Travis Pastrana to compete at 2010 Race of Champions
* Pastrana has won eleven X-Games gold medals and four Rally America titles. He has also carried out many daring stunts that have thrilled the world on four wheels and two, though usually with none of them touching the ground
* The American joins a stunning line-up for ROC 2010 that includes the greatest drivers of all time from F1 (Michael Schumacher), World Rally Championship (Sébastien Loeb), Le Mans (Tom Kristensen) and the WTCC (Andy Priaulx)
American X-Games sensation Travis Pastrana will compete at the 2010 Race of Champions, to be held at Düsseldorf’s ESPRIT arena on November 27-28.
Since becoming the youngest freestyle motocross world champion at the age of 14, Pastrana has picked up an impressive range of silverware both on bikes and in cars. He has four Rally America titles and eleven gold medals from the X-Games, where he wowed the crowds as the first rider to nail the double backflip. He is just as well known for stunts including jumping out of a plane without a parachute and the longest ever jump in a car over water.
Now Pastrana has joined a driver roll call for ROC 2010 that already includes seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher, four-time F1 world champion Alain Prost, six-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb, eight-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, 2010 F1 title contender Sebastian Vettel and three-time WTCC champion Andy Priaulx.
Even in such lofty company, Pastrana’s record at the Race of Champions is mighty. In 2005 he made the semi-final despite a broken leg sustained in a freestyle motocross exhibition jump at the same event. The next year he single-handedly took Team USA to the ROC Nations Cup final after both Jimmie Johnson and his replacement Scott Speed were injured just before the event.
"The Race of Champions is the event I look forward to the most," said Pastrana. “I feel very fortunate to be invited again to represent my country and I'm tired of losing! I have high expectations for the USA this year and can't wait to drive against the world’s best."
The Race of Champions has been staged every year since 1988, founded by IMP President Fredrik Johnsson and Michèle Mouton, the world’s most successful female rally driver. This year’s event will take place on a specially constructed tarmac circuit with two parallel lanes winding their way round Düsseldorf’s ESPRIT arena.
Johnsson said: “Travis is one of the true legends of The Race of Champions so we’re delighted that he’s coming back again this year. He always thrills the crowds with his zany antics and he’s sure to be up to his usual tricks in November…"
More star drivers will be announced as the countdown to the 2010 Race of Champions continues in the run-up to the big weekend in Düsseldorf on November 27-28.
Tickets are now available from www.raceofchampions.com with prices starting at 29 Euros. Sign up for all the latest updates at www.raceofchampions.com
Drivers already confirmed for the 2010 Race of Champions:
* Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher (Team Germany)
* Four-time Formula 1 World Champion Alain Prost (Team France)
* Six-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb (Team France) * Red Bull Racing’s multiple grand prix winner Sebastian Vettel (Team Germany)
* Eight-time Le Mans 24-Hour Race Winner Tom Kristensen (Team Scandinavia)
* Three-time World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx (Team UK)
* Eleven-time X-Games Gold medalist and Four-time Rally America Champion Travis Pastrana (Team USA)