There is no better way to start the 543-mile long General Tire “Vegas to Reno” race than at the head of pack and dust free. And on this coming Wednesday, August 14th, 59 unlimited class cars and trucks will be competing for a chance to do just that and claim the “Team Ford” Pole Award.

Best in the Desert is desert racing’s only sanctioning body that holds Time Trials for the unlimited car and trucks at every one of their events and allows them an equal opportunity to compete head-to-head for the first starting position. At this year’s running of the famous General Tire “Vegas to Reno”, the Longest Off Road Race in the United States, an elite group of the greatest off-road racers in the world, 33 Class1400 Trick Trucks and 26 Class 1500 Unlimited Cars, will gather at a secret location in the desert outside of Las Vegas to determine who is the fastest one of them all.

Rob MacCachren has been a dominating force at the Time Trials as of late in his Trick Truck having claimed the pole position at six of the last nine events dating back to the 2012 Parker 425. Justin Lofton broke his streak at last May’s Silver State 300 in his Class 1500 unlimited car. But with a field of 59 of the sport’s fastest drivers battling each other and the scorching Las Vegas heat, anything can happen. With only one day separating Time Trials and the start of the race, how far do these drivers push themselves and their machines for the top starting spot? The winner of the Time Trials will be announced Wednesday evening at the Salted Lime Bar inside the Aliante Casino & Hotel.

Casey Folks, the director of Best in the Desert, stated, “One of our most popular events, “Vegas to Reno”, entices the world’s elite to take on a course that many will find the most challenging terrain in the world. And to maintain a pace for 543-miles is a tribute to not only the vehicles, but to the strength and endurance of these racing athletes. And, our 59 racers entered into qualifying will find themselves faced with a unique challenge when they start Time Trials this year!“

Another bonus by racing Best in the Desert is the “Team Ford” Pole Award, and the $1000 cash prize presented by Steve Olliges, owner of Team Ford Lincoln of Las Vegas. The cash along with a unique trophy is awarded to the fastest qualifier of the Time Trials held before each Best In The Desert race for the car and truck classes.

After Time Trials, the General Tire Vegas to Reno race festivities continue in North Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday, August 15, with contingency and tech inspection at the Aliante Casino & Hotel. There you will see the most unbelievable display of state-of-the-art, high-tech cars, trucks, motorcycles, quads and UTVs that are built for racing today, not to mention the BEST off-road desert racers competing today.  The race gets underway Friday morning, August 16. The race will end in Dayton, just south of Reno, Nevada. Due to the 543-mile long race course, a 24-hour time limit has been set, so racers will still be coming into the finish line Saturday morning. Competitors will then celebrate their accomplishments and collect their awards at the Grand Sierra Resort Saturday evening.

Complete Time Trials Event Entry List:
Trick Trucks – 33
Class 1500 Unlimited Cars – 26

Starting Order
1 – Schovajsa (Trick Truck)
2 – Eugenio (Trick Truck)
3 – Croll (Trick Truck)
4 – Beaver (Trick Truck)
5 – Dondel (Trick Truck)
6 – Tuls (Class 1500)
7 – Jefferies (Class 1500)
8 – Matney (Class 1500)
9 – Griffith (Class 1500)
10 – Foster (Class 1500)
11 – Whitton (Trick Truck)
12 – Losch (Trick Truck)
13 – Curtis (Trick Truck)
14 – Whipple (Trick Truck)
15 – Graf (Trick Truck)
16 – Berri (Class 1500)
17 – Walser (Trick Truck)
18 – MacCachren (Trick Truck)
19 – Lofton (Class 1500)
20 – Jacobs (Class 1500)
21 – Gruber (Class 1500)
22 – Rockhill (Class 1500)
23 – Carroll (Trick Truck)
24 – Vest (Trick Truck)
25 – McMillin (Trick Truck)
26 – Hovey (Class 1500)
27 – Keysar (Class 1500)
28 – Boyle (Class 1500)
29 – G. Weyhrich (Trick Truck)
30 – Brown (Class 1500)
31 – Voss (Trick Truck)
32 – Nunley (Trick Truck)
33 – Walker (Class 1500)
34 – Strobel (Trick Truck)
35 – Menzies (Trick Truck)
36 – Staats (Trick Truck)
37 – Paxson (Class 1500)
38 – Letner (Class 1500)
39 – Scheeler (Trick Truck)
40 – Reid (Class 1500)
41 – Jones (Trick Truck)
42 – Galewick (Class 1500)
43 – Wilson (Class 1500)
44 – Price (Trick Truck)
45 – Olliges (Trick Truck)
46 – McGillivray (Trick Truck)
47 – Frank (Trick Truck)
48 – Flores (Trick Truck)
49 – Schwarz (Trick Truck)
50 – Dean (Class 1500)
51 – Freitas (Class 1500)
52 – Hancock (Trick Truck)
53 – Hutchins (Class 1500)
54 – Hengeveld (Class 1500)
55 – Wood (Class 1500)
56 – Lunn (Trick Truck)
57 – M. Weyhrich (Trick Truck)
58 – LeDuc (Trick Truck)
59 – Mitchell (Class 1500)

General Tire  “Vegas to Reno” schedule:
Wednesday August 14 – Time Trials

Thursday, August 15 – Driver Registration, Contingency and Tech Inspection, Aliante Casino & Hotel in North Las Vegas.

Friday, August 16 – Race for all classes starts near Beatty, finishes at the Dayton Event Center.

Saturday, August 17 – Awards presentation in Reno at the Grand Sierra Resort.

Red Bull will be supporting contingency at the Aliante Station Resort & Casino in North Las Vegas, and also at the finish line at the Dayton, Nevada Event Center.