Since its first rendition in 1998, Best In The Desert’s annual Silver State 300 has often been cited as one of the most enjoyable races on the BITD schedule. For 2025, the event organizers set out to once again incorporate new roads and sand washes into the 298-mile point-to-point race that starts and finishes just outside Alamo, Nevada, on May 10. The new trail features miles of fresh two-track and sand washes, interconnected with various wide-open roads to add excitement to the Silver State course. Local hero Axel Pearson teamed up with Daemon Woolslayer to secure the overall victory in five hours, 22 minutes and four seconds.
Photos by Harlen Foley
Staging based on a random draw saw defending series champion Shane Logan and his Hero Racing teammates Ciaran Naran and Arturo Salas set the first tracks on the N1 Honda CRF450X. Starting one minute apart, solo rider Bryce Stavron left the line in second, followed by Axel Pearson, Wyatt Seat, Trevor Hunter, Otto Pearson, and the rest of the eight-rider Open Pro class.
Nearly missing the start of the race due to mechanical issues on their race bike, the N1 team set the tone for their day early as they sheared off a footpeg in the first 20 miles of the race. Logan was able to make it to pit one while maintaining the lead but lost two spots and several minutes in the pits when changing out the right-side peg, the first of several issues for the team. Behind him, Stavron took over the lead, leaving the first pit, but Norman Racing Husqvarna’s Daemon Woolslayer was close behind and would make his move in the next 45 miles to take over the physical lead in the Nevada countryside.
Further back in the pack, the N33 team of Otto and Tuffy Pearson worked their way through the field and quickly jumped up to fourth overall by race mile 50 and stayed in contention for the lead on adjusted time, despite fighting through the thick dust.
By pit three, Woolslayer had built a healthy lead and handed the bike over to teammate Axel Pearson, who would handle the last half of the race. At the same time, Woolslayer jetted off to Northern Nevada to compete in the National Hare & Hound the following day. Spending countless hours on the roads and trails in his hometown, Pearson rode a clean race with no mistakes or hiccups and built a commanding lead over the rest of the field.
At pit four, the Hero Racing N1 squad retained second on the trail, but the Otto/Tuffy Pearson team was hot on their heels and took over second place on adjusted time, sitting just one minute physically behind the Hero Racing team’s Honda. Bryce Stavron maintained fourth physically, but the N57 Honda team of Trevor Hunter/Hayden Hintz put in a charge in the final half of the race, overcoming crashes and tire issues earlier in the day. Though they didn’t have the finish they were hoping for, the N47 Honda team of Jordan Graham, Jack Mentha and Kyle Tichenor were running through the pack mid-race and had pace on par with the front-runners, but rear-wheel issues forced them into the pits for an extended amount of time and took them out of contention.
As the checkers flew, Axel Pearson and Woolslayer took the victory ahead of Otto and Tuffy Pearson by nearly four minutes. Shane Logan/Ciaran Naran/Arturo Salas finished third overall despite facing several mechanical setbacks throughout the day, and Trevor Hunter/Hayden Hintz finished fourth in the first race of the three-race series. Brian Whiteside’s 30+ Pro team finished fifth overall and first in class on their Norman Racing Husqvarna.
Other notable results include Jake Keller and team winning the Open Expert division and finishing first overall expert, Marcus McManus and company winning the 60+ Expert class, Tori Mortensen winning the Women’s class, and Lucas Wilson winning the Open Amateur division and placing first overall amateur.
Next up for BITD racers is their flagship race, the Casey Folks Vegas-to-Reno, set to race August 13-16 for 500+ miles across the state of Nevada. CN
2025 BITD Silver State 300 Results
Overall (Top 5, Unofficial)
- Axel Pearson/Daemon Woolslayer (Hus)
- Otto Pearson/Tuffy Pearson (KTM)
- Shane Logan/Ciaran Naran/Arturo Salas (Hon)
- Trevor Hunter/Hayden Hintz (Hon)
- Brian Whiteside (Hus)
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