Pastrana
Pastrana

Block out, Pastrana in — STI off the leash

Riley Riley

In the latest instalment in the Hoonigan Gymkhana series, Subaru Motorsports USA driver Travis Pastrana takes the wheel from Ken Block.

Pastrana must come to grips with a car described as the “most outrageous WRX STI ever” in a quest to take the Gymkhana video series to the next level.

For the assignment he draws on his championship-winning experience in championships and X Games gold medals in several disciplines, including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, and rally racing. rally and rally cross experience.

He has also competed in NASCAR and currently competes part-time in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.

Pastrana is also noted for replicating three of daredevil Evel Knievel‘s most famous jumps without injury in record-breaking fashion while in Las Vegas.

Subaru and Hoonigan announced in May that Travis Pastrana would take over the Gymkhana series for 2020, bringing the series back to its roots.

The first two instalments featured Ken Block driving Subaru WRX STIs, but promised a new take on the Gymkhana concept.

With Pastrana’s decades of experience in rally, rally cross, supercross, freestyle motocross, NASCAR and stunts, Subaru was tasked with delivering a vehicle that could do things no Gymkhana car had ever been asked to do.

The resulting build demanded the expertise of Subaru’s decades of motorsports experience, and the creativity of technical partner Vermont SportsCar to build a production-based sedan on the limit of what was possible.

This focus on extreme performance is evident from every angle, thanks to a raw carbon body with a wildly aggressive and wind tunnel-proven aero package unlike anything seen on a Gymkhana build before.

With a custom-made boxer engine, flame-spitting hood exit exhaust, long travel suspension, and a race-ready interior built to Pastrana’s specs, this is an STI born to shred tyres and smash expectations.

“This STI is unbelievable,” Pastrana said.

“We’ve never had the opportunity to do this before, to build a car with no restrictions. Engine, suspension, aero — everything is unlimited, clean sheet.

“It’s crazy fast, easy to control and get sideways and it was perfect out of the box in testing.

“Gymkhana is a new challenge for me but I want to raise the bar, and this is the car to do it.”

 

CHECKOUT: Subaru WRX STI: grip without grab

CHECKOUT: STI on the way out?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Riley