Monday, January 23rd 'What If' Question

Not since the announcement that Danica Patrick was coming to NASCAR has there been a debut with as much anticipation and excitement.

Until action sports star Travis Pastrana declared that he was going to be trying his hand in stock cars, pairing with Michael Waltrip to form Pastrana-Waltrip Racing in the Nationwide Series. He was scheduled to make his debut last July in Indianapolis but before he would do so Pastrana decided that he was still going to participate in the X Games, knowing there was a risk that he could get hurt.

He did. Attempting a "corked 720" Pastrana broke his right foot and ankle, putting an end to his X Games and his NASCAR plans. Soon his debut was being pushed to later and later in the year, before being cancelled altogether. Pastrana ended up not competing in any of the seven NNS events he had on the schedule.

“We scared a lot of people with the injury,” said Pastrana. “A lot of people had invested a lot. When I didn’t show up [at Indy], it was like, ‘Is he going to be base jumping the night before an event and get hurt or is he going to do this?’

“I basically have to prove I can get in a car.”

Now entering 2012, where it was planned he would race in 20 events, he will instead do the seven he was supposed to do a year ago. The plan is for Pastrana to be in the car for a Richmond debut in April.

But ...

What if Travis Pastrana keeps pushing off his #NASCAR Nationwide Series debut, will any excitement/anticipation be left when he does race?

@ARosser14 Is there any left right now? As big a deal as it's supposed to be, I just don't see him being relevant in stock cars.

@StrokerAce90 I don't think so, my non nascar friends don't look for Travis in K&N races but they do when he races in NNW.