Some new dates, a few new sponsors, and a whole lot of desert action is promised on the 2019 race card.
Next year’s season will kick off mid-January in Parker, Arizona. It’s more-than-a-mouthful official name is the GMZ UTV Winter Nationals “Casey Folks” Parker 250 presented by Polaris RZR. This will be a special memorial race to honor Best In The Desert founder, Casey Folks. The race will mark the second anniversary of Casey’s passing and continues the tradition. This “Showdown in the Desert” is open to all Motorcycle, Quad, and UTV classes only.
About three weeks after the season opener is the BlueWater Resort & Casino Parker 425 presented by Impact, also held in Parker, AZ. This is about a month before what has become known as “The Great American Off-Road Race” in some circles – the BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400. As before, The Mint will take place in Vegas and is a points race for the Car, Truck, UTV classes. For the first time in many years, motorcycle classes are being added for this running of the race.
April and May see events in Nevada, called the Polaris RZR UTV World Championship and VT Construction Silver State 300 presented by Method Race Wheels, respectively. Following a short summer break, BITD racing gets on with its flagship event, the General Tire “Vegas to Reno” presented by FOX event. This year, its 23rd-annual running of takes place from August 14th to 17th. Starting north of Las Vegas and finishing just south of Reno, this grueling 500+ mile, point-to-point racing adventure is open to all classes.
The 2019 season will end with the Method Race Wheels “Laughlin Desert Classic” presented by Polaris RZR race. This two-day race will take place October 10th through 13th. With a special 16-mile racecourse set up next to the playground of the Colorado River, the race is open to the Car and Truck classes only. The popular and exciting 100% night race for UTVs is Thursday, October 11th. This race will have two separate groups, racing 10 laps over the 16 mile course, illuminated only by their on-board vehicle lighting. That’ll be cool.
There’s still plenty of racing left in 2018, with this year’s Vegas to Reno race taking place on August 17th and running all the way into Saturday morning. As of July 23rd, nearly 250 entrants have registered to take on the challenge.
BEST IN THE DESERT RACING ASSOCIATION – 2019 SCHEDULE
1. GMZ UTV WINTER NATIONALS “CASEY FOLKS” PARKER “250” presented by Polaris RZR
JANUARY 11-12, 2019 – (Race in Parker, AZ)
MOTORCYCLE, QUAD & UTV POINTS ONLY – NO PRE-FUN RUN
2. BLUEWATER RESORT PARKER “425” presented by IMPACT
January 31- FEBRUARY 3, 2019 (race in Parker, AZ – Time Trials January 31, 2019)
CAR & TRUCK POINTS ONLY – 1-DAY PRE-FUN RUN ON SUNDAY, JAN. 13, 2019
3. BFGoodrich Tires MINT 400
MARCH 7-10, 2019 (race in Las Vegas, NV – Time Trials March 7, 2019)
CAR, TRUCK & UTV POINTS ONLY – NO PRE-FUN RUN
4. POLARIS RZR UTV WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
APRIL 5 – 7, 2019 – (Race in Laughlin, NV)
MOTORCYCLE, QUAD & UTV POINTS ONLY – FAMILY POKER RUN / UTVs ONLY
5. VT CONSTRUCTION SILVER STATE “300” presented by METHOD RACE WHEELS
MAY 2-5, 2019 – (Race Starts North of Alamo, NV – Time Trials May 7, 2019)
POINTS FOR ALL CLASSES – PRE-FUN RUN APRIL 19-20, 2019
6. GENERAL TIRE “VEGAS to RENO” presented by FOX
AUGUST 14-17, 2019 – (Race on Friday – Time Trials August 14, 2019)
POINTS FOR ALL CLASSES – NO PRE-FUN RUN
7. METHOD RACE WHEELS LAUGHLIN DESERT CLASSIC presented by Polaris RZR
OCTOBER 10-13, 2019 – (2-day race / Race in Laughlin, NV – Time Trials October 10, 2019)
CAR & TRUCK & ONLY – FAMILY POKER RUN / UTVs ONLY
UTV Only Night Race October 11th as part of this race