Loading...
UTV Underground Logo

Conner McMullen Scores Double Victory; Graf, Blurton, Naran Take AORC Titles at Laughlin Desert Classic

UNLTD AORC BITD
Oct. 19, 2026
Chris Leone

Conner McMullen took full advantage of the Laughlin Desert Classic’s signature race format to score dual victories in the final event of the 2026 American Off-Road Racing Championship season, taking not only the victory in his typical Unlimited Truck SPEC entry but also the overall Unlimited win while substituting for Nic Whetstone in Unlimited Truck 2WD. Alongside McMullen, Tracy Graf, Phil Blurton, and Ciaran Naran would lock up the inaugural AORC titles after hard-fought finishes to their respective seasons.

2026_LDC_Sat_Heat_2_CM49 copy

Naran and Cody Simpson were one of two Open Pro Motorcycle teams to crack the one-hour mark on Saturday, and while the same pace wasn’t quite there on a rougher course on Sunday, they’d back it up with the fastest time once again, this time beating Hayden Hintz by over two and a half minutes. That put them exactly on the two-hour mark for the day, nearly eight minutes clear of anyone else in class. It also locked up the #N1 plate for Naran next season, as he carries a four-race winning streak into the 2027 season.

Heat 2 two-day overall results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #N2 Ciaran Naran, Open Pro Motorcycle, 10 laps, 2:00:25.449
  2. #N15 Nic Colangeli, Open Pro Motorcycle, 10 laps, 2:08:10.286
  3. #N57 Hayden Hintz, Open Pro Motorcycle, 10 laps, 2:08:17.743
  4. #312 Caleb Tate, Open Expert Motorcycle, 10 laps, 2:09:28.584
  5. #N13 Caiden Fenstermaker, Open Pro Motorcycle, 10 laps, 2:11:22.543
2026_LDC_Sat_Heat_3_CM5 copy

After John Bowers shattered the one-hour mark over four laps on Saturday, two Sportsman racers would do it on Sunday: Colton Brenthel in Open Sportsman B, and Justin Miller in Class 1450. That was enough for Brenthel to be fastest in the group overall, and he’d be the only one in any class from Heat 3 to come in at under two hours over the two days.

Heat 3 two-day overall results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #8127 Colton Brenthel, Open Sportsman B, 8 laps, 1:59:41.488
  2. #1417 Justin Miller, Class 1450, 8 laps, 2:04:35.220
  3. #1251 Ian Miller, Class 12, 8 laps, 2:04:55.924
  4. #1486 Joseph Cammans, Class 1450, 8 laps, 2:08:21.123
  5. #7330 Chad Hall, Stock Production Truck Mini/Mid, 8 laps, 2:10:41.730
2026_LDC_Sat_Heat_4_CM14 copy

The UTV Pro Turbo racers would remain fastest among the next group, with Dexon Despot’s overall win on Saturday and the fourth fastest overall time on Sunday good enough to give him the overall win by 55 seconds over Bryce Marking. But Steve Allen would lock up the class championship, with Beau Judge wheeling Allen’s #B43 to first overall on Sunday to take third place in both the class and the group for the weekend and securing the necessary points.

Heat 4 two-day overall results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #B821 Dexon Despot, UTV Pro Turbo, 10 laps, 2:20:45.021
  2. #B25 Bryce Marking, UTV Pro Turbo, 10 laps, 2:21:40.638
  3. #B43 Steve Allen, UTV Pro Turbo, 10 laps, 2:22:49.043
  4. #Z226 Eric Parker, UTV Pro Stock Modified, 10 laps, 2:24:41.773
  5. #S63 Code St. Peter, UTV Pro Stock, 10 laps, 2:24:59.134
2026_LDC_Sat_Heat_5_CM29 copy

McMullen’s dominance of the Unlimited Truck SPEC race would into Sunday, as he’d once again post the best time of the group, less than half a minute slower than his Saturday time. The rest of the top five from Saturday would remain in the top six on Sunday, with only a recovery drive from Kyle Jergensen breaking them up; Jergensen, who battled McMullen for the fastest times until late in the race on Saturday, would be second on Sunday, allowing him to climb back up to seventh on the weekend. That was enough for him to defend his incoming points lead over Cole Hardin and RJ Stidham and secure the SPEC title.

