OFF-ROAD: Best in the Desert founder Folks dies

Casey Folks, an off-road racing pillar who founded and owned the Best in the Desert Racing Association, died Jan 12 after suffering a stroke. He was 72.

In a statement, BITD said Folks was readying to drop the flag on the BITD Winter Nationals Parker "250" on Jan 7 in Parker, Arizona when he suffered a massive stroke. He was rushed to a hospital and then airlifted to Las Vegas, where he succumbed five days later.

Organizers of the next event, the Parker 425, scheduled for the first week in February, will continue as planned.

Folks' Best in the Desert Racing Association organizes local and national events, largely with a staff of volunteer off-road racing enthusiasts. Folks was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2012.

In a statement, BITD reflected on Folks living "a life most of us only dream about":

"He was a participant, promoter and friend to the off-road racing industry. An ardent competitor, Casey raced motorcycles between the ages of 21 and 45. He won 16 championships in his career and in 1980, was the first to Ironman the Baja 1000 and finish. He was the only person to finish every Barstow to Vegas race.

"In 1968, Casey opened Sportsman Cycle Sales with his racing partner and friend, Tom Scales. The dealership opened as a Husqvarna Dealer with only two motorcycles. One was Casey's race bike and the other was Tom's race bike. Many stories were told Monday mornings after a race about Casey and his Chippewa Charley's (boots) moving another competitor out of the way. Casey didn't gain many friends by this but it sure created a buzz about the guy from Sportsman Cycle. Over the next few decades Sportsman Cycle grew into the premier motorcycle racing shop in Las Vegas. Through Casey's guidance and support, Sportsman Cycle birthed and nurtured many racers that went on to have very successful racing careers. In 1988, Casey passed the baton to his oldest son Daryl so he could focus on his next passion in life: the Best in the Desert Racing Association.

"He started Best in the Desert in 1984 for motorcycles. Then he introduced the "Vegas to Reno" race in March of 1996, adding for the first time cars, trucks and quads to his races. Due to Casey's drive and strengths, Best in the Desert grew into North America's largest and most prestigious off-road racing organization, aptly named "The American Off-Road Racing Series."

"Casey competed in almost every type of off-road event throughout the Western United States. His portfolio included over 30 races in Baja, Mexico, and the Tunisia Rally in Northern Africa. He served as the American Consultant for the Incas Rally in Peru and was the event coordinator for the Nevada Rally, representing the company 'Acerbis Adventure' based in Italy.

"Casey created memorable moments for thousands and thousands of people. We thank him for a lifetime of dedication to the sport we all love. As life goes on, and we continue to experience the passion of off-road racing, his legacy will live on. Remember the words he lived by, 'Life is an Adventure. Come Live Your Adventure with Best in the Desert.' Casey's life was truly an adventure, and we will always treasure our memories of him."