Travis Pastrana has become the latest driver to sign up for the 2022 Race of Champions competition, which is set to be the first snow and ice racing edition in its history.
The five-time US rally champion and current American Rally Association National points leader is no stranger to ROC, having competed eight times since 2003 – most recently in 2017 on home soil in Miami.
“Race Of Champions is such a prestigious and unique event,” he said. “It’s an honor to be able to compete against so many icons and legends from all disciplines of racing.
“I don’t know who my team-mate on Team USA will be yet. It would be nice to team up for example with NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson again and try to do even better than we did at Wembley Stadium in England! But whoever my team-mate is we will aim to win it all.”
Photo: FIA RX2e
Pastrana’s most successful ROC event came in 2006 where he famously contested the Nations Cup competition single-handedly after team-mate Johnson and his replacement Scott Speed were both sidelined through injury.
Despite having to race alone, it proved to be his most successful year in the teams’ competition, as he reached the final only to lose out to Finnish pairing Heikki Kovalainen and Marcus Grönholm. He also made it to the semifinal stage of the main contest, where he was defeated by Sébastien Loeb.
A fully-fit Johnson would later return alongside Pastrana for the 2007 running of the event in London, but the duo was knocked out by Germany in the opening round after he was beaten by Michael Schumacher twice. Pastrana meanwhile scored a win against Sebastian Vettel.
Photo: Flo Hagena / Red Bull Content Pool
With Pastrana confirmed for 2022, he joins a list that includes nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen, and fellow rallying and rallycross alumnus Johan Kristoffersson, Petter Solberg, and Oliver Solberg.
His Nations Cup partner will be announced at a later date.
Pastrana has raced alongside rallycross winners Speed, Tanner Foust, and Brian Deegan in past editions, as well as NASCAR stars Johnson, Boris Said, Casey Mears, and Jeff Gordon.
