The American has already successfully completed the transition from two to four wheels. While the Italian flirted with Ferrari in Formula One and continues to tease fans with the idea of becoming a rally driver for Fiat, Pastrana clinched the 2006 Rally America title in a factory-backed Subaru Impreza—and now traces even more ambitious plans. “Last year was my last season doing freestyle for real; I’m doing the 2007 X-Fighters just for fun,” he reveals, before letting his competitive juices get the better of him. “Of course, once I get out there, I’ll be trying really hard to win, like I do every time out. For ’08, I can’t say I’ll be retired from FMX, but rallying is my priority now. I’ll do the entire Production World Rally Championship schedule next year with Subaru, and hopefully that will lead into a full-on WRC ride by 2010 or so.”

A renaissance man if ever there was one in extreme sports, Pastrana admits he is at a crossroads. “I love freestyle because it’s all about innovation, doing stuff that other people say is not possible—challenging physics, basically. I guess that’s what keeps me coming back for more. “Rallying, on the other hand, has a different appeal,” he continues. “It’s about going over a blind crest at 120 mph, getting airborne at over 100 mph with a huge cliff on your right side and a sea of trees on your left, trusting only your co-driver, the pace notes, the car and, above all, yourself.”

Hearing Pastrana enthusiastically dwell on his rallying endeavors almost makes you think he’ll eventually forsake two-wheel competition for good. Almost. “No way,” he says. “I just love to ride, man. I ride every day, so quitting is something I can’t think of doing. I may be rallying now but don’t forget, I’m only 23 years old.”