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AMA
Pro ATV Open Winner, Pat Brown |
Morgantown, WV (10/3/2007) -
The AMA Pro ATV Series Manager Harv Whipple
accompanied three separate segments on Pit
Pass Radio Tuesday night for Joe Byrd, the
first-ever 2007 AMA Pro ATV Series Champion,
Pat Brown, winner of the first-ever AMA
Pro ATV Open Invitational, and Doug Gust,
third at the 2007 AMA Pro ATV Open and long-time
veteran in the sport of ATV racing.
"The guys did great and that is what's
important," Harv said after the show.
"I liked the format they used, because
it was able to draw attention to each rider.
They all had equal coverage."
On the air LIVE with the first-ever 2007
AMA Pro ATV Series Manager, Harv spoke of
his expectations at the beginning of 2007
AMA Pro ATV Series.
"I didn't know what to expect, to
be honest," he said. "The ATVA
series has been around forever, but AMA
Pro Racing has just now stepped in and took
over. We're actually licensing the riders,
so they have AMA Pro cards. What's good
about the ATVs-with the bikes, it seems
like there's one or two guys-but with the
ATVs, I can give you ten names right now
that if we went and had a race in my yard,
that any one of them would win, you wouldn't
know."
With the help of Harv Whipple, the hosts
of Pit Pass Radio welcomed three of those
ten names to the show.
Joe Byrd spoke of wrapping up the first-ever
2007 AMA Pro ATV Series Championship, his
ride with American Honda, and how he met
his wife, Heather Byrd. He also mentioned
his plans for the next six to eight years,
rewards of his 6-foot 5-inch frame, and
how he handles the Joe Byrd Quad Riding
School. "I'm the manager, the trainer,
the racer, you name it, I'm the agent. I
do run the program as well as do my own
program," he said.
The hosts had a laugh when Joe admitted
he was a neat freak. "Persnickety,"
he said. "I fine my mechanics if the
place is dirty, but also they get bonuses
if things are right. I run a tight ship
there at the shop," he said.
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| #7
Joe Byrd |
#55
Doug Gust |
Next up was "Downtown" Patrick
Brown, who delighted the hosts all the way
from his vacation in Disney World, where
he's been relaxing before getting back to
training for next season. "Racing ATVS
is a fun job to have," he said
The 22-year-old talked about his first-ever
win at the Inaugural AMA Pro ATV Open Invitation,
and how Steel City was actually one of his
favorite tracks in the series. Besides Steel
City, "I like Red Bud in Michigan,
I think that's a great track," he said.
" I like a bunch of the tracks. Walnut
was an excellent track. They groomed that
thing perfect. As far as track maintenance
goes, they had it dialed by far the best.
I like technical tracks. That's why I liked
that Steel City track. They had some sections
that really separated the riders,"
he said.
Pat spoke of his deal with factory Yamaha,
and pitched his plans for racing the next
GNCC race in St. Clairsville, Ohio; he looks
forward to more than a 24-minute moto. He
also revealed something he wants everyone
to know. "I'm serious about the sport
and I want to win," he said, and "I
run these sideburns."
Last but not least was the legendary Doug
Gust, who has seen the sport grow tremendously
throughout his racing career. "I've
been racing quads for twenty years, but
it's been a lot of fun. I'm 40-years-old
and I still want to keep doing it."
In the past, Doug raced dirt bikes in 250
A class, as well as competed in the ATV
Pro class. "I just wasn't as good on
the motorcycle as I was on the quad, so
I guess I took the easy way out," he
said.
Harv chimed in when the hosts asked his
opinion on Doug Gust himself. "At the
rider's meeting in Walnut," Harv said
Doug told him, "'Harv, I feel like
I'm at a day care.' Doug is the role model-his
actions towards the kids and him being able
to be on the Rockstar Energy Suzuki team...I
compare him to John Dowd."
The show was hilarious as Harv and the
AMA Pro ATV racers offered a field of insight
for the hosts of Pit Pass Radio and its
listeners. Check it out on pitpassradio.com.
About the AMA ATV
National Motocross Championship Series:
Sanctioned by the AMA and ATVA, the
nation's premier amateur and professional
ATV motocross series 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, as well as its longest running,
ATV National Motocross series. Series sponsors
include title sponsors ITP Tires and Moose,
and presenting sponsor Parts Unlimited.
Premiere and Feature sponsors include ATV
Sport, Moto Tees, 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 Racing:
AMA Racing is the competition arm of
the American Motorcyclist Association and
is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle
sport in the United States . Its professional
properties include the Amp'd Mobile AMA
Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross
Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike
Championship presented by Parts Unlimited,
the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track
Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship
and the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur
and pro-am competition, AMA Racing sanctions
over 4000 events in 24 different disciplines
and supports over 110 thousand active members.
For more information about professional
racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.
Accredited media outlets can also access
an on line Press Room at www.amaproracing.com/pressroom.
For amateur racing information visit www.amadirectlink.com/amrace/amasports.asp.
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.
