Making sense of Pastrana’s pain

It’s Travis Pastrana, what did you expect? The all-action American hero wanted to explain his absence from this week’s Olympus Rally. What came was never going to be normal. There’s nothing normal about #199.

The guy is the closest thing to a living, breathing Superman I’ve ever seen. Which made seeing him on the first two rounds of this year’s ARA just that bit harder.

Pastrana is one of the untouchables. He doesn’t so much walk on water, as turn somersaults while levitating just above the surface. It’s who he is. Or maybe, in his words, it’s who he was before ‘Father Time’ caught up with him. Following the finish of Sno*Drift in February, midnight was closing in in Michigan and the temperature was tumbling. But still Travis stood, signed, smiled and cranked out another selfie. Eventually, however, he had to take a seat. But still the folk, the fans, they just kept on coming. And coming.

The Maryland man had a word for them all. Without fail. Finally, with the line done, TP took a final sip of beer and began the process of getting up. The cold had done its work, infiltrating a too-new knee, damaged hip, still-healing back; his was and is a body broken. Typically, there was a big grin and a joke about too many heavy landings.

But the pain was as obvious as it was deep-rooted. It hurt to watch. But he wasn’t through. He had a job to do. And that job was to find a way to match team-mate Brandon Semenuk’s speed as the series moved south to Missouri for round two.

It didn’t happen. Instead, he took another beating, with the returning Barry McKenna joining the Canadian in showing him the way between the trees too. Maybe that was enough. Certainly his comments after round two gave rise to the consideration that he was ready to call time.

And who could blame him? Six American titles down and Pastrana is a globally recognized all-action hero. But he’s also a husband and a father. He spent last season reminding himself of such priorities and coming back to a full-time program hasn’t been as straightforward as he might have thought. But doing that when you’re in constant physical pain is too much even for Superman himself.

The decision to stand down from this week’s Olympus Rally will, no doubt, set tongues wagging and further fuel social media speculation. Will he return? There’s nothing in Subaru’s communication to indicate he won’t be back aboard the factory WRX in time for Oregon Trails Rally next month.

But those words…

“…my hip gave out. I crawled to a wheelchair and just kind of laughed that Father Time has finally won, mentally and physically.”

Wow.

That wasn’t the half of it.

“It all started two and a half years ago when I broke my back and shattered my pelvis and tail bone and almost bled out.”

Almost bled out.

Were this just about anybody else, you would have closed the book, patted them on the back, thanked them for the air time and sent them home long ago. Pastrana owes the world nothing. He’s done his bit. Year-on-year he’s delivered his very own version of shock and awe. In equal measure.

Now it’s got to be his time. His turn to decide. Can he really walk away? That’s not the plan.

According to him: “I truly appreciate all the support from my fans and sponsors. I will be back to rally, I just need to focus on healing up right now.”

If anybody’s earned that time to heal, it’s Pastrana. But I’m torn. He’s the master showman, the all-American hero who brought the world to its feet as he went toe-to-toe with his friend and rival Ken Block. The two of them defined entertainment for a generation. With KB gone, the prospect of the other stepping away from a sport he lives to love is not easy.

Problem for Pastrana is that second isn’t enough. Never has been. Can he change the habit of a lifetime and bring mind and body to the same page? Time will tell. Either way, fronting up and admitting life behind the wheel is too painful right now takes courage. Let’s face it, that’s one thing he’s never been short of.

Take it steady and heal up, TP.