Sitting down to interview a person in this sport is always fun as everyone seems to have so much personality. For this reason, you can imagine how excited I was to travel to the Air Canada Centre yesterday for a one on one sit down with perhaps the biggest personality in action sports, Travis Pastrana. With the Toronto Nitro Circus show is only a few short weeks away, Pastrana was in town to do a press tour and MXP was fortunate enough to be granted an hour of his time. This interview also features three very cool questions from fans that were submitted via our MXP Instagram. These three lucky individuals have each won two tickets to one of the Canadian Nitro Circus shows.
MXP: Travis, thanks for giving us a few moments of what I’m sure is a very busy schedule. I guess my first question is what have you been up to? What is a day in the life of Travis Pastrana like these days?
Travis: No problem Chris, I always have time for you guys. These days I’ve just been down at my house with the crew training and getting ready for these upcoming Nitro Circus shows. Obviously a lot of preparation goes into everything and there’s a lot of trial and error before we decide on what exactly we’re doing. So, we’ve just been at my house building ramps and getting everything ready.
As big as your life and Nitro Circus have become, it sounds as though some things are exactly the way they were 10 or 12 years ago, just you and your buddies hitting ramps and having fun?
Yes, I guess that is true in many ways (laughs). It’s no secret how blessed I feel to still be able to do what I love. To see Nitro grow into what it is today has been amazing and we travel all over the World to entertain people. However, at the end of the day it’s just a group of friends hanging out and having fun.
It seems as though you’ve always been like that, regardless of the situation or how much stress you might feel on the inside, to us you always look like you’re having a blast.
TP: Well I’m glad it appears that way because it’s not always the case. I don’t know, I think it’s just the way I’ve been brought up as I’m definitely a glass half full kind of guy and that’s got me through a lot so far in my life.
I think everyone would agree that you definitely smile more than most athletes?
(laughs) That’s because I’m happy, I’m living my dream and I couldn’t be happier. Recently I built a skate park at my house and when my dad saw it he said “you realize you’re in your thirties and you’re building something for kids?” I think that sums up what we’re doing, we’re just big kids now.
Once again Travis will be a huge part of the new Nitro Circus show when it hits the Air Canada Centre on October 14th. photo by Virgil Knapp
Let’s talk about this new show as you must be very excited to bring Nitro Circus back to Canada on October 14th, right here in Toronto?
For sure, with what happen last year in Hamilton we weren’t really sure what to think. When Bruce [Cook] got injured it affected all of us so much, he was part of our family and to see him go down was extremely tough. That night he was so excited to perform and he had all of his family there to watch. When he crashed and we knew that he couldn’t feel his legs, it was a sick feeling for sure. Even through the next few shows we were all kind of in a daze and we didn’t know how to get out of it. To see how Bruce has dealt with his injuries and to see his energy and his love of life has helped us all heal I think. The last thing I want is to see is anyone get injured, with this new show we have made enormous strides in safety to try and ensure that never happens again.
It is great to see Bruce and how he’s dealt so positively with his injury, he’s definitely an inspiration. I saw a television show on this new Nitro Circus tour when it opened in Australia and it looks incredible?
Oh thanks, we’re definitely proud of it. This new tour is a lot different than the first one, fans can expect a new theme, new stunts, new music, actually everything is new and it’s pretty awesome. I would say it’s like a rock concert with stunts!
That does sound amazing Travis and I’m sure everyone is going to love it. You also must be excited to be performing in this Country’s biggest arenas?
Definitely, just being here today at the Air Canada Centre and to think that we’re going to be back here in a few weeks performing is very cool. I hope the fans come out and support us and I guarantee that they won’t be disappointed.
We can’t wait! Do you ever just shake your head when you think about how big the Nitro Circus brand and your name has become?
Everyday Chris pretty much, because I’m just a guy who loves to ride bikes, drive cars and have fun. I remember my Grandma called me one day and she was so excited. I guess she had just watched Ocean’s 13 and she heard Al Pacino mention my name in the movie. I think in her mind I had finally made it! (haha)
When I knew that we were going to have this sit down, we reached out to our fans to have them submit some questions for you. As you can imagine the response was amazing. I sorted through them and here are the three questions I picked for you. Are you ready?
Go for it!
This first one is very cool. If you could hang out with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be?
That is a great question. The first one would be Shane McConkey. He was a freestyle skier and base jumper who passed away a few years during a jump. He inspired me so much and it actual makes me emotional just talking about him. He was a great guy and a tremendous athlete, when he passed away he left behind a wife and a daughter and his death really hit close to home for me, I miss him every day.
The second would be my Grandma Ruth, she was a wonderful women and such a positive person. And the third would be Matt Hoffman, he’s still alive but anytime I see him I just shut up and listen to what he has to say. That was a very cool question.
Do you have any pre show rituals?
It’s funny, I used to be a really superstitious person and I had all of these things I did before I raced or performed. However, I still crashed and got hurt so I stopped all of that. These days, I just tell my wife that I love her and then I go for it.
Well whatever works. Okay, final question. How has your mom handled watching you through the years?
Not very well!! (laughs) Honestly I don’t know how she’s done it throughout the years, the racing, the freestyle, everything that I’ve put her through. Actually, these days she’s a little more relaxed because she enjoys the Nitro Circus shows. She likes the music, she likes the entertainment and she doesn’t get that nervous anymore.
If your mom likes the shows than I’m sure we all will. Travis, thanks again for doing this and we look forward to see you back in Toronto on Oct.14th when the Nitro Circus Canadian tour opens.
Thanks for coming down to chat Chris and please thank your fans for their questions. I hope to see everyone next month at the Canadian shows.