Round 13 GNC-MX Nationals
Photos by Digital 219
Joe Byrd Wins Dirt Days MX at Loretta Lynn's in Tennessee
August 30, 2006 – Local favorite Joe Byrd (#7) of Union City, Tennessee, won the world-famous Dirt Days MX competition at Loretta Lynn’s in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, August 12-13 for the fourth year in a row.
Loretta Lynn’s is always the largest event on the ATVA ITP/Moose Racing National Motocross Series circuit, and 2006 was another fantastic year.
Rain on Friday and Saturday added just the right amount of moisture for the Racer Productions track crew to provide one of the best tracks we have seen.
As the Pros came to the line for the first moto, everyone was wondering whether Byrd would continue his three-year winning streak and extend his slim points lead in the series.
When
the gate dropped, it was Byrd and Keith Little (#12) of Russellville, Alabama,
side by side battling for the lead. Little got on the outside of the first turn
and took the holeshot.
But Little’s lead was short-lived as Byrd quickly passed him. In third for the first lap was Team Suzuki/Yoshimura's Doug Gust (#55) of Salem, Wisconsin. Dustin Wimmer (#191) of Center Valley, Pennsylvania held fourth. Jason Luburgh (#8) of Zanesville, Ohio, rounded out the top five.
Gust moved into second as Wimmer challenged Little for third. Little then made a mistake and missed a turn , losing several positions.
At the checkered flag, it was Byrd with a seven-second lead over Gust in second, followed by Wimmer, Luburgh and Jeremy Lawson (#16) of Battletown, Pennsylvania.
The start of the second moto was almost a repeat of the first moto. This time Byrd was in a side-by-side encounter with Harold Goodman (#708) of Romulus, Michigan. Goodman held on to the gas and dove into first, taking the holeshot.
Behind Goodman and Byrd were Luburgh, Pat Brown (#199) of Pittstown, New Jersey, and Josh Cramer (#270) of North Stonington, Connecticut. Gust didn't get a good start and started his charge from 10th place.
As
everyone was battling from second to 10th, Byrd opened up his lead.
When the second moto came to a close, Brown had moved into second and Gust’s signature come-from-behind challenge put him in third.
It was easy to determine Byrd’s overall first-place win and Gust’s second-place position. Brown’s third place on the podium was his best finish this year.
The current point leaders are Byrd, Gust, Jones, Little and Natalie.