Tiffany Brown Photojournalist

20081005 off-road

last weekend i tagged along with my friend michael alden’s off-road race team as he and robby woolworth drove his ’94 F-150 to a second-place finish in the stock full class of the bilek racing silver state 300.

the race started from alamo, nevada, and traversed 300 miles of desert terrain through pahroc summit, the dalamar valley, past the cathedral gorge area, pioche, caliente and ending just outside of mesquite, about an hour northeast of las vegas under the darkness of night.

of the 173 rigs that started the race only 114 finished and many of those who couldn’t complete the race spent the night in the mountains with their broken vehicles – the later detail i thought particularly intriguing and hard core.

i grew up sailing with my dad and he had a ratty old t-shirt that said “sailing is like standing in an ice cold shower tearing up $100 bills.” i think off-road racing might be like standing in a silty dust storm doing the same. i mean, best i can gather from michael and last saturday, this sport is about spending money and fuel, fixing shit, racing once in awhile (in-between fixing shit), logistics, chase rigs, and dust …. and it trashes the desert and atmosphere in the process. but aside from the later, it was pretty damn fun and mike’s team was pro. i also think good company is key. ok, there’s the scenery and that “rrrrummpph rrrumppphhh” that’s awesome too.

congrats again mike and team! off-road racing kicks the ass out of nascar and the drag strip. think i’ll go ride my bicycle now.