Las Vegas, Nevada – Best In The Desert, the largest off-road desert racing organization in the world, is excited to announce that a record setting 306 entries have already signed up for the longest point-to-point race in the United States. With two weeks remaining before the drop of the green flag, that number is expected to grow to well over 315, as additional racer registrations will still be accepted up to the day before the race. This is the 16th year that Best In The Desert has promoted an off-road desert race over 500-miles long from Southern Nevada to Northern Nevada. Starting north of Las Vegas, in Beatty and finishing in Dayton, just south of Reno, the race course traverses 534-miles of the most challenging terrain the great state of Nevada has to offer. From rocky trails dating back to the original “Pony Express” days, to vast silt beds, and climbing to elevations well in excess of 7200 feet, the General Tire “Vegas to Reno” off-road race tests endurance of the two wheeled and four wheeled racers and their machines; and treats them to the most incredible adventure of their lives.
24 of the premier 800-plus horsepower Trick Trucks will take their shot at the overall win when the race gets underway. The strong field includes the likes of 2011 Trick Truck champion BJ Baldwin, Steve Sourapas, Rob MacCachren, Steve Olliges, John Swift, Adam Householder, Tim & Troy Herbst, Jason & Rich Voss, Kevin McGillivray, Chad Ragland, Rick D Johnson, Mark Weyhrich, Scott Whipple, Mastercraft’s Robbie Pierce and Jarit Johnson, little brother of NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson. Many of these same drivers will also be going for a piece of the $19,000 in bonus money paid out as part of the 2012 $120,000 Trick Truck Challenge.
29 of the fast and nimble Class 1500 unlimited buggies will also be shooting for the overall finish. Entries include current overall and class points leader Robby Gordon, Chuck Hovey, Sam Berri, Ray Griffith, Mike Childress, Shelby Reid, Harley Letner, Garrick Freitas, Damen Jefferies, Pat Dean, TJ Flores, Justin Lofton, Todd Tuls and the list goes on.
Other large classes for the race include 24 Class 1000 cars, 18 Class 7200 Mini-Trick Trucks and 24 Class 1900 UTVs. The 2012 General Tire “Vegas to Reno” race features 19 Car and Truck classes, 3 UTV classes, 4 Quad classes and 10 Motorcycle classes. This is just another indication on how much interest this historic race draws and why it is on so many racers’ personal “bucket list.”
Activities leading up to the 2012 General Tire “Vegas to Reno” race will officially get underway Wednesday, August 15th, when 53 Trick Trucks and open Class 1500 buggies get set to go head to head at the Time Trials for a shot at the coveted “Team Ford” Pole Award and the $1000 in bonus cash from Steve Olliges of Team Ford Lincoln that goes along with it. Best In The Desert is the only off-road desert racing organization that holds this type of qualifying format for every race on the schedule. The special format really allows the fastest race vehicles, regardless of car or truck, to compete on equal ground for the “dust-free” first starting position and a great shot at the overall four wheeled race victory.
Contingency and tech inspection kicks off Thursday, August 16th, from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM at the Aliante Station Casino and Hotel in North Las Vegas. Race fans will have the chance to get up close to the race vehicles and drivers as well as check out all of the awesome race related products on display as they weave their way through the parking.
The 2012 edition of the General Tire “Vegas to Reno” race gets started early Friday morning, August 17th, in Beatty, NV, with the Motorcycles, Quads and UTVs starting at 5:45 AM. For safety purposes, after a roughly three-hour delay from the last UTV leaving the start line, the Car and Truck classes start at 9:30 AM. This is sure to go down in the books as another epic race in the storied history of “Vegas to Reno”, “The Longest Off-Road Race in the United States.”
