A record number of 343 race teams lined up Friday morning not far from Alamo, Nevada, to begin Race Day One of the General Tire Vegas to Reno The Long Way!!! presented by FOX. Race Day One, sponsored by McMillin Racing, stops overnight in Tonopah, Nevada. Race Day Two, sponsored by KC HiLiTES, resumes in Tonopah Saturday morning and heads north and finish in the town of Dayton, just south of Reno, Nevada.

“Team Ford” Pole Award winner Rob MacCachren, above, started first in his Trick Truck in the car and truck classes. He was followed by the Unlimited Class 1500 Car of Harley Letner. Both will be attempting to unseat 3-peat winner Jason Voss, who has taken the overall spot for the last three years.

MORE: MacCachren Leads Vegas to Reno Qualifying

The Day One racecourse had to be re-routed due the an overnight crash of a military helicopter from Nellis Air Force Base. The crash took place at the Nevada Test and Training Range which is located in the area of the Range and Basin National Monument. Racers were stopped at Pit 1, where the had to load up their race vehicles and transport them to Pit 2 where they resumed the race.

The Air Force released the following official statement:
Aircraft crash on Nevada Test and Training Range
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. – At approximately 10:00 p.m. Thursday, an HH-60 on a local training mission crashed on Nevada Test and Training Range.  Four crew members were transported to a local medical facility and are receiving treatment for minor injuries.

A safety investigation is ongoing.  More information on the incident will be released as it becomes available.

Follow the action of the Lucas Oil Production Studios broadcasts of Best In The Desert events, including the Vegas to Reno race, on the NBC Sports Network and MAVTV.