MOREHEAD CITY — A newcomer and master sat side by side in the Miss GEICO boat Sunday, delivering the 50-foot catamaran to an uncontested Class 1 world title at the Offshore Powerboat Association championships on Bogue Sound.
English native Steve Curtis, winner of almost two dozen world championship titles, and first-time powerboat driver Travis Pastrana had been waiting to compete together all season. The OPA schedule was drastically cut short due to COVID-19, and a family emergency kept Pastrana out of the driver’s seat for the season’s other two events.
So, when Pastrana was ready to race on Sunday, the excitement was palpable. A well-known staple in the sport, Curtis was on the throttle while Pastrana steered the 12,000-pound boat in Bogue Sound under rainy conditions.
Pastrana’s name brings a clout of its own. His long and varied résumé includes multiple championships and X Games titles in supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross and rally racing. He has also driven in NASCAR, runs the show Nitro Circus and has replicated Evel Knievel stunts in Las Vegas. He made X Games history in 2006 at the age of 23 with the first-ever moto double backflip.
Even with all that experience, powerboat racing is relatively new to Pastrana. He first climbed into a cockpit in 2019 and then joined the Miss GEICO team this year. The 37-year-old was ready to get started on Sunday morning.
“I’m in the best possible situation,” Pastrana said. “I think that’s why my wife is less nervous, even though it’s probably the fastest boat with the best team, it’s the most prepared. With Steve beside me, I have probably the most experienced throttleman in the world to help me understand what I need to do and go as fast as we can without it going wrong.”
The duo spent the morning going over last-minute details and preparations inside the team bus. Adjustments still needed to be made, as Curtis had been on the throttle for driver Brit Lilly in the first set of races on Friday and in the two previous OPA events.
“We’ve only ever done one test before together, and when we did, it was with 8-foot seas,” Curtis said. “But I’m sure Travis is going to be fine. We’re not going to go out there full-blast. We’ll pace it out. I think the biggest adjustment for Travis will be not having control of the throttle. He’s used to being in total control of a vehicle, so this will be a little like taking his legs out from under him. It might take a few laps to get comfortable.”
Pastrana’s experience has been notably on two or four wheels, which makes operating a powerboat a different animal altogether on the race circuit.
“Racing is racing, but there are some differences,” he said. “In motocross, the course changes a little each time, and with NASCAR, the track rubbers up a little bit. But with powerboat racing, every inch of the track changes every time. So, it’s about preparing for that.”
Curtis was quick to point out the added challenge of steering from the back of a vehicle, like “driving a forklift truck at 100 miles an hour.”
“That’s a great analogy,” Pastrana said, “and it would be even better if I had ever driven a forklift truck. I feel confident that I can do this, but I’m pretty sure that’s what everyone says when they’re watching NASCAR on TV.”
The “world championship” victory on Sunday was a perfect way for Pastrana to get his feet wet in competitive powerboat racing. Many of the top boats in the league, including Miss GEICO’s Class 1 top competitors, are UK-based and have been unable to compete in the United States due to COVID-19 restrictions and concerns.
“This will be the first actual race, so it’s quite an event to start out,” Pastrana said. “It’s actually an ideal situation for me since there are less boats. I can avoid going into the corner too wide for my first race.”
Miss GEICO defeated its only other competitor, Talisman, to win over the weekend. The class will be much larger next year when restrictions are potentially lifted.
“We’re really getting ready for next season, to be honest,” Curtis said. “Most of our competitors are stuck overseas. So, we’re trying to use these events to help get the guys used to working together and to make sure we understand each other in the boat and to make sure the boat is dialed in.”
Other division winners over the weekend were Knucklehead Racing in the Vee Extreme class, Jackhammer in Super Stock, Sun Print in Modified Vee, Done Deal in Stock Vee, Team Woody in Class 3, Tsunami in Class 4, Reindl Powerboats in Class 5, Rum Runner in Class 6 and Evil Ways in Class 7.
Next season, the Miss GEICO will feature Curtis on the throttle and rotate Pastrana and Lilly on the wheel. This season was supposed to be a training opportunity for both Lilly and Pastrana, but the novel coronavirus severely limited competitive action.
“In every motorsport, be it with cars, bikes or boats, (COVID) has made it super difficult,” Curtis said. “You’re just grabbing bits of racing as you go. All of us at every level, whether it’s at the club level or at a world championship, racers just want to go race. And with this, there are so many other angles to consider, like is it the right thing to do politically or for your sponsors? There is a lot involved.”
Curtis has been involved in the sport for four decades, making a name for himself while proving his age, 56, is just a number in powerboat racing.
“If you keep reasonably fit, why not continue doing the thing you love doing?” he said. “A lot of people ask when I’m going to give it up, and I tell them, ‘When they don’t let me get in the boat anymore.’ It’s fun. and it has been a big part of my life.”
The Annapolis-born Pastrana grew up around the water, but he didn’t take the plunge into powerboat racing until the prodding of Lilly, a family friend.
“Brit grew up down the road from me,” Pastrana said. “Our dads were good friends for a while. So, I kind of always knew about the sport, and Brit was always trying to get me involved. I’m excited to be here and especially getting a chance to work with a team like Miss GEICO. This is the best of the best.”
Lilly added, “I’ve been wanting to get him in the sport for a while, to help it grow. He brings a huge following with him everywhere he goes. A bigger fan group comes to watch him run, and that’s good for the sport. It’s kind of fun, because now when I go down the street in the (Miss GEICO) gear, people see me and yell, ‘Hey, there’s Travis,’ and I’m like, ‘I swear I’m not Travis.’”
Lilly was at the wheel for Miss GEICO in September when it won the Class 1 race for the Crystal Coast Grand Prix. Lilly made his second trip to Morehead City in a month when the OPA world championships was moved from Englewood Beach, Fla., to the Crystal Coast. The annual Florida location declined to host this year due to COVID concerns. Hosting two races opens Morehead City up to potentially hosting races in future seasons, as well.
“It’s a good race course, and the city has been really welcoming,” Lilly said. “It’d be nicer if we had a better spectator area, but everything else has been awesome. Everyone has been really nice, and that makes a trip a lot better.”
(Editor’s note: A follow-up story on the world-renowned event, headquartered at Jack’s Waterfront Bar in Morehead City, will appear in the Sunday print edition.)
October 28, 2020 at 05:45PM
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/sports/article_da0c7b7a-1904-11eb-8a1e-63e5f3708dd0.html
Pastrana brings instant recognition, fan appeal to powerboat racing at wheel of Miss GEICO - Carolinacoastonline
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