nikki
Moto Junkie
- Apr 21, 2000
- 5,802
- 1
TransWorld Motocross: You had surgery on your sinuses last week. How did it go, and what exactly was wrong?
Travis Pastrana: The surgery went well. For the last three years I have been suffering from chronic sinusitis. It gives me really bad headaches and I am always stuffed up. I have not been able to breathe through my nose for about five years now. I could live with it, but I have also developed an upper respiratory tract infection, which has the same symptoms as having a concussion. The symptoms would make me dizzy and tired all of the time. It is not a great feeling. I was told they used a laser and took as much stuff out of my nasal passage as possible. I am not too sure exactly what they did. Now I should be breathing normal. They also told me my condition was going to get worse if I did not have the surgery. It's weird I did not feel like there was that much wrong, but there was.
TWMX: So now that you have done the surgery are you on medication?
TP: I am on every antibiotic ever made! I was going to get my tonsils taken out when they were doing the sinus thing but I came down with tonsillitis right before the surgery. The doctors were unable to perform that operation. On top of all that I had the flu, so I am definitely looking forward to better days.
TWMX: Are we going to see you back on the supercross circuit this year?
TP: Definitely, I feel really good about St. Louis. I still have to get the green light from the head doctor just as a precaution, but I think I will be ready to go for round 12. I am looking at being full strength for the outdoor season when it starts in May.
TWMX: What was the deal with that neck canteen you were wearing in Daytona? Were you listening to music while you were racing? Donn Maeda spotted wires going into your helmet!
TP: Todd Lentz from EVS was working on the canteen for me. It worked well, but the way the mouthpiece was positioned it moved around two much. I only could get a sip about every third lap or so, we will have to fix it. I kind of like it, it's a good product for keeping you hydrated. I had a full stereo system in my helmet while I was racing! I had a CD player in a special bag that EVS made for me, I duct taped the headphones in I was ready to jam. It didn't even skip the whole time I was out there. Everyone thought it was a communication device but it was just a regular CD player.
TWMX: What were you listening to Jerry Lee Lewis?
TP: No, I had Disturbed in there. Maybe if I had had some happier music playing I could have gone further. I was contemplating Chuck Berry.
TWMX: How are you dealing with that accident you got into with Mike LaRocco? It seems like some people are giving you a bad rap for something that was not your fault, it was racing. How do you feel now that some time has past?
TP: It doesn't matter what I do right now, I have a reputation from the freestyle side as being crazy. I was really upset about what happened between Mike and I. When I came home after that weekend I was feeling terrible about what had happened. The way that section was, you had to commit to it. The whoop section was all the way up to the take off of the jump. I was on the inside and at the last second he messed up and cut over. There was nothing I could do. It wasn't intentional, I say that it's racing. You are out there trying to go as fast as you can, sometimes things are going to happen. I have been taken out by quite a few people this year; it is just an element of racing. It is always really sad when somebody gets hurt. I don't know why people are the way they are. Last weekend I was trying to do my best, I passed out and everyone was saying "there he goes again Travis flipped over and got another concussion." I am just doing what I feel is right.
TWMX: Looking forward to the nationals, do you have any goals that you have set for yourself?
TP: I am not really good at just sitting back and relaxing, so I am thinking I will be up there in the front of the pack early. Outdoor I think I have a good chance at winning the series, it might be an optimistic way of looking at it but that is the way I feel now. I think I can win the title this year.
TWMX: How about your freestyle career? Will you continue with it and give Roger DeCoster a reason to faint?
TP: Yes, I am definitely going to be doing the X Games and the Gravity Games unless they fall on a Sunday. Roger wants us to get back out there as soon as we can. I don't think he could sustain another injury this year, he has worked so hard on the team. This is the first time in a while there has been no 250 team to represent. The X Games is going to be good. I am building a foam pit to work on my back flips. I would hate to go out there again and see everyone with the signs that say "back flip!" and again and tell them no way!
TWMX: What is Suzuki's take on you riding the huge freestyle events like the X Games and the Gravity Games? There sure is a lot of media coverage at those events that your sponsors are benefiting from.
TP: My sponsors are 50/50 on whether they like it or not. Puma and No Fear are into it. Puma could care less if I raced. Suzuki would prefer me never to do any of the games, because of the added risk of getting hurt. Personally, I think that freestyle is safer than racing; there are not as many variables as when you are racing. In freestyle it's just you the bike and the obstacles. When you are racing you are with 20-40 other guys. I think racing is way more dangerous.
