VEGAS TO RENO

Best in The Desert put on their most challenging event yet, this year. The Vegas to Reno event requires plenty of planning, logistics and challenges. Many agencies are involved in making the race happen. Best in the Desert deals with at least two Bureau of Land Management field offices. Then there are various law enforcement agencies in the different counties the race goes through. Coordination is also done with the Nevada Department of Transportation as the course crosses paved roads. Add in a pandemic and the race becomes nearly impossible to put on. Best in the Desert presented a detailed plan to the BLM on how they would keep people safe during the event and avoid the spread of COVID-19. Best in the Desert received last minute approval to host the race. Masks were required in pit areas, teams were asked to spread out and maintain social distancing.

Non-essential people were restricted from coming to the start line. With all the safety precautions, the race went off without incident.

Qualifying for starting positions was held in the cooler evening hours. For the first time, Class 10 and 7200 trucks were allowed to qualify along with the 6100 and Trick Truck classes. Cameron Steele posted the fasted qualifying time in Trick Truck.

Steele started the 514-mile race out front, but it wasn’t long before Las Vegas native Bryce Menzies moved to the front. Menzies was a on a mission to back up his 2019 win with a back to back Vegas to Reno finish. He did just that, finishing the race in 7 hours, 48 minutes. Menzies beat the team of Kevin Thompson and Harley Letner by eight minutes. Luke McMillin and Jason Voss were also right

right behind with close finishing times. Vegas to Reno was the second event in the Maxxis Triple Crown series, so Menzies win gave him a bonus payout of $25,000. In all, over $100,000 in prize monies were paid out.

There were a record 394 vehicles that started the Vegas to Reno event. That number included 34 Trick Trucks, 38 class 6100, 53 UTV Turbo Pro vehicles and 111 other UTV’s¬– by far the largest class in all of Best in The Desert. Ray Griffith made a statement in 6100 with a win. Griffith started 2nd, after qualifying behind Ryan Hancock. Griffith said his team had a nearly flawless run and only got one flat the entire race. In Class 1500, Jake Johnson was back on the podium, following up his Silver State 300 win. Johnson qualified second behind Brandon Bailey. The tightest race of the day was in the UTV Turbo Class. Phil Blurton beat Mitch Guthrie with less than four minutes separating the two. Seth Quintero was also another back

to back Vegas to Reno winner. Quintero, who won the race in 2019 was back on the top podium spot in the UTV Pro class. Quintero is one the factory Polaris racers, driving a RZR XP 1000. Wes Miller secured his first win of the season in the UTV Unlimited class. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 15

“If you asked me if I ever imagined the challenges we just faced in putting on an off-road race I would have told you that you were crazy. All I can say is that I am extremely proud of our staff for persevering, our race operations team for never giving up, our volunteers for all their support and sacrifice, and most of all, our racers. Best In The Desert racers and their pit crews are some of the best people I know. They were true heroes rising to the occasion and helping us pull this event off. Somewhere, someplace I know my dad is smiling. My hats off to all.” -Daryl Folks, CEO Best in the Desert.