Getty Travis Pastrana walks onstage during Daytona 500 introductions.
The Daytona 500 came to an end with Travis Pastrana getting caught up in a wreck. He had to go to the infield care center, but he still finished 11th in his NASCAR Cup Series debut and later celebrated with some strong words.
Pastrana met with media members after exiting the infield care center, and he reflected on his first-ever Cup Series start. He explained that he was disappointed after crashing, but he was also excited about (accidentally) leading a lap and putting himself within reach of a top-10 finish.
“This exceeded all of my expectations as far as results,” Pastrana said, quote courtesy of Toyota Racing. “These are the best drivers in the world. I’m not a great rear-wheel driver, I’m not a great pavement driver. Restrictor plate racing is a little different.
“We had a great team with this 23XI Toyota team, and it was an honor to be on the track with these guys. It was amazing that we were able to put it in the top 20. I’m proud of everyone involved and so thankful to be here.”
As Pastrana told multiple media members after the Daytona 500, his goal was to simply finish the race and post a top-20 finish. Nearly cracking the top 10 was something else entirely for the motorsports veteran.
Pastrana Addressed His NASCAR Future
GettyTravis Pastrana greets fans at Daytona International Speedway.
Pastrana posted an 11th-place finish in his NASCAR Cup Series debut, and he avoided the majority of on-track incidents. Does this mean that he will be back in the No. 67 for future events?
The short answer is, no. Pastrana explained that he doesn’t have any plans to suit up for any more Cup Series races. He doesn’t have the time to put in the amount of work required to be consistently competitive in the NASCAR Cup Series, especially as he focuses on his family.
“One and done,” Pastrana clarified. “Now if Cody [Efaw] from Niece Motorsports calls me up and says, ‘Hey, what are you doing this weekend?’ I’ll jump in, but I’m not good enough to be the best at this sport with my skill set.
“The amount of time that this would take right now and I’m trying to slow down. The reason I’m here right now is because I feel like this is the best I’ve ever been as a driver. We’ve been winning championships on the dirt, and I just wanted to experience the whole Daytona Speedweeks.”
Pastrana Was ‘Drained’ After the Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 capped off a very busy week for Pastrana. He competed in Modified races before qualifying for the Cup Series event. He also competed in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel races, the Craftsman Truck Series opener, and the biggest race on the Cup Series schedule.
This packed week provided Pastrana with the opportunity to fulfill some dreams and win a UMP Modified race, but he is ready for a break. All of the events during Speedweeks were a lot to handle, even for someone that is constantly pushing himself in different ways.
“As excited as I am right now, I might sleep for the next week,” Pastrana added. “I am mentally and physically completely drained. Even the Truck race, my heart rate was 170 in a three-wide pack. 182 was my high.
“That’s just on adrenaline. So, anyone that says NASCAR is boring, they’re full of crap. They’ve definitely never been in a car because this was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done.”