AMANDA: So Mr. Travis Pastrana, ... big weekend coming up!?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Yeah, super pumped. St. Louis Supercross 2009. I don't know … I haven't ridden this much on a motorcycle for this many consecutive days in a row without being hurt in forever, … it's only been two weeks but for me ... I haven't been able to put two weeks consecutively on a bike since probably 2002!


AMANDA: It must have been fun though. You've been training right? You're are taking this pretty seriously, right?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: I have been - as seriously as you can do. You know - the general motto for us is "under-prepared and overenthusiastic." But you know, I'd say it takes about three months of consistent training and riding. I've had a little over two weeks on the bike, but definitely, oh I'm sorry, three weeks. I’ve been on the bike three weeks now!


AMANDA: Three weeks?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Yeah. Yeah, why not? I first went to the current Supercross Champion’s house (Chad Reed) about three weeks ago and I was about 5 seconds off his pace. I thought to myself ... "Oh boy, this is going to be rough" and then I went to Davi Milsaps house last week and picked up quite a bit of time on my speed and laps. Still not, not quite on par with those guys, but I feel really good, for maybe about 15 laps right now.


AMANDA: What is your main goal for this Saturday at the St. Louis Supercross?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: My main goal is still to be charged up at the end, and finish my first Supercross Main Event since … heck I think ‘04, or maybe ‘03 was the last time I finished an AMA Supercross Main Event.


AMANDA: So the pressure is on. Do you feel it?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Hah! There's really no pressure in my situation. In fact, you know I’m just going to go out there and have a really good time. It's going to be awesome! All the Nitro Circus Crew is coming there to back me up. They're all going to be in the pits. You know, we're going to have a really good time there and talk to the fans. And the coolest part I guess was the last two weeks. You know, just being able to put everything else on the side and get back to my roots. Just ride dirt bikes. You know, in the middle of nowhere where there's no cell phone coverage, no Internet, no worries in the world except for riding a dirt bike and training. So that was really cool, and I was riding with good friends.




AMANDA: And speaking of good friends, I hear you and Davi have a little side bet going on?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Ha, ha, ha, ha. I have side bets with everyone. I talk a lot of trash and I haven't been able to back it up for a long time, but maybe - maybe we'll get lucky this weekend, you know. I mean honestly the speed has come so far since I was competitive back in '02 & '03. So if I can get out there and get some good starts, I think I can mix it up for a few laps and then fake some speed. But man, if I can get top ten I'd be thrilled.


AMANDA: The competition is tough and the speed is fast. Recently at the Daytona Supercross, Davi was in the LCQ. Can you see yourself there?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: I sure hope not. But no, I mean, honestly, the LCQ, with the mistakes that some of the guys have been making to end up in the LCQ. For example, Nick Wey, he's probably right about my speed and he didn't even qualify for Daytona. So, it's definitely a possibility, but, I'm also definitely gonna’ try to put my Suzuki up near the front in the first turn and … it'll be great.


AMANDA: Tell us your thoughts on the bike you’ll be riding at the St. Louis Supercross and the set up you'll have.

TRAVIS PASTRANA: When Kevin Windham and I were back on the team, it was awesome, it was always the exact set-up that I wanted. I haven't done a test day since 2002. But those guys always give me the top stuff from what they were working on. When Ricky Carmichael was on the team, we're just so different in size it was pretty much useless testing for me. There was a, I shouldn't say this, but, it was almost like a circus bike for me. But now with defending Supercross Champion Chad Reed on the team, the bike is so good. I got on it, and instantly liked it the very first lap. I thought "Man, this is a bike that I can be really competitive on!" So I’m pretty pumped on that.


AMANDA: When did you decide to race this round? Was it immediately after you were asked to design the supercross track?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Well, I've been wanting to get out there and race another Supercross for so long. Time has really passed me by to where I still think I could get out there and run near the front. I would like to at least see the front for a little bit. And hopefully still be able to make the Supercross Main. And, you know, without really practicing every day, every year being a front runner gets further and further from reality. And with injuries, I haven't been able to put more than two or three days on a bike without my knees swelling up, or having to get surgery on shoulders and knees or whatever. Over the past six months I've had knee surgery, I had my hip kinda' done and everything is kinda' fixed up. So, I figured now is as good a time as ever to see if I can make it. I was really excited that my body held up for the training these past three weeks.




