Off-road race kicks up dust in the desert

By Tiffany Brown

Friday, Oct. 3, 2008 | 1:58 a.m.

Anyone passing through the area of Alamo along US 93, north of Las Vegas, last Saturday probably wondered what herd was kicking up dust plumes all across the wide open, desolate valleys.

The clouds of dust came from off-road vehicle racers who set-out under partly cloudy skies to navigate 300 miles of desert terrain in the first Bilek Racing Silver State 300, part of the Best in the Desert Racing Association off-road series.

They competed in more than 40 different vehicle classes ranging from stock vehicles to tricked out trucks and of the 173 who started the race, only 67 cars and trucks, and 47 motorcycles and quads finished. Many of those who couldn't complete the race spent the night in the mountains with their broken vehicles.

Those who made it to the finish traversed all manner of terrain through Pahroc Summit, the Dalamar Valley, past the Cathedral Gorge area, Pioche, Caliente and ending just outside of Mesquite, about an hour northeast of Las Vegas.

The Sun tagged along with Las Vegan Michael Alden's truck team to get a glimpse of the dusty off-road adventure, from start to finish along the seven pit stops of the course.