Jul 12, 2015 7:00 AM

Gallery: The Off-Road Race So Wild You Barely Need Front Wheels

The Mint 400
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One of the continent's most grueling races, the Mint 400 was held in March and will be televised today by NBC.
The Mint 400
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This year's race was won by Justin Lofton.

The Mint 400
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Since 1967, the Mint's been drawing big names, like motorsports champions Rick Mears and Al Unser.
The Mint 400
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Power boat champ Bill Muncey, astronaut Gordon Cooper, and Steve McQueen showed up, too.

The Mint 400
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It's a roughly 400-mile race through the desert, originally conceived as a promotion for the now defunct Mint Hotel in Las Vegas.
The Mint 400
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This year's race was held on a 130-mile track around the dry Jean Lake Bed, 40 minutes south of Sin City.

The Mint 400
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“It’s a five-day carnival,” says this year’s champion, Justin Lofton.
Jason Zindroski/The Mint 400
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More than 350 vehicles loosely organized into more than 20 classes of off-road madness.

The Mint 400
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650,000 people showed up to watch them rampage through the course, spending a good deal of it flying over jumps and banging around turns.
The Mint 400
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The Mint brings out the best in its racers: Because many know the course well, they drive especially fast.

The Mint 400
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“You’re at it 110 percent from the green flag to the checkered flag,” Lofton says.
Vincent Knakal/The Mint 400
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Visibility's an issue: Even before the light fades at dusk, hundreds of vehicles on a dirt track kick up plenty of dust.

Larry Chen/The Mint 400
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You see a range of vehicles at the Mint—everything from VW Bug-based racers to spiced up production trucks.
Larry Chen/The Mint 400
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It’s not the longest race in the off-road motorsports world, but it's among the most grueling.

Vincent Knakal/The Mint 400
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“You’re at it 110 percent from the green flag to the checkered flag," Lofton says.

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