For more than 40 years, the Parker 425 had been punishing anyone who chooses to tackle the 100-plus-mile loop of Arizona’s finest off-road terrain. This year’s Best in the Desert “Parker Pre-Run” gave us a preview of what the racers will face in just a few weeks.

Following the now traditional route, the course connected well-known landmarks like Osborn Wash, Midway, Bouse, Graham Well and Mineral Wash. These are connected by a series of high-speed graded roads, sandy washes, and rutted, washed-out powerline roads littered with rocks, canyons, cactus with plateaus and vistas on the horizon. It’s a truly beautiful course to race.

More than 180 prerunner buggies, trucks and UTVs took to the course preview on Sunday. Conditions were amazing with cool winter temperatures and recent rains taming the dust for clear running – an absolute perfect day for a pre-run. Although it wasn’t a race it was evident that if you didn’t have your game together the desert would punch your ticket, as several participants were heard calling for help or a tow with their vehicles that were claimed by the Parker racecourse.

Making our way around we came to Midway, which has always been the hub of the racecourse and the main pitting location for many of the teams. For this run our “pit stop” was a carne asada lunch provided by BITD. Along with the meal, the director of BITD Casey Folks addressed the crowd to give thanks and discuss the exciting 2016 season to come along with some history the surrounding area.

“We have new races this year and we’re very excited to have you all come and race with us,” Folks said. “This is a very tough sport and you all are a tough group of people. We look forward to challenging you with these new venues and hope we all have a safe and exciting season with Best in the Desert.”

After our lunch we finished the remaining length of the course, which were some of the most scenic sections during the entire ride. We then wrapped up the end of the ride with a personal greeting from Folks, who personally thanked each participant who finished the run.

This year’s BITD schedule looks to be one to remember. The season will kick off with the long-standing Parker 425, and it will then shift over to the bright lights and excitement of the Mint 400. The Mint will make way for what’s sure to be mayhem at the Laughlin Desert Challenge combined with the now two-day format of Vegas to Reno that will be grueling in the dead of summer, which will be contrasted against hot sandy whoops and wide-open carnage of the Bluewater Challenge, and BITD will finish it all up with the rugged harshness of Pahrump in the dead of winter. BITD will have a little bid of everything this year, and we can’t wait to see it all happen!