Motorsports:

Racers gear up for Las Vegas-to-Reno off-road race

Dave Clark / ROMM Inc.

Rob MacCachren of Las Vegas will be racing his Ford Raptor this week in the Vegas To Reno The Long Way off-road race. It will take drivers three days to complete the race, which covers 1,000 miles.

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, Aug. 21, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

Bryce Menzies will jump in his vehicle and race it as fast as he can to Reno starting Thursday.

It will take Menzies, a 21-year old Henderson resident, three days to cover 1,000 miles, so he obviously isn’t taking the quickest or most direct route.

Menzies and nearly 300 other drivers will be participating in Best In The Desert Racing Association’s TSCO Vegas To Reno The Long Way off-road race.

“Everybody looks forward to this race,” Menzies said. “This is the highlight of everybody’s season, racing in Vegas to Reno.”

The race, which is the longest off-road desert race in the country, will take the drivers on an elongated path through the desert. The participants will meet at Sunset Station Tuesday and Wednesday to check in for the event and have their vehicles, which range from trucks to motorcycles, inspected.

The fun begins Thursday, when the drivers knock out the first 332 miles and stop for the day in Tonopah.

Day 2 runs from Tonopah to Hawthorne and the finale is set for Saturday, when those still left will race from Hawthorne to Reno.

“When you get to the finish line, it’s an unbelievable feeling,” race spokesman Russ Turner said. “Just to finish, it’s an accomplishment.”

Turner said that usually 30 percent of the drivers break down and never make it to the finish line. But Menzies does not expect to fall into that category.

With the year he’s having, how could he?

Menzies, racing for Menzies Motorsports, is Best In The Desert’s points leader in his class entering the race after strong performances in the Parker 425 and Terrible’s 250 at Primm.

His team has been hard at work in developing its strategy for this week’s race, he said.

“It’s endurance — keeping your car together for three days,” Menzies said. “So the first two days we’re going to keep calm and see how we’re doing the third day.”

Menzies only started competing on the desert off-road racing circuit this year. This will be his first time in the Vegas-to-Reno race.

Another Las Vegas-based racer, Rob MacCachren, said he can’t even remember how many years he’s competed in the Vegas-to-Reno race. MacCachren, who will race a 2010 Ford Raptor through the desert, enters this season’s race second in points in his class.

“The biggest obstacle is keeping control,” MacCachren said. “Driving for 300-plus miles through the desert, it takes a lot of focus to not make a mistake.”

Patches of rocks, fallen trees and flood waters along the course can all compromise a driver’s ability to finish the race, Turner said.

“Those guys are going at such speeds that if they don’t slow down or negotiate those properly, they can end up upside down and take themselves out of the race,” Turner said.

The race will be tougher than ever this year because drivers are not being allowed to pre-run the course. In past years, when the event lasted only a day, racers were afforded that luxury.

MacCachren said that makes attention to detail even more important, but he feels ready.

“The team has worked hard on the vehicle and gone over it meticulously to make sure we have no mechanical failures,” MacCachren said. “Our goal is obviously to win and get the points lead.”

Discussion: 10 comments so far…

By Man_o_Steel

8/21/09 at 5:39 a.m.

Suggest removal

Please do not hit any desert tortoises along the way. Thank you.
By Sunlizard

8/21/09 at 8:24 a.m.

Suggest removal

300 miles to Tonopah from Beatty means these jokers screwed up a lot of local roads, destroyed a lot of plants and animals. What a stupid event for the Sun to glorify...
By billsail

8/21/09 at 8:30 a.m.

Suggest removal

I think this is great! It brings alot of business into the state and creats jobs for alot of people. If people don't like plants and animals being destroyed in the desert, why don't they protest all of the government use of the desert...
By retiredyoungster

8/21/09 at 9:30 a.m.

Suggest removal

trust me, when the trucks come and you hear them off in the distance, the turtles, the birds, the lizards and all other creatures will move...this race brings $$$ into the economy. Its time the "wildlife lovers" give it a rest...when is the last time any of you "lovers" even donated or gave your time to go out and support your cause, build a trail or take care of an animal? hhmm??
By jtrudeau

8/21/09 at 11:01 a.m.

Suggest removal

I wonder if Raoul Duke will be there covering the event?
By LasVegas2009

8/21/09 at 12:10 p.m.

Suggest removal

Screw the turtles, we got lots of them. This is a special race that bring money directly into Nevada. These race teams will come from all over the world to race. They will bring fans and support groups. This means a whole lot of jobs for Nevada. We should be hosting more events like this. They are running on roads an average car or truck can't so don't try and tell me they are hurting an area you visit. Who hangs out in the desert anyway? I say tear it up! Race away! This event needs lots of exposure. Maybe they could do one every weekend.
By slots

8/21/09 at 1:09 p.m.

Suggest removal

Awesome race. T
By luvthadirt

8/22/09 at 1:58 p.m.

Suggest removal

Yeah, shutup you crazy hippies, at least we choose places to race that affect the environment the least. Anyways, anyone know where the starting line is?
By desertdoc

8/22/09 at 8:58 p.m.

Suggest removal

These events are run on existing desert roads, mostly not maintained, although sometimes they run on gravel/maintained roads. Those who are concerned about the roads being damaged are not being realistic-it really is just dirt. Virtually NO wildlife is harmed in these events. The BLM, in concert with the federal and state wild life agencies all have to issue permits for these events, in addition there are private organizations, such as the Sierra Club, and CBD which send observers, and evaluate the permits. In addition, the public has an opportunity to comment on the event, the course taken, and the staging and finish areas used, if on public property. The rules and regulations are very strict, and failure by any participant to adhere to those rules results in immediate expulsion from the event, and may prevent them from participating in the future. These events are highly organized, they are clearly marked, and the course is tightly controlled. Vehicles are required to have transponders on board to record their exact gps coordinates, to keep everyone on the designated course. Spectators are welcome, but only in designated areas. This is not the kid next door on his two cycle dirt bike tearing up the street, and the vacant lot down the street, these are professional racers, with vehicles specially prepared to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars each in several of the classes, often with factory or similar sponsorship, although there are entry level classes where one can participate for a small fraction of that amount. This is one of the purest forms of competition racing currently known, the scenery is great, the desert racing community are some of the finest people in the world. And yes, there are several events like this in or around Las Vegas throughout the year. Local sanctioning bodies include SNORE, and BITD, and SCORE comes to town for and event at Primm also. It also pumps some much needed tourist dollars into the Silver State. Enjoy, it is a part of who we are.