Travis Pastrana makes the jump to NASCAR

 

Action sports phenom Travis Pastrana is making the leap to NASCAR in 2011.

Pastrana, 27, has signed with Michael Waltrip Racing with inital plans to race Toyotas in seven Nationwide Series events in 2011 and 20 races in 2012 for Pastrana-Waltrip Racing, a new team owned by Pastrana, Michael Waltrip Racing and Gary and Blake Bechtel.

"I’ve been following NASCAR closely for years as a fan of the sport, with competing in the sport a lifelong dream," Pastrana said. "I decided it was time to try and turn that dream into reality and with the help of the Bechtel family, Michael Waltrip Racing and Wasserman Media Group I’m now one step closer!"

Waltrip, a a two-time Daytona 500 champion, noted the importance of the youth demographic Pastrana brings to NASCAR.

"Travis has built an enormous and unique following all over the world," said Waltrip. "As a race team owner, we are always looking for ways to deliver to our partners and engage our fans better. This is an opportunity to showcase our company and our sport to a new generation of young fans. We’re also looking for that next big star.  Travis already is one and action sports is full of talented athletes. Having Travis as a part of our program adds another great dimension to our team and NASCAR."

Pastrana has won 16 X Games freestyle motocross gold medals and also has multiple supercross, motocross and rally car championships under his belt. Pastrana also stars in MTV's "Nitro Circus," which includes the television series, live tours and a soon-to-be-released feature film.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Video: Travis Pastrana gets ready for NASCAR. Credit: Pastrana Waltrip Racing via YouTube

X Games 16 tickets go on sale Thursday

Tickets for X Games 16 will go on sale Thursday at venue box offices, Ticketmaster outlets and through Ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices range from $9-$40 for events being held July 29 through Aug. 1 at four downtown Los Angeles locations.

All tickets include admission to X Fest at L.A. Live. Taking place in conjunction with the X Games, the free action sports festival will open at 9 a.m. daily and will feature sponsor and industry booths, musical performances, interactive parks, athlete appearances, demonstrations and more.

The competition schedule, listed by date, time, events, venue and ticket price(s): 

Thursday, July 29

10:30 a.m. -- BMX freestyle park elimination and skateboard street elimination; Event Deck at L.A. Live; $9.


4 p.m. -- Moto X Super X, men’s, women’s and adaptive; Moto X freestyle and skate big air; Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum;  $16
.

Friday, July 30

11 a.m. -- Skateboard park elimination and BMX freestyle street elimination; Event Deck at L.A. Live; $9
.

4 p.m. -- BMX vert, skate vert and skate vert best trick; Nokia Theatre; $20, $40.

5 p.m. -- Moto X step up, best whip and best trick; Staples Center; $17, $22, $25, $30.

Also Friday is the women’s skate vert, a free event at 2:15 p.m. inside Nokia Theatre.

Action sports high school anti-tobacco tour kicks off Monday in Ontario

The ASA High School Tour will kick off its Spring "Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids" schedule Monday in Ontario, Calif., with top skateboarders, BMX and inline-skating pros visiting high school campuses nationwide to perform stunts and offer students information on the risks of using tobacco.

ASA Action Sports World Tour and X Games athletes will also spend time with students, posing for photos, signing autographs and talking about how you can be cool by not smoking.

Now in its 11th year, the tour will visit one school each day, five days a week, in nine markets across the country -- including Los Angeles-area schools March 15 to 19. The events are offered at no cost to participating schools, thanks to sponsorship from ASA Entertainment, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the United States Marine Corps.

"When we started this program 11 years ago, we hoped it would have the positive impact on students that we've been fortunate enough to affect," ASA Entertainment CEO Rick Bratman said.

Since the tour’s inception, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids messaging has reached over 1 million students.

More positive news on snowboarder Kevin Pearce

The news on snowboarder Kevin Pearce continues to be positive. An update posted this morning on the Facebook fan page created by Pearce's family said that, just one month after his accident, Pearce has been transferred from the University of Utah Hospital to Craig Hospital in Denver, a world-renowned rehabilitation center for people with traumatic brain injury.

Elaine Skalabrin, the Utah hospital's neuro-critical care medical director and one of Pearce’s doctors while he was there, is optimistic about his progress.

"Kevin has made tremendous progress since being admitted to University of Utah Hospital on Dec. 31. He is able to walk and do many daily activities with some assistance," she said. "I asked him how he felt about being discharged from the hospital, and he said, 'Excited! I'm ready to keep on going!' His positive attitude and determination will certainly serve him well as he moves on to the next phase of his rehabilitation."

