Only a few days away from Christmas and folks are beginning to congregate for this festive time of the year. Many have stepped off the fast track for a few days and soon after the Holiday there will be lots of action on the highways headed south to Texas, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida to begin training for the 2013 season.‚ 

News continues to roll in from a number of different places and we have even seen a lot of action coming out of 2-Time AMA Pro ATV Motocross Champion Joe Byrd.‚ 

Byrd who always remains‚  busy in the ATV racing world year round with his world renowned Joe Byrd Quad Riding School returned to the states just last week and has plans set to for a school coming up in Arizona in early 2013.

Joe sent us a message to let us know some of the really cool things going on with him this fall:

‚ Joe Byrd Quad Riding school Goes to Sunny Arizona for its first school in 2013!! ‚  ‚ "I am looking to thawing out in Phoenix AZ after being near Antarctica last week”¦lol. ‚  We had a great time down there, but now its time to thaw out and focus on another great school in Casa Grande AZ"

Sign up now as space will be limited. ‚  ‚  ‚  ‚  ‚  ‚  ‚  ‚ 

Thanks Joe Byrd #7‚ 

If you want more information on this school just simply go to www.JoeByrd.com. There you will be able to find out everything about the JBQRS and even more about one the sports greatest.

Joe also sent word that he was teaming up with an old mechanic Bill Micke to try and get back into championship contention in 2013:

Just wanted to let everybody know I have just hired him back for the 2013 season and we are both looking forward to getting back to our winning ways. ‚  We won 2007 and got 2nd in 08-09." ‚  "I have had a few bad seasons for various reasons and I am looking forward to getting back on top of that box. ‚  I will keep everybody posted with how our testing goes and look forward announcing our 2013 sponsor program soon.

Joe also let us know that he has gotten himself in the loop of social media. He said he now has a Facebook and Twitter. I did some searching and you can find him at @jjoebyrdschool on Twitter and you can search Joe Byrd on Facebook and find his fan page and personal page.

Out of the amateur ranks we continue to hear of finalized plans and the excitement of 2013. I got this message this past week from Luke Shepard.‚ 

Goooooddddddddd afternoon Rodney!

#724 Luke shepherd here checking in and letting you know how the off season has been going! I am actually on my way home from Live Oak, Florida where the Walsh Race Craft compound is located. I've spent the last couple days down there picking up the new 2013 Walsh EFI Hybrid i'll be racing next season in the pro am class along with my Walsh Hondas and doing some testing and tuning at Aonia Pass MX preparing for the season opener there in March.

Also have been putting a lot of time and focus in at the gym trying to prepare my self physically for the demanding physical conditioning needed for the pro am class.

It was great seeing the email Brandon Robinson sent you and seeing his name out there he's a great friend and actually lives 10 minutes from me and has been a huge part of my success in my racing so far! Brandon and I are riding for the same power house motor builder being Jeff Barker at Extreme Tech ATV.

I also have a few other big name companies backing my quest for a national championship next year being Dynamite ATV, Walsh,Streamline,Rath,DWT, my parents, my grandparents, the Ohio Crew is also a big help,Quad Tech,rpm,Slick Offroad Wash, Fox Shox and Digger Doug's Construction.

It was also nice seeing you at a hometown race a few weeks ago announcing and come to find out you started your announcing career for that very company in my home town also. It's defiantly a small world out there and it was great seeing you out there. I hope all is well with you and the family I hope to be seeing you a few times on the podium next season and in the pits!

Take care,

Luke shepherd #724
‚ 

Thanks for the information Luke and good luck to you next season.‚ 

That'll do it for now. Till next time, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs and Merry Christmas.