Travis Pastrana: The surgery went well. For the last three years I have been suffering from chronic sinusitis. It gives me really bad headaches and I am always stuffed up. I have not been able to breathe through my nose for about five years now. I could live with it, but I have also developed an upper respiratory tract infection, which has the same symptoms as having a concussion. The symptoms would make me dizzy and tired all of the time. It is not a great feeling. I was told they used a laser and took as much stuff out of my nasal passage as possible. I am not too sure exactly what they did. Now I should be breathing normal. They also told me my condition was going to get worse if I did not have the surgery. It's weird I did not feel like there was that much wrong, but there was.
TWMX: So now that you have done the surgery are you on medication?
TP: I am on every antibiotic ever made! I was going to get my tonsils taken out when they were doing the sinus thing but I came down with tonsillitis right before the surgery. The doctors were unable to perform that operation. On top of all that I had the flu, so I am definitely looking forward to better days.
TWMX: Are we going to see you back on the supercross circuit this year?
TP: Definitely, I feel really good about St. Louis. I still have to get the green light from the head doctor just as a precaution, but I think I will be ready to go for round 12. I am looking at being full strength for the outdoor season when it starts in May.
TWMX: What was the deal with that neck canteen you were wearing in Daytona? Were you listening to music while you were racing? Donn Maeda spotted wires going into your helmet!
TP: Todd Lentz from EVS was working on the canteen for me. It worked well, but the way the mouthpiece was positioned it moved around two much. I only could get a sip about every third lap or so, we will have to fix it. I kind of like it, it's a good product for keeping you hydrated. I had a full stereo system in my helmet while I was racing! I had a CD player in a special bag that EVS made for me, I duct taped the headphones in I was ready to jam. It didn't even skip the whole time I was out there. Everyone thought it was a communication device but it was just a regular CD player.
TWMX: What were you listening to Jerry Lee Lewis?
TP: No, I had Disturbed in there. Maybe if I had had some happier music playing I could have gone further. I was contemplating Chuck Berry.
TWMX: How are you dealing with that accident you got into with Mike LaRocco? It seems like some people are giving you a bad rap for something that was not your fault, it was racing. How do you feel now that some time has past?
TP: It doesn't matter what I do right now, I have a reputation from the freestyle side as being crazy. I was really upset about what happened between Mike and I. When I came home after that weekend I was feeling terrible about what had happened. The way that section was, you had to commit to it. The whoop section was all the way up to the take off of the jump. I was on the inside and at the last second he messed up and cut over. There was nothing I could do. It wasn't intentional, I say that it's racing. You are out there trying to go as fast as you can, sometimes things are going to happen. I have been taken out by quite a few people this year; it is just an element of racing. It is always really sad when somebody gets hurt. I don't know why people are the way they are. Last weekend I was trying to do my best, I passed out and everyone was saying "there he goes again Travis flipped over and got another concussion." I am just doing what I feel is right.
TWMX: Looking forward to the nationals, do you have any goals that you have set for yourself?
TP: I am not really good at just sitting back and relaxing, so I am thinking I will be up there in the front of the pack early. Outdoor I think I have a good chance at winning the series, it might be an optimistic way of looking at it but that is the way I feel now. I think I can win the title this year.
TWMX: How about your freestyle career? Will you continue with it and give Roger DeCoster a reason to faint?
TP: Yes, I am definitely going to be doing the X Games and the Gravity Games unless they fall on a Sunday. Roger wants us to get back out there as soon as we can. I don't think he could sustain another injury this year, he has worked so hard on the team. This is the first time in a while there has been no 250 team to represent. The X Games is going to be good. I am building a foam pit to work on my back flips. I would hate to go out there again and see everyone with the signs that say "back flip!" and again and tell them no way!
TWMX: What is Suzuki's take on you riding the huge freestyle events like the X Games and the Gravity Games? There sure is a lot of media coverage at those events that your sponsors are benefiting from.
TP: My sponsors are 50/50 on whether they like it or not. Puma and No Fear are into it. Puma could care less if I raced. Suzuki would prefer me never to do any of the games, because of the added risk of getting hurt. Personally, I think that freestyle is safer than racing; there are not as many variables as when you are racing. In freestyle it's just you the bike and the obstacles. When you are racing you are with 20-40 other guys. I think racing is way more dangerous.