The next phase will be an evaluation of Pearce's injury, sustained while training in the halfpipe at Park City, Utah.

Snowboarder Kevin Pearce moved from critical care unit and continues to progress in his recovery

Pro snowboarder Kevin Pearce has been moved out of the critical care unit at the University of Utah Hospital, and continues to make progress in his recovery from a head injury sustained Dec. 31.

"Kevin is making excellent progress and will move from the Critical Care to Neuro Acute care unit at the University of Utah Hospital today. He is working very hard to make daily progress in therapy, and his sense of humor and optimism are apparent as he begins his rehabilitation,” Elaine Skalabrin, medical director of neuro critical care and one of Pearce’s doctors, stated in the official update released today.

Pearce, 22, of Norwich, Vt., was training in the halfpipe at Park City, Utah, and was completing a cab double cork -- a twisting double back flip maneuver he's landed before -- when he caught his toe-side edge while landing.

Though he was wearing a helmet, he hit his head above one of his eyes and was knocked unconscious.

Snowboarder Kevin Pearce remains in critical condition with traumatic brain injury

Snowboarder Kevin Pearce remains in critical condition at the University of Utah Hospital after a head injury sustained while training in the halfpipe at Park City, Utah, for this week's Olympics qualifier at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.

Pearce was completing a cab double cork -- a twisting double back flip maneuver he's landed before -- when he caught his toe-side edge while landing.

Though Pearce, 22, was wearing a helmet, he hit his head above one of his eyes and was knocked unconscious.

“Kevin sustained a severe traumatic brain injury. He is currently in intensive care and in critical condition, but stable and has not needed to undergo surgery at this time. He is intubated and being kept sedated," Holly Ledyard, a neurointensivist who is one of Pearce's doctors, said in a statement issued Saturday and posted on the Facebook page family members created.

"The focus over the next week will be watching for any swelling in his brain and keeping his brain pressure normal. Kevin has a long recovery ahead of him,” said Ledyard.

Outposts will post updates on Pearce as information becomes available.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Kevin Pearce competes in the men's snowboard superpipe final at Winter X Games 13 last year in Aspen, Colo. Credit: Eric Lars Bakke / Shazamm/ESPN Images

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Snowboarder Kevin Pearce in critical condition after halfpipe accident

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Snowboarder Kevin Pearce in critical condition after halfpipe accident

Top Olympic snowboarding hopeful Kevin Pearce is in critical condition, injured while training in Park City, Utah, for next week's Olympics qualifier at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.

Pearce, 22, hit his head above one of his eyes on an icy halfpipe wall and was knocked unconscious, reports Pete Thomas on his blog.

Pearce was airlifted to the University of Utah Hospital, where he had surgery Thursday evening to relieve fluid buildup on his brain. He remains in critical but stable condition.

Pearce, of Norwich, Vt., has been considered a favorite to make the U.S. Olympic Team. He is one of the few competitors to challenge snowboarder Shaun White, besting him at the Burton European Open in 2008 and 2009 and taking the silver medal at last winter's X Games, losing the gold medal to White by one point.

Family members have set up a Facebook page, where fans can offer their support and well wishes.

"We would like to thank everyone for their support at this time and ask that you keep Kevin in your thoughts and prayers during his recovery," his parents, Simon and Pia Pearce, said in a statement issued Friday.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Snowboarder Kevin Pearce poses for a portrait during the USOC Media Summit in Chicago last year. Credit: Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press

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Snowboarder Louie Vito to debut tonight on 'Dancing With the Stars'

Louie Vito has great moves. I've watched him snowboard and his craziness above the halfpipe walls is awe-inspiring. It will not be surprising if he makes the U.S. Olympic team bound for the 2010 Vancouver Games.

But can he dance?

The world will find out beginning tonight as the U.S. Snowboarding athlete, who is well-liked and clearly not shy, teams with professional dancer Chelsie Hightower for the season premier of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

Vito, like all snowboarders, is an individualist, though. He explains: "They really try to push you to have some color, but spray-tanning is not my thing. I'm going to try to keep it true to myself."

Of learning the ballroom dance steps, he says it's harder than it was trying to land his first double-cork 1080; fans will see this progressive trick at the Olympics.

Though Vito is an individualist, he confesses: "I dressed up for my salsa Latin-themed dances and you know what? I'm not going to lie, I felt like a salsa dancer when I was wearing that getup.

"That's kind of what's funny 'cause I know I would never wear that ever in my life."

Win or lose, he will entertain.

