Mint 400

History

In 1967, Norm Johnson organized the first ever “Mint 400 Off-Road Rally” to promote and publicize The Mint Hotel. Norm sent two matching dune buggies across six hundred miles of scorching desert, from The Mint Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada - to the Sahara Hotel in Lake Tahoe, California. The coverage by the national media caught the attention of race teams and off-road enthusiasts everywhere - and the endurance race became famous overnight.

The future of the Mint 400 race came into question in 1988 following the sale of Del Webbs Mint Hotel and Casino to next door neighbor Jack Binion owner of the Horseshoe Club. However as a testament to the race itself, the prestige and importance of the event created by veteran race director K J Howe and the Mint management team and the financial benefit this promotion brought to the City of Las Vegas, under new ownership the annual Mint 400 Off Road Race continued to be run in 1988 and 1989.

Unfortunately, two years removed from previous ownership and upper management that were themselves race competitors and motorsport enthusiasts, who understood and appreciated the importance of this event to the sport of off road racing and the local community and; now owned by an individual that once remarked the race, its competitors, tech inspection on Fremont Street and surrounding ancillary activities, was a negative impact on gambling and his Bingo players, the rougest and toughest racing event on United States soil was gone following the 1989 Mint 400 event.

The Mint went quiet for nearly twenty years – but was resurrected by longtime sponsor General Tire with help from the Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts group. General Tire has been the title sponsor of the race ever since. SNORE eventually sold the franchise to film and television producers Matt and Joshua Martelli – marking the next significant chapter in the Mints evolution. The race resumed on March 29, 2008. The race was preceded by inspections of the vehicles on Fremont Street in the Fremont East district.

In 2012 The Martelli Brothers partnered with off-road industry veteran Casey Folks, owner of the largest off-road desert racing organization in the world, the Best In The Desert Racing Association. The Mint was added to the Best in the Desert championship schedule, and a new one hundred mile race loop was carved out for the epic 400-mile contest. The number of entries swelled to an astounding three hundred and twenty three race teams, making the Mint 400 one of the largest off-road races in the world.

The Martelli Brothers featured a brand new event this year called the KMC Wheels Pit Crew Challenge! Sixteen pit crews from the top unlimited truck teams competed in a head-to-head battle to decide who had the best crew. Each of the three-man teams were given one jack, one impact gun, and one spare tire. The team who completed two tire changes the fastest, advanced to the next round. Over 10,000 spectators on Fremont Street, showed up to cheer on the teams. After several close and heated rounds the General Tire/THR team, which included drivers Mikey Childress, Rick Johnson, and crewmember James Walker - out pitted the field to win the inaugural KMC Wheels Pit Crew Challenge.

