Travis Pastrana has a long tradition is doing crazy stunts in Subaru models. The latest release happened in August. Subaru and Travis Pastrana set a new record of 5 minutes, 28.67 seconds at Sunday’s 2021 Mt. Washington Hillclimb on the way to an overall victory at the wheel of the Airslayer STI, his 862-horsepower Gymkhana 2020 Subaru WRX STI.
The new mark cut more than sixteen seconds from his winning time from the 2017 race up the narrow, steep 7.6-mile Mt. Washington Auto Road. Pastrana blitzed the mountain to set a time that was over 45 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor.
The Mt. Washington Hillclimb, traditionally held every three years, is one of the most challenging motorsport events in the United States and the oldest hillclimb in North America. In addition to its long history, the tallest mountain on the East Coast brings famously unpredictable weather and a mixed-surface road, forcing drivers to contend with grip levels that shift suddenly from tarmac to gravel and back again in the middle of the climb. With an average grade of 12% and an uneven surface bounded by serious drops above the treeline, Mt. Washington requires courage, skill and the right equipment for the challenge.
The aero package on the Airslayer STI provided a significant downforce advantage against the 600-horsepower WRX STI rally car used by Pastrana to set the 2017 mark. Along with a significant power bump, major suspension advancements and an ultra-light curb weight, the Airslayer was tailor-made for the wide-open mentality of hillclimbs.
The rally, rallycross and motocross star celebrated his history-making weekend with a Gymkhana-style smoky donut show on his return to the bottom of the mountain, giving American fans their first chance to see the Airslayer STI’s tire-shredding capabilities in person.
