Best In The Desert Celebrates Past V2R Winners, Officially Announces Time Trials and Host Hotel for Maxxis Tires “Casey Folks” Vegas to Reno Presented by Fox

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: LAS VEGAS, NV (June 29, 2021): Best In The Desert is taking the time to recognize the incredible racers who have won the Maxxis Tires “Casey Folks” Presented by Fox race over the course of its history while looking ahead to the 25th Anniversary of the iconic race set for August 11 to August 14, 2021. 

A short list of past V2R overall car and  truck champions have come to represent off-road racing at the highest level including Jeff and Jim Stiles, who won the inaugural event, Curt LeDuc, Dan Smith, Dave Ashley, Larry Roeseler, Bryce Menzies, Andy McMillin, and Jason Voss, to name a few. Motorcycle champions who have celebrated on the V2R podium include first race winners Ty Davis and Paul Krause, Johnny Campbell, Destry Abbott, Steve Hengeveld, Nick and Russ Pearson, Shane Esposito, Scott Myers, Ricky Brabec, and Skyler Howes.

As to who holds the record for most overall wins at V2R by class, the results are quite astonishing with Open Pro Motorcycle class winner Shane Esposito leading the way with an amazing 6 overall victories to his credit.

Jason Voss holds the most overall wins in the Cars/Trucks category with four wins. In UTV competition, Brandon Schueler holds the distinction of not only being the first UTV to finish the event but also the most UTV class wins with 6 overall UTV victories. UTVs first participated in V2R in 2006 but did not finish the event until 2007. In ATV competition, Greg Stuart leads the category with five overall Quad Pro Class wins. 

From 1996 to 2008, the fastest overall time belonged to the motorcycles who set the fastest overall elapsed time over all vehicles. Starting in 2008 with Rick D. Johnson’s Overall Trick Truck time of 7:41, the string of motorcycle overall wins was broken. Motorcycles returned to the top of the overall rankings from 2011 with Shane Esposito’s winning time of 9:39:27 to 2013 when Nick Burson won with a time of 9:01:58. But since then, with the exception of 2017 when Ricky Brabec set the fastest time on a motorcycle, Trick Trucks have dominated the overall fastest times over all entered competitors. As of the upcoming 25th-running of the event, the overall win breakdown between motorcycles and cars/trucks is almost evenly split.

“V2R already holds a place of high distinction and regard within the world of off-road racing,” states Best In The Desert CMO Bryan Folks. “It’s one of the races you must win to be considered an all-time great within the sport. As the longest and largest single day off-road race in the U.S., it holds a place of high honor. We look forward to seeing who adds their name to this illustrious list in 2021.”

25th Anniversary Maxxis Tires “Casey Folks” Vegas to Reno Presented by Fox

Boulder Station will be the host hotel for the 2021 Maxxis Tires “Casey Folks” Vegas to Reno Presented by Fox in Las while the Sands Regency Hotel will be the site of the awards and after-race party in Reno, Nevada. A variety of special activities are planned now that fans, racers, and staff can gather together in large groups.

Time Trials will be held near Jean, Nevada on a specially-prepared five-and-a-half-mile course. Trick Truck, Class 1500, Class 6100, Class 1000, and 7200 will compete in Time Trials for the starting position on race day. For the first time ever, the Open Pro Motorcycle classes will qualify along with the UTV Turbo class for start position.

“We’ve been working very hard to provide an all new Time Trials experience for our racers,” commented Best In The Desert Race Operations Mgr. Jeff Phillips. “BITD has been working with the BLM on a time trial course near Jean Dry Lake, Nevada that is approximately 5 miles in length that is sure to test the very best. In addition, we have expanded Time Trials to the Open Pro Motorcycles and the UTV Turbo class to give each of these a shot at their start position come race day.” 

Best In The Desert is very happy to announce that Time Trials will be live-streamed on www.bitd.com  while actual race-day coverage will feature the most extensive Facebook Live Coverage ever of key moments and action from the race, start to finish.

In the latest USA Today poll for The Most Popular Motorsports Race in North America, the Maxxis Tires “Casey Folks” Vegas to Reno Presented by Fox currently lies in sixth place out of 20 events, ahead of iconic races like the Daytona 500, Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Chili Bowl Nationals, and Rolex 24 at Daytona, amongst others. Fans can vote for the Maxxis Tires “Casey Folks” Vegas to Reno Presented by Fox on the USA Today website.

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