![]() To promote the deer hunters’ contest, the Mint Hotel would seek to establish a record for off-road travel from Las Vegas to Lake Tahoe. That’s when it all came together in Johnson’s mind. Coincidentally, a couple of locals who built glass-bodied dune buggies suggested that the Mint purchase one to use as a grand prize. He read about a group of enthusiasts who raced from Tijuana to La Paz in Baja California, Mexico. While history claimed Del Webb’s Mint Hotel, once a jewel on Las Vegas’ iconic Fremont Street, the legendary race lives on.īack in 1967, Norm Johnson, the assistant publicity and promotion director for the Mint Hotel, was trying to figure out a way to draw more attention to the hotel’s annual deer hunters’ contest. Hundreds of racers - and thousands of spectators - flock to the Nevada desert every year for this race, which has a colorful story. With 14 drivers sponsored by Dynojet in this year’s Mint 400, you’ll see plenty of black and red when the race takes over Southern Nevada, March 4-7. The Mint 400 showed us all just how valuable the scientists of lighting really are.It started as a PR stunt to promote the Mint Hotel’s annual deer hunt, but the Mint 400 has turned into a cultural phenomenon that brings racers and fans from all over the country to Las Vegas. Other racers who reaped impressive results from utilising their Baja Designs lights were Nick Mills (3 rd), Rhys Millen (1 st), Dodge Poelman (1 st), Seth Quintero (2 nd), Phil Blurton (2 nd), Keith Smith (1 st), Paul Horschel (1 st) and Casey Currie (2 nd). His Baja Designs lights not only helped him safety make it through the rough track at night, they also pulled him ahead of those other 34 racers and ensured he went home with the win! Out of the 43 trucks in his race – the competitive 6100 Class – his qualifier results had him begin the race in 34 th spot. ![]() (They’re) the best lights ever!”īobby Pecoy’s results are also worth noting. “Baja Designs lighting cut right through the darkness and rain. “We did over 100 miles in the dark at triple digit speed,” he recounted. His vehicle only had four Baja Designs light on the front bumper, but he admits “that’s all we needed!” The defending champion backed up last year’s efforts by taking home the Unlimited Class 1500 victory again. Harley Letner was another racer who achieved impressive results. He then goes on to credit Baja Designs for his success “(my lights) were a big reason why I was able to capture the lead, and then hold everyone off for the win!” He admits this was “the roughest race I’ve been in” and noted that a lot of other competitors had issues throughout. The drivers who used Baja Designs lighting to guide them through the race tended to find themselves finishing higher on the podium than those who did not.īryce Menzies took the victory in the Trick Truck Class. Vision became a critical factor in terms of the participants’ success, but not everyone seemed to be on a level playing field. During the day, the wild wet weather made blinding dust stick to the racers’ helmets – but at night all these obstacles also combined with the dark! The rough course was made up of rocks, silt and unforgiving terrain. America’s biggest off-roading race – the Mint 400 held annually in Las Vegas – is known for its legendary thrills and spills.
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