Famed NASCAR, motorcross star returning to Daytona weekend with higher purpose for veterans, first responders

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For the first time in three years, Travis Pastrana will be taking on the famed Daytona International Speedway.

The excitement is real — the first time Pastrana raced in the Daytona 500. His average heart rate? Over 180 beats per minute.

"At times, I was running over 180 heart rate. For someone that's, you know, was almost 40 years old at the time, to be running that high, it was just kind of a heart attack the entire race," Pastrana said in a recent interview with Fox News 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 won't be in the big race this year, but on Friday, he will be taking part in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona.

To make the event even that much more special, Pastrana, along with part-time Truck Series driver and YouTuber Cleetus McFarland, has 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 and financial wellness.

Black Rifle Coffee Company is a veteran-founded, mission-driven brand with a long-standing commitment to veterans, first responders and those who serve. BRUNT Workwear builds tough, reliable gear for hardworking Americans, and this sponsorship marks a big step for the brand on the national motorsports stage.

For Pastrana, being a part of the Black Rifle Coffee team hits home, as his father was