Travis Pastrana Named Grand Marshal for Budds Creek National
NXTbets Pro | Published On: August 13, 2026
Pastrana named
Travis Pastrana will serve as grand marshal for the 36th running of the Yamaha Budds Creek National Presented by Carter CAT, giving one of Maryland’s best-known motorcycle racers a central role at Budds Creek Motocross Park. MX Sports Pro Racing and Budds Creek Motocross Park made the announcement and said Pastrana will act as the ceremonial ambassador for the event. The honor ties Pastrana closely to a race that sits near the end of the Pro Motocross Championship schedule, and it puts a longtime figure in American motocross back in the spotlight at one of the series’ most established stops.
The event will also feature an autograph session with Pastrana from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. local time, along with other festivities that include his participation. Budds Creek’s race-day schedule lists opening ceremonies for 12:15 p.m. ET and motos beginning at 1 p.m. ET. NBC and Peacock will carry live coverage. The Budds Creek National remains the penultimate round of the Pro Motocross Championship, which gives the event extra weight as the season heads toward its finish. Pastrana’s role adds another layer to a race already set up as a key date on the calendar for riders, teams and fans of the sport.
Budds Creek schedule
Budds Creek’s program gives Pastrana a full day in front of the motocross audience, and the grand marshal role goes beyond a ceremonial appearance. He is scheduled to be on site for the autograph session, and the event will include other activities with him involved. That keeps the focus on more than the racing itself. It also gives the crowd a chance to connect with one of the sport’s most recognized names before the motos begin. The schedule places those moments ahead of opening ceremonies, then moves into the race program at 1 p.m. ET, making Pastrana part of the buildup to the action.
The setting matters, too. Budds Creek Motocross Park has long been one of the landmark venues on the national motocross circuit, and this race marks the 36th running of the event under the Yamaha Budds Creek National Presented by Carter CAT name. That history gives the announcement added context. Pastrana will not line up for the motos, but he will help frame the day for an event that combines racing, fan access and a live broadcast presence on NBC and Peacock. The grand marshal assignment places him in a visible role for a race that comes late in the Pro Motocross season and carries championship implications.
Pastrana resume
Pastrana brings a deep racing background to the Budds Creek role. He is a Maryland native and an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer, after his induction in 2023. His resume includes the 2000 AMA Motocross 125cc title and the 2001 AMA Supercross East 125cc title. He also helped Team USA win the 2000 Motocross of Nations. Those results anchor a career that has kept him tied to motocross even as his profile grew across other forms of action sports and racing.
That broader profile has made Pastrana one of the most recognizable names in the sport. The material describes him as a former AMA Motocross and AMA Supercross champion, an X Games icon, a rally racer, a Nitro Circus founder and a rider with experience in freestyle motocross, rally racing, NASCAR, offshore powerboat racing and stunt work. That range explains why his presence at Budds Creek reaches beyond a standard appearance. After the race, he is scheduled to travel to Annapolis for the Nitro Circus 2.0 tour at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, extending his day from motocross into another live event built around his name.
