Roger DeCoster knows he was given a gift when Suzuki signed Travis Pastrana to the team over two years ago. Signing him was easy. Taming him is the hard part. DeCoster, Suzuki's Team Manager, and a five-time World Motocross champion wants to win titles. Pastrana has given him that much but TP's talents have opened so many doors and he doesn't limit himself to just one sport - he's like the Bo Jackson of motorcycling.

"The problem with Travis is that he wants to do too many things," DeCoster said. "At this level, it's not possible. I think maybe this situation this year is going to help him realize that, find himself, and hopefully he will have learned from this experience. Everybody knows what he is capable of, I hope that he puts everything else aside and focuses on Supercross and motocross because he has the potential to be a winner."

2002 has been nothing short of a disaster for Pastrana and for DeCoster. For Travis, it's been one injury and sickness after another. Strange illnesses and nasal surgeries coupled with a broken wrist and now torn ligaments have kept him in the hospital. His most recent injury came after his freestyle win at the Gravity Games. Pastrana bailed out at the peak of a step-up competition run and tore the ACL, PCL, and LCL in his knee.

Laid-up but not out - Travis Pastrana during his online chat from X Games VIII.

"Travis had his knee operated on last Monday (August 29) in Indianapolis," DeCoster continued. "He's still there and he will be there for another week. They are doing the rehab right there. The doctor that operated on him wanted to watch him every step of the way the first week of rehab."

If having to deal with his star being out, DeCoster also lost Kevin Windham to a broken femur at the Atlanta Supercross. The femur is said to be healed but Windham hasn't been seen since the accident and invariably, nobody knows his status.

"As far as Kevin, I think he's decided he's going to give it up, but we have some plans for next year. On the teams next year, in the 125, we'll have Branden Jesseman, of course and Danny Smith. Sean Hamblin is also going to go to the 125 and hopefully we'll be in the run for a championship. We have a new rider that's going to come onto the team from France, Matthieu Lalloz." (Lolloz currently sits 18th in the 250cc World Championship point standings)

"In the 250, Travis has another year, Sebastien Tortelli will be coming to the team and there is a good chance that we'll have Stephane Roncada. It's just the way things happen. There are not that many riders with the potential of winning available and it'll be interesting to see how those French guys get along on the team but I think Tortelli and Roncada have adapted well to America and they like it."

But 2002 is over for DeCoster and Pastrana. It's time for the team to reorganize and restructure. Travis has a long road to recovery but he's already anticipating the first falling gate of 2003. So is DeCoster.

"Travis will be back for next season and hopefully this time he can stay healthy through the season. Hopefully he can give a good run to Ricky and I think he's capable of that if he focuses and gets healthy."

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