Mount Morris, PA (6/13/2007) – The curtain closed on Ricky Carmichael's storied AMA Motocross career at High Point Raceway last month, but the show goes on at High Point Raceway itself. This weekend the world-famous facility in Mount Morris will host the fastest riders of the four-wheeled ATV set, including defending AMA Pro ATV Motocross Champion Joe Byrd.

The 20th Annual ATV Stampede at High Point serves as the eighth round of the 2007 ITP/Moose Racing ATVA National MX Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. After winding its way through the southeast and then through the west coast, Byrd and his competitors are happy to get onto familiar turf at High Point.

"The High Point track has some nice elevation changes," said Byrd, of Union City, Tennessee. "It's not a very technical track, it's very high speed. You won't see but a few seconds between our lap times, and what Carmichael and the top dirt bike guys do. It's way cooler watching a 400 pound machine jump obstacles and rail up the hills and around the turns than a 200-pound two-wheeler like you see everyday."

Byrd is a long-time promoter of the sport he makes a living in, and he's as happy as anyone to watch the sport grow as much as it has in the last few years. Like the motorcycle racers who competed at High Point on Memorial Day weekend, Byrd is paid a salary by his equipment manufacturer, Honda, and also rides for endorsements from his gear, goggle, helmet sponsors, among others. He also teaches ATV racing with the popular Joe Byrd Quad Riding School, and his wife, Heather, is a multi-time champion of the Women's class. There are few more dedicated to the craft than Byrd.

Competition this year comes from upstart Jeremy Lawson, who hails from the apt-named Battletown, Kentucky. Lawson won the opening round of the 2007 season in Alabama, and then notched another win in Michigan last month to keep him close to Byrd in the series standings.

"It's been really good," says Byrd. "Since the series split, Lawson and (Pat) Brown have been right there every week. Lawson was second in the series before we split, anyway. He's always been a good rider. In the past he hasn't been able to come right up there with us and battle for the lead, he would be back in fifth or sixth trying to work his way up. You would get someone like a Keith Little or a Natalie in front of you for six laps, and I would pull the holeshot, and those guys would be battling each other, and I'm gone. Or he would pull the holeshot, and I had to deal with Keith or Natalie, and I would battle with them and he would be gone. Before, you had five or six Carmichaels or Stewarts, now we have three, and the competition is really stiff, because there's no way you can stretch it out on somebody."

Byrd and the rest of the AMA ATV Pro riders race on Sunday, while amateur racing takes place all weekend at the track, which is located three miles East of Exit 1 on I-79 in Pennsylvania.

The 14th Annual ATV Stampede at High Point Raceway runs Friday June 15th through Sunday June 17th in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. Amateur racing and timed pro qualifying takes place on Saturday. Pro racing begins Sunday starting at 12 pm - rain or shine. Pros race for a $10,000 purse. Sunday's gate admission is $15 for adults and $10 for kids 6-11. Family seating is available. For more information, log on to www.racerproductions.com or call 304-284-0084.

For more information, go to www.racerproductions.com or call Racer Productions at 304-284-0084.

About the AMA ITP/Moose ATV National Motocross
Championship Series Presented by Parts Unlimited:
Sanctioned by the AMA and ATVA, the AMA ITP/Moose ATV National Motocross Championship Series is the nation’s premier amateur and professional ATV motocross series, and is hosted by many of America’s premier motocross facilities. The 12-round series approaches its 21st season with the Pro class newly under the wing of AMA Pro Racing. The 2006 series hosted over 8,000 entrants, making it America’s largest and longest-running ATV National Motocross series. Series sponsors include title sponsors ITP Tires and Moose, and presenting sponsor Parts Unlimited. Premier and feature sponsors include ATV Sport, MotoTees, Scott USA, Maxxis Tires, Elka Suspension and H-Bomb Films/Division Four. Associate sponsors include Weekend Warrior Trailers, Denton Racing, and Hinson Racing. Media partners include ATV Insider, ATV Rider and ATVRiders.com.

About AMA Pro Racing:
AMA Pro Racing is the professional racing division of the American Motorcyclist Association (“AMA”). 2007 will mark the inaugural year for AMA Pro ATV Racing, as the sport’s top pro riders will be recognized as professional-licensed racers by the AMA Pro Racing division. Founded in 1924, the AMA has an unparalleled history of pursuing, protecting and promoting the interests of the world's largest and most dedicated group of motorcycle enthusiasts. The AMA focuses on rights, riding and racing through its government relations work, by sanctioning road and off-road riding activities and overseeing professional and amateur racing events. For more information about AMA Pro ATV Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.

About the ATVA:
The ATV Association (“ATVA”) is the official sanctioning body of the amateur divisions of the ATVA ITP/Moose ATV National Motocross Championship Series Presented by Parts Unlimited. The 9,000 member ATVA is the sister organization of the 260,000 member American Motorcyclist Association (“AMA”). ATV racing has experienced phenomenal growth at the rate of 25% in the past two years alone, and continues to gain momentum and support, outselling off-road motorcycles annually. Each round attracts 600-700 racers who compete for bragging rights to one of 31 amateur national titles. For more information about ATVA, visit www.atvaonline.com.

About the ATVPG:
The ATVPG is comprised of the 12 individual promoters that host the AMA ITP/Moose ATV National Motocross Championships, presented by Parts Unlimited. The goal of the ATVPG is to raise awareness of ATV motocross through the production of professional and amateur championship racing events. For more information on the ATVPG and the ATV National events they produce, go to www.atvmotocross.com.

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