The 2026 Casey Folks Vegas to Reno will reverse direction for the first time in the race’s 30-year history. Instead of following the traditional route north, competitors will race approximately 505 miles from the Reno area toward Las Vegas on Friday, August 14.
Officially called Vegas to Reno “The Other Way” and presented by Camburg and MagnaFlow, the anniversary edition will force even experienced teams to reconsider course notes, navigation, pit logistics and race strategy. The historic event is part of the unified American Off-Road Racing Championship and remains one of the most demanding tests in North American desert racing.
2026 Vegas to Reno Dates and Schedule
Race-week activities run from August 11–15, with qualifying, technical inspection and the Reno Off-Road Festival leading into the main race.
| Date | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, August 11 | Qualifying registration | J Resort, Reno |
| Wednesday, August 12 | Qualifying and kickoff party | Dayton and J Resort |
| Thursday, August 13 | Reno Off-Road Festival, registration and technical inspection | J Resort, Reno |
| Friday, August 14 | 2026 Vegas to Reno race | Dayton to Southern Nevada |
| Saturday, August 15 | Awards and after-party | Rio Las Vegas |
UTV Pro qualifying begins Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. near Dayton. On Friday, motorcycles and quads start at 5:45 a.m., followed by the Unlimited group at 10 a.m. and the Limited group at noon.
The latest times, locations and racer instructions are available through the official 2026 Vegas to Reno schedule.
Why Is Vegas to Reno Running in Reverse?
Vegas to Reno has traditionally carried racers north through Nevada, but Best in the Desert wanted its 30th-anniversary edition to present a genuinely new challenge. The reversed course takes competitors from the Reno area toward Las Vegas for the first time since Casey Folks created the race in 1996.
Running the same general corridor in the opposite direction changes much more than the names at the start and finish. Racers will approach familiar terrain from different angles, encounter difficult sections at different points in the day and reach pits on a completely different timeline.
The direction change could affect:
- Course notes and navigation
- Starting-position strategy
- Vehicle setup and suspension tuning
- Fuel range and pit timing
- Driver and co-driver changeovers
- Dust, visibility and changing light conditions
Even teams with years of Vegas to Reno experience cannot simply reuse their traditional race plan. The terrain may be familiar, but its sequence, approaches and timing will be different.
A 505-Mile Test Across Nevada
The 2026 course covers approximately 505 miles of Nevada high desert, including rocky canyons, fast graded roads, dry lake beds, silt, mountain passes and long desert valleys. Four-wheel competitors will leave the Dayton area on Friday morning and race south toward the finish near Crystal, Nevada.
Vegas to Reno has long been considered an important proving ground for UTV manufacturers and race teams. Sustained speed, heavy dust, heat, rocks and deep silt test suspension, tires, cooling systems, drivetrains and navigation over a distance that leaves little room for preparation mistakes.
The 2025 race demonstrated how competitive the UTV field has become. Mitch Guthrie Jr. won the 2025 Vegas to Reno UTV overall in a Polaris RZR Pro R Factory, defeating Cody Bradbury by only nine seconds after more than eight hours of racing.
That victory became part of Polaris RZR Factory Racing’s undefeated 2025 season, but the reverse course gives every leading UTV program a new problem to solve in 2026.
UTVs to Watch at the 2026 Vegas to Reno
The UTV divisions will once again feature factory-supported teams, privateers and purpose-built race machines competing across multiple classes. Polaris enters the event with considerable momentum following another strong SCORE season, while Can-Am racers have already demonstrated the Maverick R’s ability to win this event. Josh Row drove a Can-Am Maverick R to the overall UTV victory at the 2024 Vegas to Reno.
Segway Factory Racing will also return with its 235-horsepower Super Villain SX20T. Driver Jacob Zuccone and co-driver Samantha Rode finished the 2025 event despite breaking a tie rod around race mile 296. Their 2026 Vegas to Reno effort gives Segway another opportunity to evaluate the emerging race platform against established desert-racing programs.
Because the course is being run in reverse, preparation and reliability may matter even more than previous results. The team that adapts most effectively to the new terrain flow could gain an advantage over competitors relying heavily on experience from earlier editions.
Reno Off-Road Festival
Race-week activities are centered at the J Resort in downtown Reno. The free Reno Off-Road Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, and includes technical inspection, race vehicles, manufacturer displays, sponsor exhibits, entertainment and opportunities for fans to meet drivers and teams.
The public can also watch qualifying near Dayton on Wednesday. Spectators must remain at least 100 feet from the course and should follow all posted instructions from race officials.
Jeremy Renner Named Grand Marshal
Nevada native, actor and off-road enthusiast Jeremy Renner will serve as grand marshal for the 30th-anniversary race. Renner is scheduled to participate in race-week activities, appear at the Reno Off-Road Festival and compete alongside the event’s other racers.
How to Watch the 2026 Vegas to Reno
Free live coverage begins Friday, August 14, at 9:30 a.m. Pacific time. Best in the Desert plans to provide race coverage, live timing, tracking, onboard video, pit reports and racer interviews.
Fans can access the Vegas to Reno livestream, timing and race tracking through Best in the Desert. Coverage is also scheduled to appear on YouTube and Facebook, with simulcasts through FOX Sports YouTube, RACER Network and SPEED SPORT 1 Network.
Thirty Years of Vegas to Reno
Casey Folks established Vegas to Reno in 1996 as an ambitious point-to-point race across Nevada. It grew into one of the most recognizable events in American desert racing and a bucket-list challenge for UTV, truck, buggy, motorcycle and quad competitors.
The 2026 edition honors that history by changing one of the race’s defining characteristics. Racers will still face hundreds of miles of Nevada desert, but for the first time, Vegas to Reno will become Reno to Vegas.
For complete racer information, course resources and event updates, visit the official Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno page.
