Best In The Desert’s 2011 season wrapped up in grand style as 180 entries took on the challenging 80-mile multi-loop course located near Jean, Nevada. For many racers, this was their final shot at a chance to capture several class championships still up for grabs.
The first race of the day for motorcycles, quads and UTVs got underway just as the sun was beginning to rise on an extremely cold morning. They ran three laps on a special 45-mile loop for a total of 135 miles with a gran prix style finish. At the end, Shane Esposito and Robby Bell took the number one motorcycle and overall win on their THR backed Kawasaki. Greg Stuart and Nicholas Granlund got the top spot for the quads while Jason Murray, Derek Murray, and William Kugel scored the UTV win.
Race two featured Classes 1100, 1700, 1800, 2000, 3000, 3700, 4400, 6000, 7100, and 8100. Class 1100 was a great battle for not only the race but also the season championship. Going into the race Bryan Folks held the points lead, closely followed by Brent Parkhouse, Lee Banning Sr., and Gregg Ryan. At the special time trials for Class 1100, Parkhouse stepped up his challenge to Folks by capturing the pole starting position. Brent Parkhouse made the most from his first starting spot as he sailed to the Class win and because of Bryan Folks’ fourth place finish, also took the Class 1100 championship. In another tight battle, just over two minutes separated the top three TrophyLites with Troy Messer claiming the top spot. In Class 7100, Blake Henn took first place along with the Class Championship. Tim Casey drove his Ford F-250 to the Class 8100 victory and by doing so, repeated his 2010 Class Championship with the title for 2011.
The third and final race of the day featured Classes 1000, 1200, 1400, 1500, 7200 and 8000. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Justin Lofton, having won the “Team Ford” Pole Award at qualifying, was first off the line. Justin quickly stretched out his lead and never looked back as he coasted to the overall and Class 1500 victory. One thing that may have helped his lap times was his great pit support, as he had brought many members of his NASCAR pit crew along with him to the Nevada desert. After witnessing one of his pit stops, a BLM ranger monitoring the event stated he had never seen one performed that fast at any desert race. Steve Appleton held a 13-point lead over Garrick Freitas in Class 1500 coming into Henderson and while Freitas finished second, Appleton’s fourth place finish was good enough to earn him the 2011 Class Championship. Appleton also edged out Freitas for the $4000 Camburg “Best in the Desert” award along with a beautiful trophy by posting the fastest average speed over the combined 1,675 race course miles for the season.
Jason Voss was the first Trick Truck off the line followed by B.J. Baldwin. Voss set a hot pace and held the lead after the first lap, but suffered driveline problems heading into the third lap and had to settle for an eighth-place class finish. The lead changed several times throughout the course of the race as many of the frontrunners also experience driveline and other mechanical issues. In the end it was Adam Householder coming in for the Trick Truck win and third overall, only one and a half minutes ahead of the second place truck of Marc Ewing. Jerry Zaiden and Jerry Whelchel held on to take third in the Trick Truck ranks. By piloting his Ford Trick Truck to the victory, Householder also walked away with a $10,000 bonus from Ford. When the dust settled, after the points were added up and penalties assessed, it was B.J. Baldwin taking the Trick Truck Championship for 2011. This was Baldwin’s second consecutive Best In The Desert Trick Truck Championship.
Dr. Macrae Glass made it back into the win column at Henderson for the Class 8000 victory and along with it, the Class Championship. In Class 7200, Al Hogan managed to take the win and overtake Steve Kovach for the Class Championship.
$134,000 Trick Truck Challenge
Adam Householder took home an extra $12,000 for his Henderson win, Marc Ewing earned $6,300 for second place, and Jerry Zaiden received $3,300 for third. For the year-end bonus, B.J. Baldwin scored $10,000 and the Trick Truck Challenge trophy. Steve Strobel got $5,000 and the #28 truck of Steve Olliges and John Swift received $3,000.
The TransWest Ford Henderson 250 saw $25,300 paid out in prize money. An additional $40,420 was also paid out in Best In The Desert year-end bonus money.
2011 was a banner year for Best In The Desert. Race entries were up and the competition was tighter than ever. The Lucas Oil television broadcasts of the races added a lot of exposure for the racers and sponsors by bringing Best In The Desert into millions of households nationwide. With 2012 on the horizon, look for even more from Best In The Desert, especially with the addition of the famous General Tire Mint 400 being added to the schedule.
TransWest Henderson “250” Car & Truck Class Winners:
Class 1000 – Todd Elam
Class 1100 – Brent Parkhouse
Class 1200 – Justin Blower
Class 1400 – Adam Householder
Class 1500 – Justin Lofton
Class 1700 – Eric Helgeson
Class 1800 – Jason Voss
Class 2000 – Patrick Nirschl
Class 3000 – Keith Waibel
Class 3700 – Bill Bunch
Class 6000 – Troy Messer
Class 7100 – Blake Henn
Class 7200 – Al Hogan
Class 8000 – Macrae Glass
Class 8100 – Tim Casey
2011 Best In The Desert Car & Truck Class Champions:
Class 1000 – Todd Elam
Class 1100 – Brent Parkhouse
Class 1200 – Troy Vest
Class 1400 – B.J. Baldwin
Class 1500 – Steve Appleton
Class 1700 – John Helton
Class 1800 – Jason Voss
Class 2000 – Patrick Nirschl
Class 3000 – Keith Waibel
Class 3700 – Bill Bunch
Class 4400 – J.T. Stephens
Class 7100 – Blake Henn
Class 7200 – Al Hogan
Class 8000 – Macrae Glass
Class 8100 – Tim Casey
2011 Best In The Desert Grand Champions:
Car/Truck – Steve Appleton
UTV – Matt Parks
Motorcycle – Mark Davidge
Quad – Gerald Nunes
Camburg “Best in the Desert” Award:
Steve Appleton
Best In The Desert 2012 Race Schedule: