2023 NASCAR Daytona 500: Travis Pastrana is 'one and done' with Sunday's race

Travis Pastrana led two laps and finished 11th in his 23XI Racing debut at the Daytona 500. When it comes to racing at Daytona International Speedway, the quickest car does not necessarily win. The trick is simply surviving and making it to the finish line.

While this was Travis Pastrana's first Cup Series race, surviving is what he does best. The X-Games champion was one of the big names competing for a starting berth in the "Great American Race," and he made it in on qualifying speed.

Travis Pastrana has heard all week that race day is a completely different beast. He is used to having to modify and learn on the fly, which helped him achieve a fantastic 11th place result for 23XI Racing on Sunday (February 19). The only Toyota driver that finished ahead of Travis Pastrana was Christopher Bell, with whom he was working at the finish of the race.

The end result was fairly remarkable, especially when all of the variables were considered. Travis Pastrana began near the rear of the pack in 40th place, served a penalty, and finished 11th. All of this "first time" stuff occurred on the heels of a grueling week of dirt racing at Volusia, culminating in the Truck race on Friday (February 17) night.

When asked if he would return to race or to the Daytona 500, Pastrana said (via motorsport.com):

“This exceeded all of my expectations as far as results. These are the best drivers in the world. I’m not a great rear-wheel driver, I’m not a great pavement driver. Restrictor plate racing is a little different."

"We had a great team with this 23XI Toyota team, and it was an honor to be on the track with these guys. It was amazing that we were able to put it in the top-20. I’m proud of everyone involved and so thankful to be here.”

He further said:

“One and done. Now if Cody (Efaw) from Niece Motorsports calls me up and says, ‘Hey, what are you doing this weekend?’ I’ll jump in, but I’m not good enough to be the best at this sport with my skill set. The amount of time that this would take right now and I’m trying to slow down."

"The reason I’m here right now is because I feel like this is the best I’ve ever been as a driver. We’ve been winning championships on the dirt, and I just wanted to experience the whole Daytona Speedweeks.”

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"One of the most exciting things I’ve ever done" - Travis Pastrana says about his Daytona 500 experience

Travis Pastrana will not compete in another Daytona 500 or Cup race after finishing 11th and leading a lap on Sunday night, citing his unforgettable race as a once-in-a-lifetime event. He said:

"This was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done. This was one of the greatest if not the greatest weeks or couple of weeks of my life."

It was part of a spectacular week in Daytona that included Travis Pastrana competing in the Craftsman Truck Series race on Friday and the Daytona 500 on Sunday.