Travis says "I'll Go"

[Senior KX Rider]

racerx

July 29, 2004

Travis: Send me to the des Nations!

The following is a letter that Travis Pastrana sent to DC and EJ, and we thought we’d share it with our Racer X Online readers.

Eric,

As far as the MXDN goes, I fully realize that I haven't done anything as of late to inspire a lot of confidence in anyone that I can finish a race, let alone win one. I'm not sure if the U.S. already has a team picked, or if we are even going, but I truly believe I would be an asset to the team. I can ride sand till the cows come home, and I can do it well. I only lost one moto in my life at Southwick and it was a second place after a tangle up in the first turn ... and it was to Mike Brown, who I hear would also give his right arm for a shot at the des Nations.

There are four Americans that can beat Stefan Everts, and three have already said no. I want a shot at Everts, and now that I am healthy and already training for next season ... I truly believe that I have a shot. I talked to Roger [DeCoster] a little, and he didn't feel it would be right for me to go over without enough testing on the ‘04 race spec bikes. Well, I will clear my schedule, and as I see it, two months of testing should be plenty.

As far as not sending a team, that's ridiculous. People don't think we can win without our heavy hitters, but have you never seen an underdog team that wants to win with every fiber of their body, go against the best in the world? My money's on the underdog. Whoever they end up selecting for the des Nations (if they even do) will give everything they have for a team that they will no doubt believe in. Look at the last year we won - a reckless sixteen-year-old and a rider who had to go to Europe to find a ride and had a bad year anyway, made up 2/3rds of the team. Ryno kicked everyone’s ass that year - people that kicked his all year long, he blew out of the water. I think he was still nursing an injury and was out of shape as could be, but he wanted to win so badly he pulled our team to victory.

I want to be like Ryno. Let me know if you hear anything.


Travis

 

[dirt bike dave]

I am glad he wants to go.

As a former national champ and a rider with tremendous ability, he should certainly be considered for the team.

If he is serious, he could do get in some excellent race testing and training by racing the rest of the outdoor nationals!

 

[D Lafleur]

The young lad may actually grow up after all. :)

 

[CJG]

That's great to hear.:cool: Pastrana just earned alot of points in my book(and I already liked the kid). I hope he gets a chance to go and race(and hopefully beat) the best the world has to offer. I wish RC and some of the other top guys had his attitude about the MX des Nations. :(

 

[bclapham]

good for him, he is showing more grit than the other 3 US riders that could beat Everts!

 

[marcusgunby]

Im impressed-he should be allowed to go-he has plenty of speed and appears to really want to race-if it was the other way around(ie bubba , windham etc) and Everts didnt want to ride-people would say hes scared.

 

[KiwiBird]

Having seen in person the raw speed TP has and watching him at the MXdN when he rode in it I say let him at it.

 

[john3_16]

But.......Will he finish the race?

 

[marcusgunby]

At least he will actually start-more than RC, Bubba and Windham-whats wrong with these people???The US could have a crushing dream team, and instead they are looking for anyone who will ride.

 

[Okiewan]

The US could have a crushing dream team

Maybe that takes the fun out of it.

 

[marcusgunby]

Its not much fun watching the mx capitol of the world struggle to get a 3 man team together :think: there is something wrong somewhere, these guys should be fighting for a place on the mxdn teams?? instead they are fighting about who wont go.

 

[super rat]

It really is sad. It bums me out, big time.

 

[bclapham]

Kdubs a wuss, Bubba does what his old man tells him and RC is really, really scared by Reed indoors. I honestly think that about RC- Reeds beat him loads indoors, then RC misses a season, rides a thumper outdoors with Reed biting at his heels and then has to come indoors again and jump on a new bike and beat the defending indoors champion,

Marcus, any news on our team yet???? ive not had the call yet, have you????:)

 

[KX02]

I don't know, I feel like I have an opposite view point than the rest of you guys. I thought that guys who are picked for the US team were guys who had fought tooth and nail all year long to win. If I remember correctly, Travis didn't finish a supercross, and is not participating in the nationals. If he is really healthy why is he not racing? What better way to "train" than ride against the best.

Don't get me wrong, I think he's got allot of heart and seems to be a good guy. But this just seems like more sensationalism from him. If he thinks he is one of the top 4 riders in the US, he needs to prove it by competing week in and week out.

 

[marcusgunby]

KX 02 the problem is those guys have turned down the ride, so you are left with this silly setup where retired riders are saying they will step up and represent the US.

Bruce i have no idea who we are sending-i havnt looked as i feel we have no hope, sword is good for mx2 but after that?????