Motorcycle

1970 Drino Miller, Vic Wilson 9:54:5

1971 Max Switzer, J.N. Roberts 9:54:5

Mint 400 Overall Four-Wheel Winners

1968 Gene Hirst & Al Halz 16:01:32

1969 John Johnson & Linda Johnson 12:19:00

1970 Drino Miller & Vic Wilson 12:44:34

1971 Fritz Kroyer & Bill Harkey 13:30:42

1972 Fritz Kroyer & Bill Harkey 8:33:00

1973 Parnelli Jones & Bill Stroppe 9:10:00

1974 No race due to gas crisis

1975 Gene Hirst & Rick Mears 9:31:46

1976 Gene Hirst & Bobby Ferro 10:22:47

1977 Malcom Smith & Bud Feldkamp 9:09.30

1978 Malcom Smith & Bud Feldkamp 8:59.35

1979 Bobby Ferro & Glenn Harris 8:34.94

1980 Jack Johnson 7:38.37

1981 Rom Gardner & Berrni Mayer 8:18:13

1982 Jim Temple & Rolf Tibblin 9:32:39

1983 Jim Wright & Billy Wright 9:17:52

1984 Jim Wright & Billy Wright 9:20:31

1985 Jim Temple & Kenny Cox 9:08:16

1986 Larry Ragland 8:33:14

1987 Steve Sourapas & Dave Richardson 8:50:00

1988 Mark McMillin 7:46:16

1989 Ivan Stewart 9:34:40

1990-1994 Nissan 400

1995- 2007 No race held

2008 Brian Collins & Chuck Hovey 6:36:55

2009 Andy McMillin 8:27:35

2010 Roger Norman 8:37:29

2011 BJ Baldwin 8:30:37

2012 Robby Gordon 6:05:54

2013 Bryce Menzies 6:19:59

2014 Steve Sourapas & Andy McMillin 6:14:29

2015 Justin Lofton 5:57:38

2016 Justin Lofton 5:36:10

2017 Rob MacCachren 5:30:32

Truck

1971 Fritz Kroyer, Bill Harkey 13:30:42

Classes

Heavy Metal

Mini Metal

Stock Bug

Stock Full

Unlimited Truck

CLASS 1

CLASS 1/2-1600

CLASS 3

CLASS 4

CLASS 5

CLASS 5-1600

CLASS 6

CLASS 7

CLASS 7S

CLASS 8

CLASS 9

CLASS 10

CLASS 12

CLASS 13

CLASS 15

CLASS 18

CLASS 1450

Ultra4 4400

Notable entrants

Entrants in this event were world wide and included some of the most well-known names from all racing genres as well as the television and motion picture industry. Indianapolis 500 winners Parnelli Jones, Al Unser, Rick Mears, and Rodger Ward; off-road champions Mickey Thompson, Ivan Stewart, Jack Flannery, Walker Evans; international off road competitor, Rod Hall; power boat champion Bill Muncey, film and television stars James Garner, Steve McQueen, Larry Wilcox and Patrick Dempsey; comedian, Mort Sahl; astronaut, Gordon Cooper and rock musician Ted Nugent are among the many racing and entertainment luminaries who competed in the Mint 400.

Mint 400 girls

K.J. Howe, Mint Hotel executive and longtime Mint 400 Race Director, conceived "The Girls of the Mint 400" in 1972 to add glamor and PR value to the race. Each year the Mint racing committee chose a contingent of women to reign over the events' activities. Local media representatives would help select the final ten from the hundreds of entries received from contestants from around the US, Canada, Mexico and Europe. The Mint racing committee would select the final five who became known as the Mint 400 girls. This group includes actress Lynda Carter and Wheel of Fortune's Vanna White. Mint 400 Girls Tracy Vaccaro and Dona Speir were Playboy centerfolds and Vickie Reigle graced Playboy's cover subsequent to their Mint 400 publicity. Lisa Soulé, Anita Merritt, Angela Aames, Lisa Hunter and Suzanne Regard later appeared in various movies and television series as well as Mint Hotel and Casino advertising campaigns.

The Miss Mint contest was revived along with the race with the goal to become the premiere beauty contest in motorsports. In 2012 the prize purses were increased dramatically, driving up the number of entrants to nearly double from previous years. The contingent of beautiful off-road women competed for a combination of online votes and judges’ votes. After a heated online battle and tens of thousands of votes – the competition was narrowed down to three lucky ladies. The talented Vanessa Golub-Ferrara was picked as The 2012 General Tire Miss Mint. She walked away with five thousands dollars and a Dirtsports Magazine cover photo shoot.

In 2014, the coveted Miss Mint was narrowed down to 10 finalist that competed against each other in a series of questions during The Mint 400's KMC Wheels Pit Crew Challenge. On legendary Freemont street in Vegas, the new Miss Mint was crowned Dani Mathers. The prize package was more than ever before, Dani walked away with five thousand dollars, a Dirt Sports Magazine cover and a brand new Honda Civic presented by Metro Honda Acura Dealership.

In popular culture

Hunter S. Thompson's novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas depicts the 1971 race in one of the earliest and best known instances of gonzo journalism. The race is also featured in the 1998 film, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas based on Thompson's book and starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro.

The 2010 and 2011 Mint 400 were featured on Fuel TV, while the 2012 Mint 400 was aired on Speed.