Following in the tradition of countless other Martelli Brothers events over the years, the inaugural California 300 event week kicked off on Saturday with the California 300 Desert Cleanup presented by Clean-Dezert. The event, which brought hundreds of off-road racers and enthusiasts to Barstow, California, removed more than 10 tons of trash from the California desert less than a week before races begin.
“Keeping the desert clean is one of the most important parts of the off-road experience,” said California 300 CEO Matt Martelli. “We’re incredibly grateful to Adam Filbin and the Clean-Dezert team for all of their efforts, and especially this weekend’s California 300 Desert Cleanup powered by Clean-Dezert.”
“They’ve been terrific stewards of the Barstow area over the years, and working with them to clean up the area before launching a brand new race has given us a great boost to kick off race week. We’re also thankful for the hundreds of volunteers who came out to help us clean the space and get it looking great for not only our inaugural event but off-road enthusiasts for years to come!”
The California 300 Desert Cleanup powered by Clean-Dezert showcased a commitment to bringing off-road race events back to Barstow in a big way. While the area has a rich and storied history of producing legendary competitors and builders alike, the inaugural California 300 will be the first race in the area in more than two decades. By removing illegally dumped waste materials from the area before the racing action this coming week, all parties illustrated their commitment to being good stewards of the sport of off-road racing and leaving the desert better than they found it, so that future generations will also be able to enjoy the sport and the area.
Besides serving as the official kickoff to California 300 race week, the California 300 Desert Cleanup powered by Clean-Dezert also marked the latest event in Clean-Dezert’s efforts in the Barstow area over the past half-decade. Last November’s standalone Clean-Dezert event in Barstow also saw hundreds of volunteers remove double-digit tons of trash from the area, and Saturday’s event built upon that by running alongside the California 300 Poker Run, giving racers the opportunity to both pre-run the course and help ready the area for racing.
In addition to the cleanup efforts, event sponsors contributed more than $22,000 in products to raffles to reward volunteers for their help. For more information on Clean-Dezert events, visit their website.