2011 “Vegas to Reno” – Defending Class Winners
Car and Truck Class Winners by Overall Time
Class 1400 Steve Strobel/Dale Ebberts Ford 9:52:39
Class 1500 Garrick Freitas/Danny Freitas Jimco 9:57:41
Class 1200 Troy Vest/Geno Licitra Chevrolet 11:26:18
Class 1100 Bryan Folks/Rick Graf Ford 11:40:38
Class 7200 David Caspino/Neal Mason Ford 11:43:18
Class 8000 Don German/Chris German Chevrolet 11:50:20
Class 1000 Chad Giguiere/Cody Bullock Custom 11:59:37
Class 2000 Bryan Meyers/Kyle Hearold Custom 12:35:43
Class 3000 Mike Belk/Wendy Belk Seagroves 12:55:53
Class 6100 Jim Riley/Rick L Johnson TrophyLite 13:19:12
Class 8100 Randy Merritt/Chris Golding Ford 14:05:03
Class 1800 Jim Goff/Shane Baich Lothringer 14:48:10
Class 1700 Michael Vernak/Matt Vogler Jeep 16:33:17
Class 7100 Blake Henn/Freddy Paris Ford 17:44:52
Class 4400 JT Stephens/Dave Cole Custom 20:28:27
Motorcycle, Quad & UTV Class Winners by Overall Time
Open Pro Shane Esposito/Chris Brown Kawasaki 9:39:27
Open Exp Justin Morrow/CarlMaassberg Honda 10:13:53
O-30 Pro David Fry/Jason Trubey Honda 10:36:02
250 Exp Ryan McManus/John Harbauer KTM 10:57:43
Quad Pro Greg Stuart/Nicholas Granlund Laeger 11:06:39
O-30 Exp Marc Jenkins/Greg Willitts Honda 11:14:51
O-40 Pro Scott Glimp/Tim Morton Honda 11:20:41
O-40 Exp Steven Fuller/Todd Abratowski Honda 11:30:49
IM Exp Jake Oswald Honda 11:48:54
Open Am Greg Parker/William Williford Honda 12:00:40
O-50 Exp Mike Mieras/Brad Kohler Husaberg 12:14:38
Quad Exp Juan Dominguez/
Alonzo Dominguez Honda 12:46:18
QIM Exp Gerald Nunes Honda 13:02:19
Quad Am Richard Goforth/James Ortiz Can-Am 13:11:41
250 Pro Jesse Canepa/Matt Canepa Yamaha 13:20:43
IM Am Dennis Buckmeyer Kawasaki 13:32:00
QIM Am Norm Graham Suzuki 19:42:30
UTV Pro Brandon Schueler/Chad Riccio Polaris 13:27:42
2012 General Tire “Vegas to Reno” Schedule of Events
Wednesday – August 15, 2012
11:00 AM to 1:30 PM
Registration for Time Trials for Class 1400 & 1500 Only
Aliante Station, Scottsdale Ballroom
1:30 PM – Staging for Practice Lap
Time Trials for Class 1400 & Class 1500
Time Trials will start immediately after the practice run
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM – Welcome Party & Time Trials Results
Cabo’s Bar, Casino Floor, Aliante Station
Thursday – August 16, 2012
8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Drivers/Riders Registration – Scottsdale Ballroom, Aliante Station
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Car – Truck – Motorcycle – Quad – UTV
Contingency Inspection and Technical Inspection
Aliante Station Casino Hotel – Parking Lot
5:00 PM
MANDATORY Drivers/Riders/Pit Crew Meeting
Scottsdale Ballroom, Aliante Station Casino Hotel
Friday – August 17, 2012
5:15 AM
Motorcycle/Quad/UTV Staging
5:45 AM
1st Professional Motorcycle Leaves the Start Line
8:45 AM
Car/Truck Staging
9:30 AM
1st Professional Car/Truck Leaves the Start Line
Saturday – August 18, 2012
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
General Tire “Vegas to Reno” Awards Presentation
Grand Sierra Resort Convention Center
Best In The Desert official sponsors: Ford Motor Company – official truck, General Tire – official tire, Lucas – Official Oil, VP Racing Fuels – official fuel, KC HiLiTES – official light, John Deere – official UTV, American Beta – official motorcycle, Fabtech – Official Suspension, Fall Advertising, Prerunner Maniac, McKenzies, PCI Race Radios, Bullet Liner and Sportsman Cycle Sales.