World’s Fastest ATV Racers Heading to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch
Champions to be crowned at the final round

Hurricane Mills, TN – The curtain closed on the Air Nautiques AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships in Hurricane Mills last week, but the show goes on at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch itself. This weekend the world-famous facility in Hurricane Mills will host the fastest riders of the four-wheeled ATV set, including defending AMA Pro ATV Motocross Champion and Union City son, Joe Byrd.

The 22nd Annual ATV Dirt Days at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch serves as the 12th and final round of the 2007 ITP/Moose Racing ATVA National MX Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. After winding its way through the southeast, west coast and north central states, Byrd and his competitors are happy to get onto familiar turf at Loretta Lynn’s.

Since 1985, the Queen of Country Music, Loretta Lynn, has welcomed ATV pro and amateur racing to her backyard. Located in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, the Loretta Lynn racetrack offers racers a unique mixture of loamy soil and sand, and a course design of sweeper turns, double and triple manmade jumps, and the infamous “Ten Commandments” – a series of 10 small whoops set straight in a row.

Tennessee’s own Joe Byrd looks to defend his 2006 ATVA National championship, along with the AMA No. 1 plate in front of his hometown crowd.  “The Loretta Lynn track has some nice elevation changes,” said Byrd, of Union City. “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.”

The point’s chase also heats up in the Women’s class, as Joe’s wife Heather Byrd, the reigning Women’s Champion is tied for points with Angela Butler going into the last race at Loretta’s.

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 1,400 motorcycle racers who competed at the Ranch last week, Byrd is paid a salary by his equipment manufacturer, Honda, and also rides for endorsements from his gear, goggle, and 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 couple wins in Michigan and Pennsylvania to keep him close to Byrd in the series standings.

“Me and Lawson and Pat Brown, at every round so far, it’s been a good battle with all of us,” says Byrd. “This is like having three Carmichaels or Stewarts out there. 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 is located 60 miles west of Nashville.  Take Exit 143 off I-40, and head north on Route 13 for 7 miles.

In addition to the racing activities, the racers and their families will be treated to dinner Saturday night, compliments of series sponsor, Parts Unlimited, along with a live performance by Elvis impersonator, Donnie Fox, and an ATV Freestyle Show at 8 p.m.

The 22nd Annual ATV Dirt Days at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch runs Saturday August 11th through Sunday August 12th in nearby Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Amateur racing takes place on Saturday and Sunday. Pro race Sunday at 12 pm and again at 3 pm – rain or shine. Pro pits are open to fans and the pros will sign autographs at 1:15 pm.  Pros race for a $10,000 purse. Sunday’s gate admission is $15 for adults and $10 for kids 6-11. Children under six are free. Tickets are available at the gate.
The ATV Dirt Days will be televised on the Versus Network on November 21st at 3 pm, and again on November 28th at 3 pm.

What:   ATV Dirt Days at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, the 12th and Final round of the ITP/Moose Racing ATVA National MX Championship presented by Parts Unlimited

Where:   Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, Hurricane Mills, TN, 60 miles west of Nashville. Take Exit 143 off I-40; then North on Route 13 7 miles.

When:   August 11-12, 2007.

Course:   1 mile (approx) hard packed and soft dirt, sand.

2006 Winner:  Pro Class: Joe Byrd (Honda).

Schedule:

Saturday – Amateur racing 9am-6pm; Pro Practice 12:15 pm and 2 pm; Pro Am Woman racing 10:30 am and 1:30 pm.

Sunday – Amateur racing continues 9 am; Opening ceremonies at 11:45 am, with Pro racing 12 pm and 3 pm; Pro autographs 1:15 pm.

Visit www.racerproductions.com or call Racer Productions at 931.296.4015 for more information.

About the AMA ITP/Moose ATV National Motocross Championship Series Presented by Parts Unlimited:
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.