 

[KX02]

I know what you are saying Marcus, but if the top few guys don't go there are LOTS of guys who ran right behind the top guys, I think they should be asked.

As far as the MXDN goes, it seems like the just don't care much about it.

 

[dirt bike dave]

The last AMA national is September 12, which is three weeks before the MXdN.

The last MXGP is September 26, just ONE WEEK before the MXdN. And the final GP is in SOUTH AFRICA! That is a looooooong way from Holland. Seems to me the guys contesting the GPs have alot more reason to cry about the scheduling than the AMA riders.

BTW, Chad Reed's only GP win was at the track that is hosting the MXdN, so look for him to lead the Aussies to a good finish.

 

[nephron]

RC is really, really scared by Reed indoors.

Bruce...still got some insecurities over hailing from the hometown of a man, if not men, in tights?

Internet transference?

RC has no fear. He loves the game. He thrives in and lives for competition.

Nice bait, by the way. Missed on the first one.

 

[john3_16]

Kdubs a wuss, Bubba does what his old man tells him and RC is really, really scared by Reed indoors. I honestly think that about RC- Reeds beat him loads indoors, then RC misses a season, rides a thumper outdoors with Reed biting at his heels and then has to come indoors again and jump on a new bike and beat the defending indoors champion,

Marcus, any news on our team yet???? ive not had the call yet, have you????:)

Biting at his heels ?

I wouldn't call getting beat by 40 seconds biting at his heels. :laugh:

Taking that many months off of racing and coming back after 6 months on a different bike has spelled the end of most careers...And he's beating Reed really, really bad.

I wouldn't say he got beat loads in SX either...If anyone is getting beat by loads it is Reed and the rest of the competition...We all know the truth...Just turn on espn :laugh:

 

[nephron]

Don't get me wrong. I am into total awe of Reed--indoors OR out. The thing we've got to remember about RC's last SX season is that 1) You're dealing with a situation between 2 pro's, 1 of which is quite a ways a head of the other, yet both are very equivalent riders (with the edge going to Reed, possibly) 2) the first pro decides after his 1st or 2nd loss of the 6 streak that it's better to pull up and play it safe, whenver possible, than go head to head, etc. --he retains the championship, and has WON the 'game'.

Excuses? I don't know. We were at Vegas that year. RC had a bad start in the main. There was a complicated rythm section right out of a tight lefthand turn. Reed was first to the turn, hit the rhythm section full on--and was gone. RC was struggling to pass 3 people while being out of rhythm entirely. The rest of the race, Reed was say 10 sec or so ahead, and they had identical laptimes until the last 2 or so laps, where the ever-wise RC pulled up. And of course, we all know he wasn't tired.

Point being, people are making this look like Reed is going to kill RC in SX, while at their last meeting, RC actually WON and has never LOST a championship to Reed. People amaze me sometimes. :think:

What we're going to see is a serious smack down. It's gonna be awesome. (This all assuming Bubba doesn't show up, since now that he's apparently thinking about blowing off the USOpen, ... ;) )

 

[Okiewan]

Like has been said many times... I am really looking forward to SX this year! First time actually; to me SX is nothing more than some racing to get thru the winter months uintil the real deal starts again.

 

[slideways11]

I normally don't get to excited over SX, it has pretty much turned into a jumping contests. But I cannot wait to see RC on an RM250 lay waste to the competition. It will be interesting to see if CR chooses not to ride the new YZ250 ala MC and the aluminum framed Honda of years ago.

 

[nephron]

Excellent point, Slideways. Early testing from the rags has that thing being totally unimpressive. No change in motor (no loss there), but pushes in corners, rides like a hardtail, forks bottom out....etc. They didn't like the way the Al frame made the entire bike feel. It apparently wasn't responsive.


Do you know anything else? That's all I know for now. Makes you wonder how the 125 (which I'm sure will clean house) got along with the Al frame. Different frame, obviously...maybe they developed the 125's frame first, and HAD to change the 'mold' too much for the 250. It'll be interesting to see what happens at MXA this year. Piss off Yamaha? Or deal the guffawing readers? :laugh:

 

[Glitch]

I can't wait to see bubba last waste to everyone. :yeehaw: RC and CR, RC and CR who? :nener: Bubba will dominate all. :worship:

 

[Chili]

It will be interesting to see if CR chooses not to ride the new YZ250 ala MC and the aluminum framed Honda of years ago.

I doubt that is an option in his contract. MC had to leave Honda to avoid the Aluminum frame. MC used a 93 chassis up to 97 when they went Aluminum and they couldn't get away with redressing the 93 chassis anymore.