How To Make a Scrapbook Like a NASCAR Pro

Motocross and NASCAR badass Travis Pastrana challenges you to get arts-and-craftsy.

Start Right Now

My coach Gary Bailey and his family were big pioneers of motocross, and as he got older he said, “Man, if I died now no one would have this, the history of my family and of the sport.” So he started looking back and did a full book, but it’s really hard to do a scrapbook after the actual moment has passed, because you miss so much.

Set Realistic Expectations

Scrapping things besides photos can be tricky. At one point I vowed to hold on to the room key of every hotel I stayed in, and at the end I missed, like, 15, so it was pretty pointless. I’m setting the bar a little lower for my newborn daughter’s book, just aiming to keep the wristbands for every sporting event she goes to her first year. 

Don’t Fear Martha Stewart

My dad actually made a scrapbook for me, starting from when I was born. A man’s perspective on what is important in his child’s life is different than his wife’s. It’s cool to be able to look back and see myself sitting on the hood of a racecar when I’m three weeks old and to say, “Oh, so that’s what my problem is! I blame you!”

Stay Weird

Document from the sidelines, ’cause what’s funny is what actually happened, not the staged poses. Also, keep an eye out for rarities. I didn’t save any of the screws that were taken out of my body from injuries. I just got some bolts removed from my collarbone, and I’m like, I wish I had kept a box of all the stuff I’ve had taken out of me!