Travis Pastrana

Travis Pastrana is an American professional motorsports competitor, stunt performer and action sports athlete best known for his success in freestyle motocross and extreme stunt driving. Throughout his career, he has won 11 X Games gold medals across multiple disciplines, establishing himself as one of the most accomplished and versatile competitors in action sports history.

Pastrana’s passion for riding began early in life. His first motorcycle was a one-speed Honda Z-50, which his father taught him to ride near their home in Maryland. By age 14, he became the youngest World Freestyle Motocross Champion. A year later, he won gold medals at both the X Games and the Gravity Games, launching a career defined by daring aerial stunts and competitive dominance.

In 2000, Pastrana was named AMA Rookie of the Year and went on to capture the AMA 125cc National Championship in 2000 and the 125cc East Coast Supercross Championship in 2001. He expanded into rally racing in 2003 and won the gold medal in the rally car competition at the 2006 X Games.

Pastrana is widely recognized for pushing the limits of action sports through complex and high-risk maneuvers. His signature stunt, the one-hand fender grab superman Indian air, involves scissor-kicking his legs backward midair while maintaining one hand on the handlebars and reaching the other toward the rear fender. In 2006, he became the first rider to successfully land a double backflip in X Games competition, earning a Moto X Best Trick gold medal with a score of 98.60 out of 100.

Today, Pastrana remains active in motorsports, stunt performance and entertainment ventures. He is closely associated with the action sports touring production company Nitro Circus, where he continues performing and promoting extreme sports events worldwide. He has also competed in selected motorsport events, including NASCAR and rallycross exhibitions, while maintaining a public presence as a motorsports ambassador and stunt innovator.