From X Games To Arcade Games: Travis Pastrana Comes To Chicago For Big Buck Hunter Tourney

Q. How did you get started playing "Big Buck Hunter?"

A. A few years ago after a rally race, I was playing with (fellow X Gamer) Dave Mirra in a bowling alley and we were betting $100 per "trek." After a few hours, it got ugly and I was down $3,000 to him. So I had to invest in a "Big Buck" machine for my own home and I've been playing almost everyday for the past few years. Sadly.

Q. Did you get a rematch with Mirra?

A. A few weeks ago we played and I made $4,000 on him, so I guess I'm up on him now. <Laughs>

Travis Pastrana takes aim at Big Buck Hunter (photo by Garth Milan/Red Bull)

Q. Was it tough to qualify for the tournament?

A. I barely made it. I was in a race recently and I got a call from my friend (Street Bike) Tommy with 10 hours to go for qualifiers and he told me my score kept sinking. But I was racing and I couldn't get back to play. We had a good time qualifying though, there was one day, where it was like noon on a Tuesday and we're in this bar playing and jumping around, banging our chests and going crazy. Other people at the bar were looking at us like we're completely insane.

Q. You're well-known for motocross and rally racing, this is different obviously. How are you approaching it?

A. Like I approach everything else, underprepared and overenthusiastic. <Laugh> No, it'll be cool to make it to the final day of competition on Saturday, but it's just going to be fun time.

Q. Does your experience competing in the X Games give you an edge at all?

A. I don't think so. It'll be interesting because it's amazing how seriously we've taken "Big Buck." After we race, we're like 'OK, where's the nearest "Big Buck" machine?' And we're like, lets go."

Q. This is a bar game and there's a sort of drinking culture to go along with it. Will you be boozing for the tournament?

A. I actually have a rally race on Sunday so I can't really drink too much. Red Bull is a sponsor, so I'll probably drink some of that. If you time your Red Bull consumption right, it's better for hunting caribou because they're really quick. Then you use PBR's for shooting elk because they're nice and slow.

Q. What's your favorite type of animal to hunt?

A. Definitely the whitetail deer because they're like the perfect speed. We have a lot of those in Maryland and I'm used to avoid them with the car.

Q. Have you hunted or shot guns in real life before?

A. Yeah, quite a bit. I'll tell you, you'd be shocked how much it helps, especially at skeet shooting. There's a bonus round called Cow Pies in "Big Buck Hunter" and it's just like shooting clay pigeons.