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The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.

29/07/2011 | By: Blake Z. Rong

Travis Pastrana might not be high-tailing it to NASCAR according to plan: at the X Games, he landed hard on his right foot, shattering his ankle as well as any chances to start in the Nationwide NASCAR Series on Saturday.

Pastrana was attempting to nail a 720-double-backflip-spin on a dirtbike, but with a late rotation entering the landing, he fell at an angle and threw the entire weight of the bike onto his right foot. He was taken to surgery and hasn’t made an official statement on starting the race, which seems to indicate that he’s out.

Rumors that “friendly” rival Ken Block was seen rubbing his hands in glee, twirling his mustache and muttering, “yes, yes, it’s all gone to plan!” are still unsubstantiated.

Click the jump to see the full stunt.

[Source: Jalopnik]

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12/11/2010 | By: Derek Kreindler

After discovering that Travis Pastrana had left Subaru and the world of rallying, the ex-rally driver has confirmed his intentions to dive into NASCAR, with a Toyota-backed entry into the NASCAR Nationwide Series in collaboration with Michael Waltrip.

The plan is to enter 7 races in 2011, with an additional 20 in 2012. Pastrana will surely introduce NASCAR to a new demographic that more than likely avoided the sport previously. We’re curious to see how Pastrana, someone adept at turning both left and right, will fare in the unidirectional NASCAR.

[Source: Youtube]

Hit the jump for the official press release

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29/10/2010 | By: Colum Wood

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Subaru has announced its lineup of booth cars for the 2010 SEMA Show, with center stage going to the record setting ‘Fastest STI Ever.’ Back in June Subaru announced that this test mule for the new 2011 WRX STI lapped the Nürburgring in just 7:55 – a total of 4 seconds faster than the Cadillac CTS-V (despite having almost half the horsepower). It didn’t hurt that the car was piloted by Tommi Makinen either.

Debuting alongside the Fastest STI will be a host of other STIs, including Travis Pastrana’s Mount Washington record setting STI race car, two tuner cars (one by Kicker Audio and one by K&N Performance), and an official in-house project car: the Get More G’s Subaru Performance Tuning WRX STI 2010.

Joining this lineup will be Jamarri Whiteside’s 2006 WRX STI. Who’s Jamarri Whiteside? Well, his WRX won Best of Show at Subiefest this year.

Subaru will also be holding an autograph session with SRT USA drivers Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra, plus four-time World Rally Champion Tommi Makinen will also be in attendance.

AutoGuide’s coverage of the 2010 SEMA Show starts November 2nd. Until then, check out our SEMA Preview here.

GALLERY: Fastest STI Ever

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GALLERY: Travis Pastrana’s Mount Washinton Record Setting STI

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Official release after the jump:

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02/10/2010 | By: Jason Siu

Travis Pastrana needs no real introduction but after seeing a video of his record-setting Mt. Washington Climb, we felt a tad empty. Sure it had some awesome footage of the car sliding around as it ascended the mountain, but we just thought something was missing. Thankfully another video has surfaced in full HD that satisfies every bit of our car junkieness.

The addition of a timer in the lower right hand corner clicking off the seconds as Pastrana makes the record run adds a lot of excitement to the video. Combined with a handful of different angles both in car and out, this is what every automotive video should be. Watch how the car reacts to Pastrana’s driving and the on hood first person point of view gives an idea of just how fast his drive was and how dangerous it is with limited visibility as he gets towards the top.

If there’s anything you do to make today worth something, watch the video.

Check out the 7 minute, 24 second video after the break.

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14/09/2010 | By: Colum Wood

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We knew from the second Red Bull announced Travis Pastrana’s record-setting Mt. Washinton run that video would soon follow. And here it is.

Piloting his Subaru WRX rally car, Pastrana not only claimed the record, but demolished the old time by 22 seconds with a 6:20.47 run – on his first try.

Check out the video after the jump for plenty of high production quality excitement as Pastrana races up the 100 turn 7.6 mile course, reaching the 6,288-foot peak.

GALLERY: Travis Pastrana’s Mt. Washington Record

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10/09/2010 | By: Jason Siu

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What hasn’t Travis Pastrana done in that little Subaru that could? If it wasn’t cool enough for him to fling across the Long Beach Pier for New Years, he’s gone and conquered Mt. Washington, setting a new record (by 22 seconds) that hasn’t been touched since 1998. And if the 6 minute and 20.47 second time isn’t impressive enough going up the 7.6 mile winding course, Pastrana did it on his first try.

Chilling on top of the 6,288-foot Mt. Washington probably felt much better after he realized how he destroyed the record. And to think he can probably best that time when the official Climb to the Clouds race takes place June 22-26th, 2011. The Climb to the Clouds features over 100 turns with an average gradient of 11.6%.

We’re hoping a video surfaces of the record setting run, but we’re sure there’s going to be plenty of people ready to witness Pastrana tackle Climb to the Clouds.

GALLERY: Travis Pastrana Record Setting Run At Mt. Washington

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29/07/2010 | By: Derek Kreindler

Subaru has teamed up with famed rally car builder Vermont SportsCar to prepare two rally cars for their X-Games drivers, Travis Pastrana, Dave Mirra and Sverre Isachsen.

Starting with a 2011 WRX STI, the Vermont SportsCar crew stripped everything out of the interior and did the requisite rollcage and seam welding jobs needed to make the car rigid enough to endure the stresses of rallying. A fire suppression system and fuel cell were also installed, as were EXE-TC coilovers.

Power is rated at 500 horsepower, an incredible figure from the 2.5L flat-four engine. The engine also makes 560lb-ft of torque, enough to alter the earth’s rotation, and that’s with a special restrictor plate fitted. And of course, it wouldn’t be a rally car with an ear-drum-shattering anti-lag system fitted.

With a new event called SuperRally coming to this XGames, Subaru needs to have its baddest rally car yet to fend off the challengers – SuperRally features four cars competing at the same time, and you can bet the Ford’s Fiesta, as well as a multitude of others, will be out for blood.

[Source: Subaru]

Hit the jump to read the official press release

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