Chasing The Ironman (Class)

1302Or 01 Chasing The Ironman Class Race Team

As the saying goes, “With age comes a ’cage.” but that’s not always true. Many off-roaders start off with dirt bikes and eventually end up behind the wheel. Those competitive and dedicated enough end up surrounded by inspected-and-approved rollcage tubing and other hardcore competition hardware. Greg Gilbert of Desolate Motorsports, on the other hand, swam upstream and bucked the trend. For the 2012 Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno desert race, Greg decided the best place to be was not inside a truck but behind the handlebars of a Honda XR650r.

On the surface, trading a rollcage for a set of handlebars seems like regression. It’s quite the opposite. While the cost of the race vehicle decreased (a lot), the personal challenge increased exponentially. As if racing a dirt bike wasn’t enough, Greg chose to enter the amateur Ironman class, meaning he’d be the only one on the bike for the race’s entire 535-mile length.

Greg wasn’t the only one taking on the Ironman challenge. Friend and fellow rider Dave Sanchez was also throwing his helmet into the Ironman ring, running the race aboard a Honda CRF 450x. Greg and Dave were both racing under the Desolate Motorsports banner.

The two riders faced 535 miles of rocks, whoops, dusty lakebeds, mountain passes, and heat. Vegas to Reno happens during August. Personal challenge? Big time.

Even though they’d be the only ones riding their respective dirt bikes, Greg and Dave weren’t running Vegas to Reno alone. There are 15 pits along the course and a total of five Desolate Motorsports chase crews would leapfrog along the pit route, making sure the two riders had enough fuel, water, food, and mechanical support to go the distance.

The two riders had years of riding, racing, and desert driving experience between them. Their bikes were well prepared, and they’d both spent many hours doing fitness training. While experience, practice, and preparation are important, they’re not the final factor that determines if and when you cross the finish line. That final factor is luck.

Luck is always an unknown, and it seems that at the beginning of the race, each rider is imbued with a certain amount of it. Where and when the luck runs out is anyone’s guess. There’s only one way to discover your personal luck factor. You’ve got to show up and cross the starting line with everything you’ve got.

We tagged along, offering chase truck support, and got the real race experience for ourselves.

Read on as we talk about how the race unfolded.

Mike Bonner looks on while Greg Gilbert demonstrates how to remove and replace the rear wheel of his XR650r. Learning this stuff out on the racecourse wastes time. Know before you go.
Mike Bonner looks on while Greg Gilbert demonstrates how to remove and replace the rear wh
Matt Carter pumps 110-octane leaded race gas into one of three gas cans destined for the 4Runner’s chase rack. To make the pricey race gas go further, we mixed the race fuel with super unleaded pump gas.
Matt Carter pumps 110-octane leaded race gas into one of three gas cans destined for the 4
Gas cans and fire extinguishers should go hand in hand. Before leaving, we visited Certified Fire Extinguisher in Whittier, California, to make sure our fire extinguishers were in top shape and our Powertank had a full CO2 charge. Note the spare motorcycle wheels and the general glut of supplies and tools.
Gas cans and fire extinguishers should go hand in hand. Before leaving, we visited Certifi

If you’re wondering whether or not Vegas to Reno is a popular race, check out the crowd at the pre-race meeting.
If you’re wondering whether or not Vegas to Reno is a popular race, check out the crowd at
Add Nevada and August together, and you’re in for some heat. We were grateful for the early morning cloud cover. Each Desolate rider had a dedicated chase crew. Fellow photographer Mike Ingalsbee and I were the “floater truck” in the Desolate chase squad. This is Pit One at 30 miles into the race.
Add Nevada and August together, and you’re in for some heat. We were grateful for the earl
At Pit One, Dave stopped for a splash of gas and to let some pressure out of his too-firm rear tire. Greg’s monster-sized fuel tank let him breeze on through. After the two riders cleared Pit One, Mike and I loaded up and headed for our next assigned spot: Pit Five outside of Tonopah. We passed through Goldfield en route, including the reputedly haunted Goldfield Hotel.
At Pit One, Dave stopped for a splash of gas and to let some pressure out of his too-firm

