Tanya Bunch A Best in the Desert racer rides over a hill in Mineral County Friday afternoon as a pair of helicopters follow the track. Jason Voss won the 530 plus mile event across the Nevada desert for the third straight year.

Tanya Bunch
A Best in the Desert racer rides over a hill in Mineral County Friday afternoon as a pair of helicopters follow the track. Jason Voss won the 530 plus mile event across the Nevada desert for the third straight year.

Over 530 plus miles traveled across Nevada at high speeds isn’t for the faint of heart. It challenges drivers, riders and chase crews.

The Best in the Desert ‘Vegas to Reno’ race held last Friday tests not only those who participate in the race but also those who man pits, road crossings, recovery and emergency personnel who each are volunteers and are a viable part of the race’s success.

The high-speed course through Mineral County had jumps, ditches and rocks causing volunteers to use all means necessary to get racers through the course as they broke down or were injured.

Racers found the Mineral County course to be rougher than usual, as rain had taken a toll on much of the course.

Local resident, Tim Hall, also participated in the race this year, only to find himself out early as he had an issue at mile marker 12 of the course.

Jason Voss, who has won the last two races, has been unofficially announced as the winner in this year’s race with a time of 8:52:32, making Voss a three-peat winner.

Local businesses benefit from these off-road events as chase and pit crews often stop to purchase full and neccesseties.

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the ‘Vegas to Reno’ race, which will be a two-day event. Day one will cover the southern end of Nevada with racers and crew pitting in Tonopah and beginning the next day on their way through Mineral County onto Reno.

Official results can be found at bitd.com.