Deadly wreck could affect off-road racing

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

Fans of long-distance off-roading have seen the number of federal sites where they can speed and soar over the desert dunes in Southern California dwindle to just a handful, mainly over environmental concerns.

Now, they might drop further, over safety.

Off-roaders fear a federal review announced Monday into a weekend race accident that killed eight and injured 10 more in the Mojave Desert could lead to further restrictions — or even spell the end — of their sport.

“Whatever it takes to make it better,” race promoter Lou Peralta said. “But we don’t want to lose the sport.”

At the California 200 race on Saturday, a truck went off a jump and ended up crashing through spectators who had lined the course, immediately raising questions about oversight and safety at the races on federal land.

The federal Bureau of Land Management, which manages the portion of the desert where the race was held, will review all off-road vehicle events on federal land in the California desert for safety.

BLM added that the race organizer, South El Monte, Calif.-based Mojave Desert Racing, was responsible for safety.

BLM rules require drivers to travel 15 mph or less within 50 feet of bystanders, but the requirement appears aimed to control general traffic in the camping and race pit areas and not at competitors.

MDR’s permit also allowed no more than 300 spectators for the event.

There were at least 1,000 people at the free admission event, and the California Highway Patrol estimated the truck was going 45 to 50 mph when it careened off the sand track.

BLM spokesman David Briery declined to comment in detail on steps the agency may be taking to ensure the safety of spectators in the accident’s aftermath or whether there was a possibility that criminal charges could be filed.

Off-roading fans, however, were abuzz Monday with what the accident could mean for a sport that draws thousands every year to the Mojave, northeast of Los Angeles, to ride dirt bikes, ATVs and buggies across the sand.

For the weekend race, huge crowds gathered to watch dozens of competitors race their trucks along a 50-mile track through the desert, circling the course four times in a bid for the fastest time. The event was part of the seven-race California Series staged near the Mojave cities of Lucerne Valley, Barstow and Ridgecrest.

The BLM permit allowed as many as 80 racers Saturday. It wasn’t immediately known how many were racing.