AMANDA: Keep yourself in one piece Travis!

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Well, I'm trying! Ha ha! Honestly, so far, so good. If we don't get in a car crash on the way there, or fall out of the bleachers or something during press day for the supercross, then I should be okay. I'm just looking forward to showing up at the starting line of a race healthy for the first time since '02. It’s going to be great!


AMANDA: Let's talk about track design. How much input did you have on the track?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Quite a bit. One of my friends, Hubert got Roland, our redneck buddy from Tennessee, to go to help Rich Winkler and the guys from Dirtwerks build the track. I basically told them what I wanted.

As of right now, I don't think it's going pass any real safety tests though, that's what I’ve been told. I've got a quad jump section that's 96 feet, with 12-foot tall take off-ramps, and there's no triples on the track. There's, well, the one triple is actually a whoop section on the takeoff and a whoop section on the landing. So that's technically your 65-foot triple. And then on the 96-foot quad, they had to take out a whoop section 'cause I completely forgot to put in a finish line. Ha ha! They actually just told me that, which kind of sucks. I was really looking forward to that particular little section.

I basically designed this track so there's two lines to take on everything. If you don't like jumping on and off tabletops, go big and jump over all of it, but I think it's gonna’ to be about the same lap times, and that really comes down to the track builders. I've talked a lot to the Dirtwerks guys, and Hubert, and I think they're gonna' try to build it so there's two distinctly different ways to take every single section. We also brought back the 80's old-school split lane crossing back and forth on the switchback across the start, so I'm hopped up on that.


AMANDA: I would imagine the way you designed the track is going to help your riding style a little bit?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Yeah, I could never do what everyone else could do quite as well as they could. So I always went like to a 'Plan b'. You know, nothing sounds more official than a 'Plan b'. And hopefully this track will allow for a lot of that. St. Louis probably has the best dirt for me, because I have more of an explosive style versus a smooth & carry momentum style. And St. Louis probably has the best traction on any of the courses on the circuit. The dirt is not as hard packed like California, and it's not real tacky like Atlanta, where if you come up short or long it sticks and you're pulled over the bars. So, yeah, I'm definitely racing the track I feel that I have the best chance to be as competitive as I can be, … but I'm not delusional to think I can go win it, although I will be giving everything I’ve got on the course, to be as close up front there as I can.


AMANDA: I'm surprised with everything that you have going on that you actually have time to sit down and design a track. Let's talk about everything else you have going on in your life right now.

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Well, right now we're in the Rally (Car) Championship. I'm actually in the middle of training for that, and had to go and do a race. The Team was a little put out because of what I’m doing with this supercross, … I had to miss some test sessions, but everyone's been super cool.

With MTV, I had to skip a lot of the press and stuff that they were gonna' do to launch the series. But, you know, I just told everyone, "Look, I want to take this just as serious as possible and try to be healthy and do the best that I can."



And, for the rest of the season, I'll definitely be back focused to doing Rally Cars. But right now, I'm taking some time and we're gonna' put our best foot forward here for the St. Louis Supercross!


AMANDA: Has your life changed since the launch of Nitro Circus TV Show?

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Gee. It's absolutely amazing. But I can always walk in and out of that fantasy world. But, you know now, it's pretty insane. For instance - we just went to dinner and some lady in her 50’s was driving by and started freaking out yelling "Nitro Circus!!!!!!"

That was sweet. And a couple weeks ago, while I was sleeping on an airline flight, there was a kid poking me shoulder … and I woke up and was like, "What?!" And right before I could say anything, there was a line of about 10 people down the center aisle of the airplane, all in line for an autograph. So it is pretty neat that, I get to travel around the world with my friends and hang out. And, now everyone is getting paid, or at least having their medical bills covered. And we're having fun. I couldn't ask for anything more.


AMANDA: Travis thanks so much for taking the time with us. And have fun this weekend. Good luck and keep it on two wheels man!

TRAVIS PASTRANA: Well, thank you so much. It's really good talking to you again.