it offical Joe Bird is a CHEATER

[atvtommy]

Did any body here anymore about Joe Byrd cheating at Glen Helen some one told me they fined him $2,500.00 for moving the course markers on the parade lap so he could cut the track?

[esr250r86]

No, I didnt here about this. How did he do it in practice or when he was walking the track? Someone must have seen him. I heard he cheated at mill creek or some rumor like that.

[atvtommy]

My best friend was standing there, he said Joe "the cheater" Bird passed the turn then turned around at the next turn and came back to take out the stake so he could cut the track.

[TALS]

He was protested.

[ckasper18]

He was not that far out front evryone else should of been able to take the same line he was not sticking up for him but lets wait for the final word from the ama pro official if he did cheat he should be punished not just a fine either

[atvtommy]

The ama pro official did fine him for sure. I over heard some one in his pits talking about it when I was getting his autograph. I lost all of my respect for bird I use to look up to him but not now that he is a cheater.

[blakefoote]

well if he moved the stake i think everyone else should have been smart enough to take the same line as byrd...hes not a cheater just a smart racer

[TALS]

You Tennesse guys hang together.........

[BIG E]

Can't believe anyone would call Joe Byrd a cheater ... he got both hole shots in California - and won both motos. Wins both motos in TX, splits the motos in GA, and wins both again in VA. All of these races against the best riders in the world

The Va race was probably his toughest race of the year - he was challenged through both motos solid by TWO guys Lawson & Pat Brown and he perservered... no cheating - no cutting the track just held 'em both off like he did in TX & GA once he got the lead at those tracks.

He's a class act and a great spokesman for the sport of ATV MX racing - give him some credit - he's paid his dues over the years to get to where he is at the top of his sport at this stage of his long career. He did it ON THE TRACK

[jcv400ex]

Ya'll are just jealous that he's the champ. The guy is a class act and as with any champion, there's always some whiny *** piece of **** looking for excuses........

[chris frye]

Originally posted by blakefoote
well if he moved the stake i think everyone else should have been smart enough to take the same line as byrd...hes not a cheater just a smart racer
I agree when in rome do as the romians do. I protested one time in the pro class (we were on bikes at the time ) and the offical said you was the only one "not" cutting the track.
Pro racing is about smart lines
.
Joe , as well as the rest of pros, will allways be my heros!
when you are winning there are lot of protest's and rumors
just like 2005 natilie riding agressive? what ever........
.

True about if he took that line everyone else could have. And I doubt he is a "cheater"

[chipworkz]

I agree if he moved the stack that isn't cool but everyone can now run the same line! If he cut the coarse then that is another story. Everyone else would also have to cut the coarse to not be at a disadvantage.
Back when I was desert racing, the top national guys would go out and pre run the entire coarse at night! Pre running was not aloud! All the regular joes would be seeing the coarse for the first time during the race and the top guys already knew what to lookout for.

Lots of things happen in racing that shouldn't.

[reed4president]

i heard that he cheated too. I think that he should get a DNF for both motos. The ATVA needs to step up and take some real action.

[daddio]

Dude......... This thread is from last year.

[reed4president]

he did it again then. didn't you see the sign that all the pro's signed? joe birds "cheating" riding school.

[P. Gozinya]

The sign read "Joe Byrd Cheating School" and there was also a sign saying Joe Byrd is a cheater. It had examples of ;1. mechanic having screws in his shoes, 2.jumping/passing on a yellow flag, 3.Heather. and then it said 4.whats next? The guy with the signs was getting laughs from everyone and only Joes team had issues with it. (Big suprise).

[Jakeyracer]

I don't see how this makes him a cheater I mean I feel it is still wrong but everyone had the chance to take the same line. I feel a fine is apropriate considering that the race was still fair in the sence everyone has the same obstacles and opprotunities on the track, but it's not in his power to make changes or alter the track but the race was still fair to all people particapating! So he shouldn't get any dnf's or black marks on his race stats because the race was still fair for all but a fine for having done something that should have only been done by track owners or with their permission still makes sence.

[daddio]

So you are saying it's ok to go out and move hay bales, stakes and ribbons to make the track better, or shorter, just as long as everybody has the oppurtunity to cut the track in the same manor????????????????

There is a difference between pushing the rules to the limit, and flat out cheating.

[Jakeyracer]

I don't think anyone said that him adjusting the tracks bails and stakes was right or justified in anyway. As far as I said, it was wrong of him, but everyone was still able to use that line!

So, YES by all means, give him a fine for doing something he shouldn't have done, but don't dock his stats down when everyone else could and probably did use the same dam line!

[daddio]

Originally posted by Jakeyracer
but everyone was still able to use that line!



I was at Glen Helen, and watched every lap, and I was right above where Byrd was cutting the track. He did it every lap, and even when Natalie was close enough to follow Byrd through the line, he didn't, because John knew where the edge of the track was (it was still clearly marked with the berm) and he chose not to "cheat". Byrd was the only one who took that line.

After that, other shady stuff started to surface (which I did not witness myself) and I think that lead to the "Cheater" label.

[Theguy105]

there's no doubt he did... look at the laps times.. even josh noticed it when he was somehow gettin 2 seconds closer every lap or w.e it was