Travis Pastrana
Travis Pastrana (born October 8, 1983, in Annapolis, Maryland) is a motorsports competitor who has won championships and X Games gold medals in several motorcycle events, including supercross, motocross, and freestyle motocross.
Pastrana is best known for his exploits in freestyle motocross. He invented many of the young sport's tricks and became the sport's world champion at age 14. He landed a double backflip in his film Nitro Circus 3. On August 4th, 2006 at X Games XII in Los Angeles, he became the first rider to land a double backflip in competition. The move won him the Moto X Best Trick Gold Medal. Only one judge did not rate the run 100/100, making the final score a 98.60. Pastrana claimed after the competition that he has no plans to attempt the trick again.
Pastrana has earned two motorcycle racing championships: the 2000 AMA 125cc National championship, and the 2001 125cc East Coast Supercross Championship. His hard-charging, go-for-broke attitude makes him a podium threat in any race he enters. Pastrana's stand-up style, ability to spot jump combinations and great speed through the whoops make him easy to spot on the track.
Pastrana has always raced and competed on Suzuki motorcycles, and remains fiercely loyal to the brand. His motorcycles and rally cars carry the number 199.
In 2003, Pastrana opened a rally racing career in the Race of Champions, and began driving for the Subaru-backed Vermont SportsCar rally team in 2004. Also, on August 5th, 2006, Travis won the gold medal in the first Rally Car competition at the X Games.
Injuries have often taken Pastrana off the circuit for weeks or months. His medical record includes multiple concussions, a broken back, and severe knee problems.
Pastrana is featured in many motocross stunt videos, most notably in Gregg Godfrey's three "Travis and the Nitro Circus" DVDs.