History of Mint 400 race in Las Vegas – PHOTOS
Updated March 8, 2018 - 6:21 pm
The 20th annual Nissan Mint 400 desert race with a 106-mile course, Sloan, Nevada, 1987. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Images are from the annual mint 400 off-road race. The overall title went to a Southern California pair, who finished in eight hours 18 minutes and 13 seconds in the 14th annual mid-400 desert race at the Las Vegas Speedrome, 1981. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Race car drivers preparing for the 15th annual Mint 400 Desert Race at the Las Vegas Speedrome, 1982. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Tech inspection for the 20th running of the Nissan Mint 400 desert off-road race, Fremont Street in front of the The Mint hotel and casino, 1987. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The 20th annual Nissan Mint 400 desert race with a 106-mile course, Sloan, Nevada, 1987. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Tech inspection for the 20th running of the Nissan Mint 400 desert off-road race, Fremont Street in front of the Four Queens hotel and casino, 1987. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The 20th annual Nissan Mint 400 desert race with a 106-mile course, Sloan, Nevada, 1987. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Mike Marudos and Sam Whitaker, members of the four-man Ed Fountain Toyota racing team, tackled the Mint 400 at the Las Vegas Speedrome, 1980. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Race car drivers preparing for the 15th annual Mint 400 Desert Race at the Las Vegas Speedrome, 1982. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The 20th annual Nissan Mint 400 desert race with a 106-mile course, Sloan, Nevada, 1987. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The 20th annual Nissan Mint 400 desert race with a 106-mile course, Sloan, Nevada, 1987. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Race fans around the Class 2 car of Chris Robinson of Riverside, California on Fremont Street during tech inspection for the 20th running of the Nissan Mint 400 desert off-road race, 1987. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The 20th annual Nissan Mint 400 desert race with a 106-mile course, Sloan, Nevada, 1987. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Race cars line up wait at the starting line during the Mint 400 just east of the state line near Primm, Nev., on Saturday, March 4, 2017. Miranda Alam/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @miranda_alam
A race truck catches some air during the Mint 400 just east of the state line near Primm, Nev., on Saturday, March 4, 2017. Miranda Alam/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @miranda_alam
Spectators line up to watch the Mint 400 just east of the state line near Primm, Nev., on Saturday, March 4, 2017. Miranda Alam/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @miranda_alam
Spectators line up to watch the Mint 400 just east of the state line near Primm, Nev., on Saturday, March 4, 2017. Miranda Alam/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @miranda_alam
The Mint 400 Truck parade finishes it's route from the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign to Atomic Liquors, Downtown Las Vegas, Wednesday, March 1, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto
Carmilita, a Yorkshire Terrier, rides the hood of her owner's race car during the Mint 400 Truck parade after finishing the route from the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign to Atomic Liquors, Downtown Las Vegas, Wednesday, March 1, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EliPagePhoto
Jay Leno, left, stops to talk to off-road racing champion BJ Baldwin as the Mint 400 off-road vehicles parade down Fremont Street in Las Vegas to their "tech" inspections for the big race on Saturday. Friday, March 3, 2017. (Glenn Pinkerton/Las Vegas News Bureau)
Mint 400, 2017. (Mint 400)
Mint 400, 2017. (Mint 400)
Mint 400, 2017. (Mint 400)
Mint 400, 2016. (Mint 400)
Mint 400, 2016. (Mint 400)
Mint 400, 2016. (Mint 400)
Mint 400, 2016. (Mint 400)
Mint 400, 2017. (Mint 400)
The Mint 400 is an annual off-road race that began in 1968 and lasted until 1988 before taking a 20-year hiatus. The original corporate sponsor and namesake of the race, The Mint Las Vegas, was a hotel and casino located in downtown Las Vegas that closed in 1988.
Las Vegas’ Rob MacCachren won the 2017 off-road race and is hoping to repeat his victory this year. The 2018 Mint 400 will take place from March 7-11.