--Pete Thomas

Top photo: Louie Vito executes a 1080 above Copper Mountain's halfpipe. Credit: Eric Drummond / Summit Daily

Bottom photo: Vito poses for a portrait during the recent 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Media Summit in Chicago. Credit: Harry How / Getty Images

Tony Hawk skateboards with Zulu children on their home turf

Fresh from his stint as a TV commentator for the X Games, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk flew to South Africa, then ventured to the outskirts of Durban and discovered a skate park in what seems the most unlikeliest of places for such a facility: a Zulu village.

“I can’t believe what I am seeing here in this community,"  he said. "It is one of the most amazing skateboard sites I have ever been to. The experience of seeing these young people from disadvantaged backgrounds is something that will stay with me forever."

Hawk is a member of the Laureus World Sports Academy and was on hand for the launch of a partnership with Indigo Youth Movement, as part of a larger project to help young people in rural communities develop life skills and confidence through skateboarding.

The program also affords opportunities to learn English and math, and interaction with more advantaged young people in the area. Dallas Oberholzer who created the project eight years ago with an initial focus on promoting cultural diversity. "Having a legend like Tony Hawk land on site is further acknowledgment that we have created an alluring play place," Olberholzer said.

"With this momentum we are strengthened in our commitment to creating an awesome learning platform for all to enjoy, Oberholzer said. "As all skateboarders are connected, Tony Hawk has already impacted our lives; his accomplishments give wings to our dreams."

Hawk is an inspirational figure, to be sure. Hopefully the kids picked up a few new tricks.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Tony Hawk grinds the ramp at Indigo Youth Movement. Credit: Patrick Royal / Laureus 

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Travis Pastrana to ring in the new year in a flying car

Travis Pastrana is still smarting after a trick gone awry at the X Games, which he appropriately named the "Atomic Butt Drop" because that's essentially what his attempted corkscrew 720 on a motorcycle was, during Friday night's Moto X Best-Trick contest.

His second-place finish in Sunday's rally car final hardly eased the pain, because Pastrana was the defending champion and might have won had he not crashed in the two-driver final.

But with Pastrana there's nothing to be gained by brooding over today because there's always tomorrow--or, in this case, there's always New Year's Eve.

That's when the action sports icon and Rally America champion will become the latest athlete to star in the "Red Bull: New Year. No Limits" program that will air live on ESPN.

Pastrana, 25, will attempt to break the world record for distance jumping in a car--and he'll do this in Los Angeles at a site yet to be announced.The current record: 171 feet. 

Here's hoping for a better landing this time around.

--Pete Thomas

Video teaser courtesy of Red Bull

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Pierre-Luc Gagnon on Twitter, Tony Hawk [Video]

After earning his second straight gold medal in the skateboard vert men's final Saturday, Pierre-Luc Gagnon was asked if he was "tweeting" in between the competition.

The question was posed by @andymacdonald, who took the bronze medal.

Gagnon was actually retweeting a Tony Hawk post during the press conference.

By the way, Gagnon has "only" over a 1,000 followers. Here he asks that Hawk help in his effort to break the highly-coveted million-follower barrier. Heck, while we're at it, follow @LATimesAguirre.

-- Mario Aguirre from Home Depot Center

Video: Pierre-Luc Gagnon talks about Twitter at a press conference following his gold-medal performance in the skateboard men's final Saturday. Credit: Mario Aguirre / Los Angeles Times

Kelly Slater named Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year

Kelly Slater was deprived last week of the U.S. Open of Surfing title, but he received a hefty consolation prize of sorts Sunday.

Tony Hawk and Robby Naish presented the legendary surfer with the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year award at the X Games in Home Depot Center.

Slater received the honor for the second time in three years. Previously winners include Tiger Woods and Michael Phelps.

"It's a huge honor," Slater told The Times. "Those guys are so visible, more visible than anyone in the world of sports. So to be in some way on that level as far as being nominated for something is very nice."

Slater was given the award before the start of the Skateboard Park Legends final.

Slater, who visited the X Games at Home Depot Center this weekend for the first time, said he was surprised by the set-up at X-Fest.

"Just the infrastructure -- how much stuff they build here and then they gotta take down when it's done," he said. "Somehow we should lobby to have this park stuck here forever.

"It’s crazy. And then they rip the thing down. It’d be nice to see it remain here permanently."

-- Mario Aguirre from Home Depot Center

Photo: Kelly Slater poses with the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award that was presented to him at X Games 15. Credit: Kevin Terrell/Getty Images for Laureus