Vegas resident goes to great lengths to finish off-road race
Las Vegas resident Ronn Bailey went to extremes to complete his 12th major marathon off-road race.
Bailey finished 29th of 48 entries Saturday in the inaugural Transorientale Rally from Russia to China, which is billed as the world's longest off-road race.
The event started June 28 in St. Petersburg, Russia, and ended at the Great Wall of China, near Beijing. The race covered 6,731 miles in 28 days.
Bailey was plagued by mechanical problems with his Chevy LS7-powered custom buggy and was one of 30 finishers. With co-pilot and navigator Kellon Walch, the team was ranked sixth midway through the race.
Bailey, who founded and operates an international security software firm based in Southern Nevada, has competed in three Dakar rallies in Africa since he began racing in 2005.
• DEATH VALLEY -- Las Vegan Dan Fitzgerald padded his IMCA Modifieds points lead Saturday by winning at Death Valley Raceway in Amargosa Valley.
Other winners were Anthony DeBiase (Super Stock), Michael Lysinger (Mini Stocks), Randall Boren (Classic Coupes), Richard Gast (Mod Minis), Troy Seymore (Dwarfs) and Billy Grasso (Bombers).
Racing at the track will resume Sept. 6.
• DRIFTERS -- Racers in the Formula Drift series will sign autographs from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Fremont Street Experience before competing in the Super Tuner Nationals on July 11 and 12 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's dragstrip.
The drift cars will be the feature of the nighttime event, which will include Battle of the Imports drag racing.
Go to LVMS.com for information.
• LVMS BLOG -- The speedway is expanding its LVMS.com Web site to feature videos and blogs, including some of local racers.
Highlights of Thursday's Night of Fire at the Bullring should be on the site early next week.
