On Tuesday afternoon, June 29, 1999, Travis Pastrana, upon clinching the premiere X Games freestyle motocross gold medal, launched his Suzuki RM125 into the frigid depths of San Francisco Bay. As a result, before he even hit the water, Travis Pastrana was immediately cast as a poster boy for the X Games. As they desperately hoped for, in mid-June 2001 the ESPN X Games executive staff received word that Pastrana would, as he had done in 2000, take a leave of absence from the AMA 125cc National Championship series to compete in the event he loves so much. A few days after the Budds Creek National, we phoned up Debbie Pastrana in an effort to help us track down her 17 year old son. As luck would have it, Travis and his mom were attending a mid-week test session. After saying hello, Debbie handed her cell phone off to Travis who, while sitting on the seat of his bike, gave us his take on a few significant X Games topics.

Travis on his Summer X Games competition...
"I'd really have to say that in the past four months, freestyle motocross has come so far. There are so many new faces now. I think Tommy Clowers is going to be right up there. So will Mad Mike Jones and that new guy, the short guy, Dustin Miller. I think all three of those guys will be right up there."

Travis on Deegan and Clowers saying he can't stay away from the sport for a year and just expect to come back and win...
"They've been saying that for the last three years. Every year they do get closer and closer, though, and last year was really close. I can't expect to keep going undefeated, but I think I can hold them off one more year."

Travis on being able to train for the X Games with such a busy racing schedule...
"I was just at my Suzuki teammate Kevin Windham's house. I was doing the tricks I knew there and also learning a few new ones such as the Kiss of Death and a number of others. A few weeks before the X Games I'm going to go to Woodward and train. They have air bags there and I want to go and practice some really crazy tricks.

Travis on attempting a backflip at the 2001 Summer X Games...
"I'd like to. I'm not going to guarantee it, but I'd like to do it!"

Travis on freestyle motocross...
"Freestyle motocross is a real breath of fresh air for me. I'm not taking anything away from racing, but I really enjoy riding my motorcycle and freestyle gives me more time on the bike."

Travis on doing the 2001 X Games while competing for the 125cc National Championship...
"Last year I was 41 points down and struggling in the title chase immediately before the X Games. However I did the X Games and had so much fun that when I went back to the 125cc series, I caught fire and ended up winning the title."

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