Heat 5 two-day overall results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #240 Conner McMullen, 10 laps, 2:06:53.756
  2. #205 Neal Drickey, 10 laps, 2:08:04.849
  3. #284 Justin “Bean” Smith, 10 laps, 2:08:45.344
  4. #280 RJ Stidham, 10 laps, 2:09:07.571
  5. #251 Dane Miller, 10 laps, 2:09:39.571
2026_LDC_Sat_Heat_6_CM60 copy

Deegan Gonzalez and Michael McFayden were first and second in UTV Pro on Saturday, but while they’d flip spots in the Sunday finishing order, it wasn’t enough to change the overall two-day results; Gonzalez came in 54 seconds faster on the first day, and McFayden could only erase 10 seconds of the deficit. Carib Potts would top the Class 10 racers, carving his way through UTVs on both days to post the third-fastest overall time among the Heat 6 racers. Blurton, meanwhile, would have a weekend to forget at 14th overall, but a DNF for top qualifier and closest title threat Ronnie Anderson would enable him to take both the UTV Pro and overall Limited titles.

Heat 6 two-day overall results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #T81 Deegan Gonzalez, UTV Pro, 10 laps, 2:13:26.440
  2. #T838 Michael McFayden, UTV Pro, 10 laps, 2:14:09.990
  3. #1061 Carib Potts, Class 10, 10 laps, 2:16:47.061
  4. #T913 Chase Carr, UTV Pro, 10 laps, 2:16:48.116
  5. #T978 Dustin Jones, UTV Pro, 10 laps, 2:17:12.181
2026_LDC_Sat_Heat_7_CM6 copy

Finally, McMullen’s Sunday speed would make him the only driver to crack the two-hour mark across 10 laps in the full-power truck, allowing him to secure the 2WD class title on Whetstone’s behalf. Tracy Poole and Steve Olliges, second and third in the class standings coming in, would finish in those same positions over the weekend. Just one point would separate the top 4WD racers coming into Laughlin, but Graf and Justin “Bean” Smith—pulling double duty of his own—would come in more than five minutes ahead of Robby and Max Gordon, locking up both the class title and the overall Unlimited class title for the season.

Heat 7 two-day overall results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic were as follows:

  1. #18 Conner McMullen, Unlimited Truck 2WD, 10 laps, 1:57:00.938
  2. #78 Tracy Poole, Unlimited Truck 2WD, 10 laps, 2:02:12.494
  3. #58 Tracy Graf, Unlimited Truck 4WD, 10 laps, 2:05:59.141
  4. #5 Robby Gordon, Unlimited Truck 4WD, 10 laps, 2:11:45.659
  5. #27T Steve Olliges, Unlimited Truck 2WD, 10 laps, 2:12:56.179
2026_LDC_Sat_Heat_6_CM32 copy

For full results from the 2026 Laughlin Desert Classic, click here.

For more information, visit BITD.com.

About The Laughlin Desert Classic:
The Laughlin Desert Classic stands among the most historic events in American off-road racing. Originally launched in 1975 by pioneering promoter Walt Lott, the race helped establish Laughlin, Nevada, as one of the sport's premier destinations. The event returned in 1984 under the leadership of off-road racing legend Sal Fish before being carried forward by the late Casey Folks, whose vision helped shape modern desert racing.

Over five decades, the rugged terrain surrounding Laughlin has hosted legendary battles featuring some of the greatest names in the sport, including Walker Evans, Ivan Stewart, and Rob MacCachren. Today, the Laughlin Desert Classic continues that tradition, bringing together professional and amateur racers from across North America to compete on one of off-road racing's most iconic stages.

The event now serves as a cornerstone of the American Off-Road Racing Championship, the unified effort between Unlimited Off-Road Racing and Best In The Desert to strengthen and grow the future of off-road competition. The Laughlin Desert Classic represents both a celebration of the sport's rich heritage and a bold vision for its future.

About the American Off-Road Racing Championship:
The American Off-Road Racing Championship (AORC) is the premier desert off-road racing league in North America, created through the unification of Best in the Desert (BITD) and Unlimited Off-Road Racing (UNLTD).   Best in the Desert, founded in 1984 by legendary racer Casey Folks, is the longest-running and most respected off-road racing series in the U.S., with a legacy that includes iconic events like Vegas to Reno, the Silver State 300, the Parker 425, and the Laughlin Desert Classic. Unlimited Off-Road Racing, established by the Martelli Brothers in 2023, produces world-class events such as The Mint 400, The California 300, and The Parker 400. UNLTD is recognized for its focus on innovation, storytelling, and large-scale racer participation, with events known for high car counts, challenging courses, pre-running, and family-friendly fan experiences near major markets.

Together under the AORC banner, BITD and UNLTD preserve the heritage of desert racing while building its future—offering racers, sponsors, and fans a unified championship built on clarity, consistency, and world-class competition.

Top