CHASING THE PINK RIBBON - Jeff Phillips

Chasing the Pink Ribbon

It was 2006 and my good friend Dale “Wally” Wallis said, “You and Sue go have fun, my Rhino will go anywhere and it’s a Hoot!”

This was my first introduction to the world of UTVs. As the years rolled on, I kept my distance from these (what I used to think were) want-to-be trucks/bikes. After all, I’m a bike guy, and “bike guys don’t need 4 wheels. We can go anywhere these re-worked ATVs can go”! Guess I missed the mark on that one.

Fast forward to 2020, and I get the Chief of Race Operations job with Best In The Desert. Almost immediately I was fully immersed in the world of UTVs at the 2020 National Desert Cup at Glen Helen. As I called around to develop a plan for a racecourse, many old GH race promoters told me “The hills are really tough for UTVs, so maybe you should stay to the lower areas like the truck track. The MX jumps are too big, and the take offs are all wrong for the UTVs!” Well, we went ahead and ran all the way to the Pavilion in the back, all the ridges, all the washes, most of the MX track, and the truck track. Yes the ridges stopped one race and yes, the motocross track put up a bit of a fight, but through it all the UTVs prevailed. After a gnarly two days of racing, all I saw were smiles and all I heard were stories of fun at the finish.

I made more friends at that race with UTV racers, their pit support and families than I can remember for a long time. These UTV guys were the real deal. I was impressed with my new friends. Not only did they compete like true champions, but they were also really good people! They had some of the biggest smiles, craziest stories of the trials and tribulations for the day, but most importantly, they were genuine people. I received so many calls after the race to congratulate Best In The Desert on a successful weekend. Questions were asked about the upcoming events, and racers just wanted to talk and get to know me. I was hooked on this UTV racing thing, had made a new set of friends and by the way, I had a whole new understanding of the fun the UTVs offer!

Continuing forward, my newfound love for the UTV world has only grown! After spending hundreds of hours pre-driving the Parker and Silver State races, leading the “Parker PreFun-Run”, and marking miles and miles of race course, I have been transformed into a UTV guy! Yes, my bike guy friends may call me a traitor, but it is simple, these things are a blast and offer a whole new way to see the outdoors! Get out and try it, you’ll be hooked too.

As for the future of UTVs and Best In The Desert, we are extremely excited for 2022 and beyond. With the rule changes in 2020 being months behind, Best In The Desert understood the need to keep it simple and only add the rule changes that had been made during the year, and any major changes would have to wait for 2022. That said, it is now time for the 2022 rules. Allen Rudd, our UTV Director, Bryan Folks, our co-owner, and I have been hard at work reviewing every rule, every specification, every class description and all that is Best In The Desert UTV. We have one simple goal: for our rules to be the “Best In The Desert”! We have been on the phone with all the manufacturers, many drivers, aftermarket vendors, race teams and anyone

Jeff the “UTV guy” addresses the future stars of tomorrow at the drivers meeting for the 4Wheel Parts Youth UTV Series during the Parker 250. Photo by Jason Zindroski

else UTV! When we release the 2022 UTV rules early this summer, we believe it will be the rule book all others will want to adopt. The classes will be simplified, and rules will be more specific with additional diagrams and exhibits of what is required. Most importantly, they will be easier to read, and understand just what our intentions are. These rules will fit with the direction the manufacturers intend to go with new releases and bearing small yearly “tweaks”, these rules should take us on for many years to come.

I suppose I sound like a UTV guy now! However, make no mistake, I’m a bike guy to the core and this weekend I’ll be going on a 100 plus mile ride in search of a new and exciting racecourse for future Best In The Desert events! See you at the races, Jeff (el Jeffe) Phillips

Switching to tomorrow’s 2-wheel stars. Jeff the “bike guy” at the start of the Youth races for the World Hare & Hound Championship. Photo by Megan Phillips

Photos by Daniel Noble Photography Dirt Nation 4DIRTMEDIA