The first person to perform a double back flip on a bike has to have some loose screws. Fortunately, that quality has benefited Travis Pastrana's medal collection, and his no-holds bared attitude has translated well from motorcycles into rally racing. Pastrana and his co-driver Christian Edstrom have won the Rally America National Championship for the past two seasons with their Subaru WRX. Now, after one event into the 2008 season, Edstrom has announced his retirement from the Subaru Rally Team. Pastrana's spectacular attempts to perform double back flips in the WRX may have played some part in the co-driver's departure, although he declared his desire to spend more time with his family and the need to put more focus into his day job as the real motivation behind his move.
With no lack of talent under its roster, Subaru Rally Team has pegged World Rally Championship winning co-driver Derek Ringer to step in and strap down next to the X-Games King. Ringer previously partnered with the late Colin McRae on numerous occasions, including 1995 when they won the WRC title. The new Subaru Rally Team of Pastrana and Ringer will see action this weekend at the second round Rally America National Championship event in Salem, MO.
[Source: Driving Sports]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
speedball3 @ Feb 22nd 2008 2:12PM
Cool, sounds fun! While it seems like more fun to drive, being a co-driver would still be a blast! I wonder how one gets involved with something like that?
snakesausage @ Feb 22nd 2008 2:50PM
To say that he has "some screws loose" is an understatement. This guy has a death wish! Here is a video of him skydiving without a parachute!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB7xlNHjduo
Throwback @ Feb 22nd 2008 3:31PM
He needs to get into the WRC. He would bring in a younger fan base which would be great. i love WRC it is my favorite form of racing, and I don't drive a subie or EVO.
nagmashot @ Feb 22nd 2008 11:26PM
in the WRC drive lot of young drivers and the WRC is extrem popular for younger people at least in europe were WRC is regulary shown on TV and were the most Rallys are driven.
tankd0g @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:12PM
I doubt he would do very well in the WRC, having the fastest car in the NA rally championship is one thing but placing in the top ten in the WRC is quite another. Ask Pat Richard.
Naughty 60 @ Feb 22nd 2008 4:26PM
So he quit to work more on 0-60 Magazine...dope!
Alex K @ Feb 23rd 2008 9:56PM
Huh? Christian is not going to work on some magazine...
Alex K @ Feb 26th 2008 2:38PM
Because when he said he was leaving he said it was to go back to his career, which is in no way shape or form related to a car magazine... or cars at all really.
Naughty 60 @ Feb 26th 2008 2:23PM
Why not? You don't think he has or he won't?
Buck-O @ Feb 25th 2008 10:32PM
Derek Ringer. Thats a real shame, i was REALLY hoping that he would have partnered up with the Welsh Wizard (thats Nicky Grist for you non-rally peeps).
For the record, Travis IS competeing in the WRC. The Production WRC, which is for Group-N homologation vehicles, similar to what they run here in North America.
Saddly his pace has been EXTREMELY slow. Mainly becuase of the pace notes. International rallying is 90% pace notes, you simply cant get away with driving the road "semi blind" like you do here in North America. And the European competitors have pace notation, and recce down to a scince, maybe even a fine art. And both Travis and Christian admitted that they struggled to make half decent pace notes, and where astonished at the level of complexity, and general organization of the notes and time tables of the PWRC competitors.
I have this sneaking suspiscion that these factors had alot more to do with Christian "throwing in the towel", then did obligations to family, or Travis's hot headedness.
Personally i think Derek will be a good companion for Travis, hes a profesional, hes calm, and he will help Travis to set a proper pace, and maintain it, rather then running around like a chicken with its head cut off.