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For the first time in three years, Travis Pastrana will take to the famous Daytona International Speedway.
The excitement is real — Pastrana’s first time driving in the Daytona 500. His average heart rate? Over 180 beats per minute.
“At times I was running over 180 heart rate. For someone who, you know, was almost 40 years old at the time, to run that high, it was just kind of a heart attack the whole race,” Pastrana said in a recent interview with Pakinomist Digital.
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Driver Travis Pastrana of the #199 Subaru WRX ARA25L looks on after the podium ceremony of the 2025 ARA Ojibwe Forests Rally on August 23, 2025 in Bemidji, Minnesota. (Steven Garcia/Getty Images)
Pastrana is not in the big race this year, but on Friday he will participate in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona.
To make the event even more special, Pastrana, along with part-time Truck Series driver and YouTuber Cleetus McFarland, have partnered with Black Rifle Coffee and BRUNT Workwear, who together are donating $100,000 to the Boot Campaign, which supports life-changing programs for veterans and military families, particularly in mental health, housing.
Black Rifle Coffee Company is a veteran-founded, mission-driven brand with a longstanding commitment to veterans, first responders and those who serve. BRUNT Workwear builds tough, reliable gear for hard-working Americans, and this sponsorship marks a big step for the brand on the national motorsports scene.
For Pastrana, being part of the Black Rifle Coffee team is important as his father was a Marine, his grandfather was in the Navy and his father-in-law also served.
Driver Travis Pastrana of the #199 Subaru WRX ARA25L watches before Special Stage 1 at Soo Pass Ranch on August 21, 2025 in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. (Steven Garcia/Getty Images)
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“My dad loves gathering veterans, telling stories and just being thankful to be able to live the American dream. We like to support the American dream,” Pastrana said. “But really, we’re trying to support veterans, first responders, and show them a good time. It was about bringing people in for this great experience at Daytona.
“BRUNT Boots was like, ‘Hey, we all want to go down (to Daytona). Like all the employees, all the kind of blue-collar crew they have. We want to be a part of Daytona. Do you want to race?” I was like, ‘Hell yeah, I want to race. Like that would be totally awesome.’ I know I’m not the best at rear wheel drive or pavement, but this is going to be fun.”
“It’s the most intense race you can do because it goes on for hours,” added McFarland. “You’re full throttle for hours and I think BRUNT Boots and Black Rifle Coffee, they’re just such cool brands and they just totally go with the Daytona Speedway theme, bro, you know? It’s an honor to be a part of it.”
These partnerships, Pastrana said, are rejuvenating the love of racing.
“Sometimes you get into this track where you just want to win. I get caught up in something. And then you go and race the Freedom 500 and the stands are packed and you’re like, why did you get into racing in the first place?” he said.
“And I think that’s why Black Rifle and BRUNT Boots have kind of partnered with us, because look, win, lose and draw, we want a bunch of people coming in, we want some veterans, we want to show everybody that we’re doing well and that these brands support the people who support the world.”
Honorary pace driver Travis Pastrana poses for a photo on the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway on August 11, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
“I mean, it means something if we win, obviously,” McFarland noted. “But I think Black Rifle and BRUNT both know that if Trav and I do something cool, it’s all success.”
