Travis Pastrana led two laps and finished 11th in his 23XI Racing debut at the Daytona 500. When it comes to racing at Daytona International Speedway, the fastest car doesn’t necessarily win. The trick is just to survive and reach the finish line.
While this was Travis Pastrana’s first Cup Series race, surviving is what he does best. The X-Games champion was one of the big names vying for a starting spot in the “Great American Race,” and he did it with qualifying speed.
Travis Pastrana has been hearing all week that race day is a whole different beast. He is used to having to modify and learn as he goes, which helped him achieve a fantastic 11th place finish for 23XI Racing on Sunday (February 19). The only Toyota driver to finish ahead of Travis Pastrana was Christopher Bell, who he was working with at the end of the race.
The end result was quite remarkable, especially when all the variables were considered. Travis Pastrana started near the back of the field in 40th, served a penalty and finished 11th. This whole “first time” thing happened on the heels of a grueling week of dirt racing at Volusia, culminating in the Truck race on Friday (February 17) night.
When asked if he would return to the race or the Daytona 500, Pastrana said (via motorsport.com):
“This exceeded all my expectations in terms of results. These are the best pilots in the world. I’m not a big rear wheel driver, I’m not a big pavement driver. Restrictor plate racing is a little different.”
“We had a great team with this Toyota 23XI team, and it was an honor to be out on track with these guys. It was amazing that we were able to place in the top 20. I’m proud of everyone involved and so grateful to be here.”
He further said:
“One and done. Now if Cody (Efaw) from Niece Motorsports calls me and says, ‘Hey, what are you doing this weekend?’ I’ll jump, but I’m not good enough to be the best at this sport with my skill set. The amount of time this would take right now and I’m trying to slow it down.”
“The reason I’m here now is because I feel like this is the best I’ve ever had as a driver. We’ve been winning championships on dirt and I just wanted to experience Daytona Speedweeks.”
“One of the most exciting things I’ve ever done” – says Travis Pastrana of his Daytona 500 experience
Travis Pastrana will not compete in another Daytona 500 or Cup race after finishing 11th and leading a lap Sunday night, citing his unforgettable race as a once-in-a-lifetime event. He said:
“This was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done. This was one of the best, if not the best week or couple of weeks of my life.”
It was part of a spectacular week at Daytona that included Travis Pastrana competing in the Craftsman Truck Series race on Friday and the Daytona 500 on Sunday.