The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of the Mint 400

March 3, 2023February 28, 2024 JM Logan 0 Comments Best in the Desert, Desert Racing, Martelli Brothers, Mint 400, Off Road Racing

NASCAR has Daytona. F1 has Monaco. Indycar has Indianapolis. MotoGP has Assen. But for those of us who prefer dirt and sand over asphalt—what is our off-road Mecca? Our holy grail of racing?

Outside the States, the Dakar Rally and Baja 1000 hold the title for most fans of pavement-free motorsports, and inside the U.S., The King of the Hammers may have taken its place at the head of the table during the past decade. But over the course of the past half-century, no off-road race has more legend, lore, or luster than the Mint 400. And while it may not have the immediate name recognition for a younger generation like KOH, for my money it is a must see (or drive!) event for all off-road enthusiasts.

The Journey is ALL the Fun

The Mint 400— often referred to as The Great American Off-Road Race —started from humble beginnings over 50 years ago.

Journalist, racer, publicist, and sculptor Norm Johnson gets the credit for organizing the first event. In 1967, he sent two dune buggies to take the desert voyage from Las Vegas to Lake Tahoe in an effort to promote the now-defunct Mint Hotel— the starting point for the race. (If that hotel and race sound familiar, that’s because they were depicted in Hunter S. Thompson’s book Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas, and featured in the popular film adaptation.)

The inaugural trek caught the eye of national media outlets, driving enthusiasts, and outdoor adventurists, and the popularity of the 600-mile drive took off overnight.

Ivan Stewart racing Mint 400 in off-road desert-racing truck — Professional off-road racer Ivan Stewart racked up eight Mint 400 victories during his career. *Photo Source: TheMint400.com*

However, it was the following year that saw the true birth of the race, as it was now taking entrants and offering prize money. With $30,000 on the line, 115 drivers attempted the route. Very few finished and most ended up strewn about the desert.

Event sentiments were mixed among the hotel’s executive, with one saying “This is a f—ing disaster,” while others praised it as the greatest thing they’d ever seen. Ignoring the naysayers, and spanning the next two decades, the Mint 400 was circled in pen on the calendars of top off-road racers and enthusiasts throughout the country.

As history would have it, the legacy of Johnson’s journey outlasted the hotel it served to promote, as The Mint folded into the iconic Binion’s Horseshoe in 1988. Unfortunately, Binion’s ownership felt the race and the accompanying activities would have a negative effect on casino business. Therefore, the race was left for dead after the 1989 running.

20 Years in the Making

After the 1989 race, the Mint 400 went silent for two decades. But for 2008, former long-time sponsor General Tire resurrected the race with help from SNORE (Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts).

A legend was reborn — bigger and better than ever.

Shortly after its rebirth, the race was purchased by producers Matt and Josh Martelli, better known as The Martelli Brothers, who had covered the race for several years after its resurrection. Founders of Mad Media, a pioneering ad agency in the action sports realm, the Martelli Brothers also produced Gymkhana, arguably the most popular and important viral automotive franchise of the last decade. With their vast knowledge of extreme sports, racing, and promotion, the duo infused the race with a fresh new perspective, taking it forward by leaps and bounds.

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For 2012, the Mint 400 joined the Best in the Desert off-road racing series. The BITD is the largest desert racing series in North America, founded in 1984 by industry legend Casey Folks.

Over the next eight years the Mint 400 grew from a one-day race, averaging about 200 entries, to a four-day complete off-road festival, averaging over 550 entries. Under the watchful eye of The Martellis and the Best in the Desert series, the Mint 400 cemented itself as the biggest and best off-road race and event in North America, easily surpassing the 10,000-spectator mark since 2012.

New Directions

In April 2019, news broke that the Mint 400 would no longer be part of the Best in the Desert series. Ensuring there was “no bad blood” between the two entities, the Martellis said their plan was to chart a new path for the race in an effort to “bring off-road racing to a much broader audience.”

They began developing a new rulebook, and said they were taking a fresh look at vehicle specs “to ensure classes for vintage, current and potential future classes that make racing fair for everyone.”

Things kicked off on a high note. The first year on its own, the race drew an incredible 525 competitors and more than 65,000 spectators. Luke McMillin took the overall win, 32 years after his father Mark did the same.

While the following year saw a smaller and later race, moved to December as a result of COVID shutdowns, the Mint 400 still managed to draw 360 race teams and add an all-new EV class. Racing superstars competed alongside big-name athletes and celebrities, but it was off-road icon Rob MacCachren who took home the overall win that year.

By 2022, The Great American Off-Road Race was back to its regular slot on the calendar. KOH Desert Challenge and BITD Trick Truck champ Kyle Jergensen enjoyed his first Mint 400 victory, outlasting some of the biggest names in the sport.

Luke McMillin, Rob MacCachren, and Kyle Jergensen blasting through the Mint 400 on their way to victory in 2020, 2021, and 2022 respectively.

The 2023 Mint 400

While the past two years saw a pandemic-induced decline in attendance and participation, the 2023 Mint 400 is already shaping up to be BIG. The current entry list shows a whopping 455 competitors and counting, with many of the biggest names in off-road racing on the roster.

The 2023 edition of The Great American Off-Road Race will run March 8-12, with the race itself taking place on Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th. All of the marquee Mint 400 festivities will remain in the same position as previous years, including the wildly popular Mint 400 Tech and Contingency Off-Road Festival, which will take place on Thursday of race week.

New to the Mint 400 for 2023 (and beyond) is the addition of Short Course UTV Racing. While this will be the ninth short course competition produced by the Martelli Brothers, it’s the first time they’ll be doing it on a Mint 400 scale.

Also new for this year, the Mint 400 will be one part of a three-race championship points series that also includes the recently-wrapped King of the Hammers and the upcoming California 300, set for October. Altogether, they will make up the “Unlimited Off-Road Racing Triple Crown Championship” — not to mention, represent the best covered series on the 2023 event schedule with unprecedented media attention.

“It’s no secret that King of the Hammers, The Mint, and now The California 300 are the three toughest races in America. If you can tame all three, in one year, then you will be a champion among champions!” – Mint 400 CEO and Co-Owner Matt Martelli