A Conversation with Heather Byrd

ATV Scene: How many championships do you have now?
Heather: I have three now.

ATV Scene: What years did you win them?
Heather: ’94, ’95, individual MX in ’99 and ’04

ATV Scene: Who has been racing the GNCs longer, you or your hubby Joe Byrd?
Heather: I have been racing longer than Joe, but he has been racing the GNCs longer then I have.

ATV Scene: How did you meet Joe? Who approached who?
Heather: Of course I had met him at the races but he actually invited me to attend one of his riding schools to better my skills and to hopefully drum up more business for himself. When I attended the school, we became instant best friends. I guess you could say that our first date was riding together on a MX track. It doesn’t’t get much better than that if you ask us!

ATV Scene: How did Joe propose to you?
Heather: Joe proposed to me at the 2001 Awards Banquet in front of everyone. He is a real romantic.

ATV Scene: What’s it like being married to Joe Byrd?
Heather: It’s awesome! He is my soul mate and my best friend. I couldn’t’t have asked for a better husband than Joe. Any man that will take care of you 24/7 while you’re in a wheelchair for eight weeks the way Joe took care of me — is a real keeper! I love you Joe!

ATV Scene: Who are some of your fiercest competitors over the years?
Heather: Angela Moore, Leslie Wells and Susan Parker. I raced a TT with Julie Heath in Texas and she was really fast as well. I missed out on racing against the legendary Carol Brandt by about one year. She was really fast as well.

ATV Scene: Do you think the women’s class has gotten more competitive over the years or was it tougher to win back in the day?
Heather: I think the women’s A class is definitely more competitive now because the girls are really stepping it up, but I wish that some of the girls would make a come back into the sport. We have a lot of upcoming talent and a number of girls that race the A class now that are full of speed. We need more of them though.

ATV Scene: What advise would you give to a young lady wishing to someday win a national championship?
Heather: Always remember that getting smooth makes you fast. Get smooth first the speed will come later.
ATV Scene: You teamed up with Traci Cecco and Angela Moore at the ’03 Maxxis 12 Hours of ATV America. Your “Alba Action Girls” team finished 5th out of 17 A class teams and a respectable 17th overall out of 68 teams. A respectable finish to say the least. What will you forever remember most about that outstanding day?
Heather: (Laughing) It was too dang cold to be racing for 12 hours! That’s what I remember best! Just kidding. Being on a team is very different from an individual race. Sometimes you have to look to your fellow teammates for motivation and strength throughout a grueling 12 hour long race. The race is not going to be won or lost by just one person. The two girls that I teamed up with in 03′ are two of the best quad riders in the world! I was honored to be a part of that awesome team and a really great event. That’s what I’ll remember forever.

ATV Scene: Are male racers ever rude to you or annoyed that you’re faster than they are?
Heather: Not really, especially not when your married to Joe Byrd!

ATV Scene: How many more years do you think you’ll chase points in the GNC series?
Heather: I’ll race as long as I am physically able, or until Joe and I have a child big enough to take over racing under the Byrd name.

ATV Scene: Who do you think will be the next multi-time women’s class GNC champion?
Heather: Next multi national women’s champ: That is really a tough one. The women’s B/C class is really full of young talent, as well as the 50cc class. There are a number of little girls in the 50 class that are showing a lot of heart and determination and one day could be our next multi national women’s A champ. It will be fun to see who will emerge as the top gun.

ATV Scene: Do you miss racing TT at all?
Heather: No not really. I like to go and watch one now and then and maybe get back on and race one here or there, but I am so very glad that they separated the two.

ATV Scene: Any desire to race a GNCC?
Heather: I would like to attend a GNCC some time in the near future. Traci Cecco says that we all have to run a GNCC because she ran with us at Mt. Morris this year. So I’m going to look into it.

ATV Scene: With all the recent talk of future factory backed riders, can we ask if you have anything interesting to announce for next season?
Heather: Joe and I would both love to have some factory support and we feel that the package that we have as a fast husband/wife combo is enticing but as of right now the phones are not ringing.

ATV Scene: Who is the baby that you have been seen so happy holding in the pits?
Heather: Joe and I have four nephews. My sister and her two boys are able to attend all of the races, so I am sure that you see me with my nephew Dylan who is just one year old or you might have seen me with Hunter the newest racer in the family who is four years old.

 

 

ATV Scene: Are you planning on having children of your own soon?
Heather: Joe and I are looking forward to having a couple of children, but we are not in any rush.

ATV Scene: What’s the best thing about ATV racing?
Heather: The family togetherness of the sport.

ATV Scene: What’s the worst thing?
Heather: The traveling and the cost.

ATV Scene: How were you first introduced to this sport?
Heather: When I was five years old my parents bough me an ATC 70 three wheeler. We went to a local fair race and I have been hooked ever since! That was 21 years ago by the way!

ATV Scene: Pretend that never happened. What do you think you would have ended up doing and where do you think you would be right now?
Heather: I have never thought about it. ATVs have been a huge part of my life for so many years that I can’t really think of how my life would have turned out without being a racer. Hard to say.
ATV Scene: In the best interest for the GNC MX series, in your opinion – what should be changed, added or eliminated?
Heather: This question could have pages of things that we could do to help better out sport, but a few things that I feel are the most important are the following. We need to find ways to help cut costs for racers, not keep increasing them. Not everyone in the sport of ATV racing is rich. We need to have guidelines that every track that wants a national must abide by. For instance, we need to have consistency in gate fees, practice fees, camping fees, etc. The ATVA should provide strict guidelines for every GNC event promoter. The promoters should know these before they sign to have a spot on the series. This way they’ll know ahead of time if they really want to put the effort into promoting such a huge event. And I think that if a track is going to have a national they need to have certain types of heavy equipment to maintain the track throughout the weekend. A number of safety issues arise if the right equipment is not on hand to keep the track prepped. Our first and foremost goal should be to keep everyone in our ATV family safe.

ATV Scene: Do you go with Joe to his riding schools? If so what do you do there?
Heather: Yes I do help Joe with the schools. Most of the schools are taught in Tennessee, but we also travel across the country.

ATV Scene: Any parting words?
Heather: I just want everyone that has supported me throughout this season to know that I really appreciate all the effort in helping me to win the 2004 championship. Thanks to all my wonderful sponsors and a special thanks to all of you at the tracks that stood behind me and cheered me on all season long. Thanks again.

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