Five for Five: What the off-season held for the top-five in points in the 2008 ITP/Moose Racing ATVA/AMA Motocross Championship

 

JOE BYRD: AMA Pro Champion

Joe Byrd's Buggy photo: www.joebyrd.com

How did you spend the holidays?

We had a good time and took my new sand buggy out to Glamis. It’s got a 500 hp Corvette motor, more than 20 inches of travel, and only weighs about 2,000 lbs. I always like to get out west where it’s warm and have some fun.

What have you been doing to keep yourself busy and in shape?

I’ve been on the quad quite a bit actually. That, and going to the gym. I like to work on a little bit of everything to keep my fitness up.

What were your thoughts on the 2007 ITP ATVA/AMA Motocross Nationals?

I really liked how we all got AMA Pro Licenses and that kind of thing. The series was organized well, and everything seemed to always be on time.

Did you have a favorite round?

I’ve always liked Loretta’s. I live in the heat so I’m used to it so that kind of makes me strong there. The track is fun and I just always like racing there.

What are your goals and expectations for 2008?

I’m just looking forward to racing the series again. It looks like there are a lot of guys coming over to our series so it’s going to be tougher, but that’s fine with me.

JEREMY LAWSON: AMA Pro Champion Runner-up

Jeremy Lawson

How did you spend the holidays?

I just stayed here in Florida with my mom, Jackie, and spent time on my new quad. I decided not to go home to Kentucky and just stayed focused on my riding and training.

What have you been doing to keep yourself busy?

Well, I get up and go to the gym every morning. After that I either hop on my road bike or head to the track and ride. I’ve actually been spending a lot of time on the road bike. It’s a lot of fun and great for my conditioning.

What was your experience with the 2007 ATVA/AMA Motocross Nationals?

It was excellent. By far, it's the best series in which we’ve ever raced in and I think this year is going to be even better. AMA Pro Racing was a huge help. And, not for just the big names either, Harv treats everyone the same. We’re really looking forward to getting this year’s series started.

Have a favorite event?

I love Loretta’s because of all of the people that are down there, but High Point is my favorite track. I won there, so that helps, but I just like the layout of the track a lot.

What are your goals for 2008?

I’ll be riding a Can-Am this year and I’ve been spending a lot of time testing in California and everywhere. I was just testing with Fox Shox yesterday and we’re working on making it handle better in the rough stuff. It seems like I can turn this machine better than the Honda, and I’m doing everything I can to put myself in a position to win the title this year.

PAT BROWN: AMA Pro 3^rd in Points

Pat Brown

 

Racer: How did you spend the holidays?

I just spent a lot of time with my family and ended up eating a lot of food. (laughs)

What else have you been doing during the time off?

Well, I go to the gym and work out as much as I can. I do a lot of cardio and strength training. I’m in Georgia, so I’ve been able to spend quite a bit of time on the quad riding and training.

How was your experience with the ATVA/AMA Motocross Nationals in 2007?

I had a really good time. Steel City was, of course, my favorite round. (laughs) Winning that race was really cool. It was just cool being there on the same weekend as the bikes and racing in front of a big crowd.

Do you pay a lot of attention to the bikes?

Oh yeah. I checked out the live broadcast last weekend and thought it was great. I actually won some money on Chad Reed! I follow Broc Hepler really closely as well. I think he is going to get those guys this weekend in Phoenix.

What are your expectations and goals for 2008?

I’ve had some things going on during the off-season that will see me show up in 2008 with a bigger presence. Right now, I’m just focused on Glen Helen. I want to win races, and just be on the box as much as I can then be there for the overall championship.

MIKE BROWN: AMA Pro 4^th in Points

Mike Brown photo: Shane Hartman

 

How did you spend the holidays?

We always go to my sister’s place and she cooks us Christmas morning breakfast. It’s always nice to do those sort of things over the holidays.

How have you kept yourself busy during the off-season?

Actually, I’m on my way down south right now to do some riding in North Carolina and Florida. We always just stop in North Carolina, get a hotel, and hit up these two tracks. After the weekend, we’ll load up and head down to Florida and do some more riding.

What was your take on the 2007 ATVA/AMA Motocross Nationals?

They were a lot of fun and Harv and AMA Pro Racing did a really good job. I think we are going to have a lot more riders coming over this year and that can only make it better. Unadilla was really cool for me because all of my friends and family are there.

What else have you been doing with your off time?

Well, last weekend I went and watched a couple buddies race some flat track on this tiny dirt oval. It was a really tight track, but the racing was good and I’m always happy if I’m around racing.

What’s on the horizon for 2008?

Well, it looks like I’ll be riding a brand new Yamaha 450. I’m looking forward to having a consistent season and staying in the top five.

JUSTIN BRES: AMA Pro 5^th in Points

Justin Bres photo: Shane Hartman

 

What have you been up to during the holidays?

I’ve just been busy, man. I work for a roofing and siding company during the week so that takes up most of my time. My fiancƒ©, Nicole, and I did go out to Idaho to see her family and spend Christmas.

Are you staying in shape?

Yes, I ride my mountain bike and stationary bike all the time to keep myself prepared.

What were your thoughts on the 2007 ATVA/AMA Motocross Nationals?

The series was great. Harv (Whipple) and AMA Pro were always there to get us whatever we needed and I had a great time. I’d say High Point and Alabama stuck out to me the most. Alabama had a good crowd and the track had some great jumps.

What can we expect to see out of Justin Bres in 2008?

 

Well, I picked up a few new sponsors so that will be nice. Then, I’m just looking for some more podiums. I’m looking forward to more guys coming over to race with us. The more the better. It just makes for better racing.

Round 1 of the 2008 ITP/Moose Motocross Nationals kicks off March 8-9 at Glen Helen. Stay tuned to www.atvmotocross.com for weekly updates, including full profiles of the top 10 riders.