At Pit Five, crewmembers Mike SanPedro and Chris Rossi were ready to pit in style. The game plan called for a long stop at Tonopah. The bikes would get thoroughly checked out and the riders would get thoroughly fed and watered. The Tonopah pit was 191 miles into the race.
At Pit Five, crewmembers Mike SanPedro and Chris Rossi were ready to pit in style. The gam
Mike monitored the Desolate radio frequency, listening for Greg and Dave. Somewhere, somehow, the two riders had gotten lost and were trying to pick their way back to the official racecourse. They weren’t the only ones. Racecourse markers had gone missing, throwing most racers off the course into uncharted territory. The culprit turned out to be cows!
Mike monitored the Desolate radio frequency, listening for Greg and Dave. Somewhere, someh
Chris peruses the teeming Pit Five tool chest. Hopefully the bikes wouldn’t need too much attention when they arrived, but plenty of wrenches were ready to spin if called upon. When they’re not using their talents and pit box to chase for Desolate Motorsports, Mike and Chris keep things running smoothly at Walker Brothers Machinery Moving.
Chris peruses the teeming Pit Five tool chest. Hopefully the bikes wouldn’t need too much

Greg and his XR650r rolled in first. Jamie Moat and Taylor Wahl worked on topping off Greg’s water supply while Mike Gudehus stood ready with some snacks.
Greg and his XR650r rolled in first. Jamie Moat and Taylor Wahl worked on topping off Greg
Greg’s bike was in good shape and didn’t need much more than fuel. He kicked the big 650 to life and disappeared.
Greg’s bike was in good shape and didn’t need much more than fuel. He kicked the big 650 t
Meanwhile, Dave’s day was turning into a series of unfortunate events. Besides getting lost, he’d crashed on a high-speed lakebed. He remounted and soldiered on, only to have his countershaft sprocket come loose and throw his drivechain. “It shattered into about 10 pieces,” Dave said later. “I watched it fly off.” The chain incident happened about a mile away from the pit and Dave was bound by the rules to push the bike to the pit.
Meanwhile, Dave’s day was turning into a series of unfortunate events. Besides getting los

dave’s original chain was useless, but his crew had a spare ready and waiting.
adventure and discovery aren’t the sole domain of the racers. Chase crews get to see new stuff, too. This is Walker lake just outside of hawthorne. at this point, Mike and i were en route to our next assigned pit, which was pit 14 at Top gun.
adventure and discovery aren’t the sole domain of the racers. Chase crews get to see new s
The Top gun pit was 458 miles into the race. Consider the distance, and then consider the ironman aspect, and it was anybody’s guess how our two riders would be feeling by the time they got here. greg showed up first. he’d ridden fast and pitted smart and he held the amateur ironman class’s top position when he arrived. “i’m in the lead!” he declared. “gimme some gas, i gotta go!”
The Top gun pit was 458 miles into the race. Consider the distance, and then consider the

dave’s day had continued to unravel. Minutes turned to hours, and the sun disappeared over the horizon. dave’s crew of Caesar arias, gina arias, Matt Carter, and nick lopez arrived to wait with us.
dave’s day had continued to unravel. Minutes turned to hours, and the sun disappeared over
dave’s voice eventually crackled over the radio, signifying he was getting close. before long, he’d come through the checkpoint and motored over to our pit. Would he continue? Just in case, the crew changed his air filter and topped off his tank.
dave’s voice eventually crackled over the radio, signifying he was getting close. before l
dave was spent. he’d gotten lost, crashed, thrown a chain, missed his pit crew at hawthorne, and most pivotal of all, he’d smacked an arm on a protruding tree branch. The flesh-to-wood contact created plenty of pain, even as it weakened his grip. he simply couldn’t hold onto the bike any longer. The best thing to do was put the 2012 vegas-to-Reno into his personal history book and make plans for the next round. dave had fought valiantly for 458 miles, and now he was going to live to fight another day. smart move.
dave was spent. he’d gotten lost, crashed, thrown a chain, missed his pit crew at hawthorn

The post-race awards ceremony was held at the grand sierra Resort in Reno. eyes still blood shot from the ride, greg holds up his first place plaque. he’d beaten second place by more than a half hour. dave’s holding up the plaque he’s gonna win next year.
The post-race awards ceremony was held at the grand sierra Resort in Reno. eyes still bloo
When this whole adventure began, greg quipped that he was going to ride his race bike all the way home. few believed it and all were shocked when he bolted up a license plate and kicked the XR to life on sunday morning. vegas-to- Reno is tough, but vegas-to-Renoto- Whittier, California, is a notch above that. Crazy!
When this whole adventure began, greg quipped that he was going to ride his race bike all
When did the luck run out? for greg, the luck held until he got back to his shop. Witness the chain’s master link, which is just about to come apart.
When did the luck run out? for greg, the luck held until he got back to his shop. Witness