Travis Pastrana surprised everyone when he showed up to race the 2006  AMA Supermoto Championship round at Miller Motorsports Park. Pastrana, an AMA Motocross Champion and X Games gold medalist, hadn’t raced the series since the Reno Red Bull Supermoto-a-Go-Go in Reno the previous October. He also raced the weekend before Miller at the Southwick (Mass.) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship round.

In Friday practice Pastrana actually shadowed Doug Henry for several laps, even passing Henry once on one of the track’s two large dirt sections.

Pastrana had a big smile on his face after that.

“I’m a lot happier now than when I was before practice,” Pastrana said. “There are two dirt sections and this facility is amazing. Doug’s [Henry] one of my heroes. He let me pass him, but at least I could follow him. I was scaring myself to death doing it, but that’s the first time I’ve ever been able to follow him. I usually get spanked by these guys. Hopefully this will pay off and I’ll be able to do OK in the race”

When asked what spurred him on to race Southwick and Miller on back to back weekends, Pastrana replied that he had two weekends off from rally and needed something to occupy the time.

“I’d like to be competitive as possible in X-Games this year and there’s nothing like race time to get ready,” he added.

Fans, most there to see the AMA Superbike races that weekend, were thrilled to see Pastrana and crowded his pit area all weekend for pictures and autographs.

Ever the showman, Pastrana even took the time to ham it up for photographer Brian J. Nelson as he flicked his Suzuki into a turn on the Miller Supermoto circuit.