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

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    The Mint 400
    01

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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.
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    The Mint 400
    02

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    This year's race was won by Justin Lofton.
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    The Mint 400
    03

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    Since 1967, the Mint's been drawing big names, like motorsports champions Rick Mears and Al Unser.
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    The Mint 400
    04

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    Power boat champ Bill Muncey, astronaut Gordon Cooper, and Steve McQueen showed up, too.
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    The Mint 400
    05

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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.
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    The Mint 400
    06

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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.
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    The Mint 400
    07

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    “It’s a five-day carnival,” says this year’s champion, Justin Lofton.
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    Jason Zindroski/The Mint 400
    08

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    More than 350 vehicles loosely organized into more than 20 classes of off-road madness.
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    The Mint 400
    09

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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.
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    The Mint 400
    10

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    The Mint brings out the best in its racers: Because many know the course well, they drive especially fast.
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    The Mint 400
    11

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    “You’re at it 110 percent from the green flag to the checkered flag,” Lofton says.
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    Vincent Knakal/The Mint 400
    12

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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.
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    Larry Chen/The Mint 400
    13

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    You see a range of vehicles at the Mint—everything from VW Bug-based racers to spiced up production trucks.
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    Larry Chen/The Mint 400
    14

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    It’s not the longest race in the off-road motorsports world, but it's among the most grueling.
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    Vincent Knakal/The Mint 400
    15

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    “You’re at it 110 percent from the green flag to the checkered flag," Lofton says.
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