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Message: <blockquote data-quote="John Bitting" data-source="post: 13917" data-attributes="member: 104">This is from a Las Vegas NewspaperJanuary 18, 2002 Off-road race set for valleyBy Brian Hilderbrand <bh@lasvegassun.com>LAS VEGAS SUNThe City of Henderson is reaching into off-road racing's storied past to stage a SCORE International desert race in the Las Vegas Valley for the first time in more than a decade.The inaugural SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250 off-road race will be held July 13 near the base of Black Mountain and will use a section of the old Mint 400 course.The Mint 400, which was the basis of Hunter S. Thompson's novel "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," was run from 1968 to 1991 and long has been the race by which all off-road events are measured.Bud Pico, manager of tourism and sales for the Henderson Convention and Visitors Bureau, confirmed that the city had reached an agreement with SCORE International president Sal Fish on Thursday to stage the race. Las Vegas-based Terrible Herbst Oil Company will serve as the title sponsor of the event."We just had the letter of intent, signed by the city manager, completed (Thursday) so we can officially say that it's going to happen," Pico said. "Sal Fish is as excited about it as I am."I first started working with Sal when he started the Primm race, when I worked out there, so we had a good working relationship beforehand. I think that's what has been the key to our success in getting it done so quickly."Fish said the idea of running a SCORE race in Henderson first came up in December when he was in Las Vegas for the series' annual awards banquet and, by chance, spoke with Pico."It has been a long time since we have been in Las Vegas proper and we're really excited about it," Fish said. "What I like about the Henderson opportunity is there is an opportunity to grow there and to bring a real tourist input to the community."The race will consist of seven or eight laps on a 31- to 35-mile course that will feature a start/finish line near the intersection of Horizon Ridge Parkway and Mission Drive in the Mission Hills area of Henderson. The course will be run entirely on Bureau of Land Management land over existing roads and washes, according to Pico."This actually is a one-time track of the old Mint 400 -- this exact track that we're going to be using," Pico said. "It's nice to have the race back in the area and we're excited about it."Races have been held out there before -- it's not a new race course -- which is what made it easier for the BLM to (approve) it."Fish said he fell in love with the course the first time he saw it."What a natural this (area) is," Fish said. "I think we can build a real nice short course for the excitement of the fans. It's in a detention (basin) that has a natural ridge for spectators that will be safe and I think we can put on a real show for the fans. There are just a lot of nice things there and it just lends itself (to an off-road race)."In addition to the July 13 race date, Pico said Henderson plans other pre- and post-race events from July 11-14. Pico said plans include a tech inspection and contingency area on Water Street in downtown Henderson and other events at area hotel-casinos."We wanted to create a presence and also assist the hotels in picking up room nights -- especially during what is normally a slow time period," Pico said of Henderson's motivation for bringing off-road racing back to the Valley. "It's going to have a huge economic impact to the city, which is what the Bureau is really here for."Pico said that based on successful SCORE off-road races in Laughlin and Primm, he expects the inaugural race to bring between 15,000 and 30,000 competitors and spectators to the area during that weekend.Laughlin, which has hosted the popular Laughlin Desert Challenge for the past eight years, has estimated the race's economic impact to that city at $5.2 million annually.</blockquote>

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