Best in the Desert returned to Parker Arizona for the fan-popular Bluewater Desert Challenge this past weekend. Three punishing laps over 26 miles of harsh Arizona landscape consisting of sand, silt, rocks, washes and more delivers more than most can take, and yet desert racers return every year to do it all over again.

Finding himself in an often-familiar spot again was Rob MacCachren, who’s combine time over both days earned him the overall for the weekend. “It’s amazing what these trucks can do these days,” MacCachren said at the finish of Sundays race. “We drove through holes that should’ve ripped a wheel off. We knew we had to keep Voss behind us today to take the overall win and he made us work for it for sure. Jason has become quite the threat this year and he’s pretty much got that championship wrapped up, but we’re going to make him work for it to the very end.”

BITD Bluewater Challenge Photos

BITD Parker Qualifying Results

Jason Voss has had a stellar year, not only winning two races overall but finishing no lower than seventh in any other. He has a considerable lead in the points for the Championship and appears to have it in the bag.

“We were chasing hard for Rob today,” Voss said at the finish. “We took advantage of the two-day format and made some changes to the truck last night, which were for the better. We were much more competitive today and raced hard to see what we could do. We didn’t want to push too hard and lose it all, so we backed off and settled for second on the weekend. We’re looking forward to Henderson and that BITD Championship.”

Holding up the family name and coming in third in Trick Truck for the weekend was Jonathon Swift. “You know we’re not in it for the points so we came to have a good time and hopefully take home a win, and if not win, do well,” Swift said. “It was very rough today, not to mention the dust, it was very dusty. I think we accomplished what we set out for so we’re happy to be here.”

BITD ran a separate race for the Class 1500 buggies at Parker. When the dust settled, it was Justin Lofton who earned the win in the brutal three-lap race. Lofton held off second-place finisher Chuck Hovey, while rounding out the podium in third place was Jon Walker.

Nearly 50% of the racers entered were DNF at the end of the weekend; many took their racecars home in pieces, but that will not hinder entries for future races here. For as rough as it is, Parker has always been a legendary race town and will continue to be the test of which racers measure themselves.

Next stop for the Best in the Desert series is the Henderson 250, a double points season finale that will be held just outside Jean, Nevada, on December 6th through the 8th. Keep an eye out for it here on Off-Road.com. For more information, visit BITD.com.