Any recommendations for lodging? Any help appreciated! Thanks!!

Tent, camp trailer or motorhome would be your best bet, unless you camp at a hotel in Barstow.

Camping till my wife and toddler show up Thur night. Then we're staying at the Yucca Valley Best Western Thur/Fri night. Looks like a nice place and not too far away. Might have to get up pretty early for race day since the flag drops at 8am. I think Yucca Valley is the closest town with places to stay I would take my family to. I've read anything closer is sketchy.

Best Western in Yucca Valley is nice. About 35 minutes from the lakebed in clear traffic. You might want to give yourself an hour or more on Raceday.

Yucca Valley for sure. Lots to offer. And the closest to the lake bed.

http://www.yuccavalley.org/ Go to biz search and click on lodging.

I figure on leaving Yucca Valley at 6-630 on raceday. We can get one last look at all the pristine race trucks and the nervous drivers before they take off.