RACING RETURNS

The last sanctioned off-road race was held mid-March, just days before most states came to a grinding halt¬– all because of the COVID-19 pandemic. What followed were cancellations, postponement and events being rescheduled, some several times. Fully prepped race cars sat idle for weeks. In the racing world, it seemed like things were shut-down for an eternity. Today, as states slowly reopen their economies, the wheels are beginning to turn faster on trucks, buggies, UTVs and motorcycles.

One of the first racing organizations to get the greenlight to go racing was the WORCS series. Their first event was held at the Mesquite Motocross Track. The track technically has an Arizona address as the track is just outside Nevada’s Mesquite city limits in the town of Littlefield across the Arizona border. Arizona’s economy is wide-open which allowed the motocross track to host the WORCS event. It’s easy to social distance on a race track when you are the fastest UTV out front. The event was well attended and had some fun trails with 700 feet of elevation changes as riders went straight up hill, turned and came straight back down

In March, stadiums on the 2020 Supercross circuit fell silent. Eli Tomac and Ken Roczen were locked in a tight points battle for the season championship. Just three points separated the two veteran riders. Things were just heating up for the Eastern Regional 250 class. The lockdown felt longer than an offseason to some. Other riders took advantage of the time to heal from injuries. With gyms and training centers closed, riders had to find creative ways to stay in shape. Those lucky enough to have test tracks on their properties passed the time by riding as much as possible. Rumors began to swirl of a return

to competition. Utah’s Rice-Eccles stadium was selected to finish out the season with all remaining rounds. Things would be drastically different. Masks, sanitizing and social distancing would be the normal requirement. Something big was missing. No fans would be allowed in the stadium. Teams would also have to limit their crew. The rounds are being finished out in just a few weeks’ time with televised events being held Wednesdays and Sundays leading up to the championship. Riders wont’ get much time to rest between rounds, but at least racing is back.

Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts was also given the green light to go racing. The series held the Skull Rush 250 in the small town of Caliente, Nevada at the end of May. Caliente is located 180 miles north of Las Vegas. The town has just over 1,100 residents and is always a popular stop for the SNORE racing series. The course winds along creek crossings and a picturesque mountainside. The town’s trees keep much of the area cool amid the scorching Nevada heat. To comply with social distancing and sanitization guidelines, all registration activities were held outdoors, instead of the normal indoor locations that are known for becoming crowded. The SNORE

Skull Rush 250 saw roughly 100 entries. Racers just itching to get behind the wheel and hammer-down!

Several other series have been given the greenlight to race throughout June. M.O.R.E. will host an event in Lucerne Valley. Best in the Desert returns with the Silver State 300 in Alamo, Nevada on June 27th. We will have full Silver State 300 coverage in the July issue of DirtsportsWorld Magazine and a weekend recap online at www.DirtsportsWorld.com