Come Along For A Ride To The 2022 Super Bowl Of Off Road Races

I thought I'd document my first solo road trip from Portland to Las Vegas for the Mint 400 races. If your not familiar it's considered the Super Bowl of off road races and is held in the desert near Primm Nevada
The race in a nutshell
[ ] 400 miles
[ ] 550 race teams
[ ] 50+ classes
[ ] 25 states
[ ] 15 countries
[ ] Over 65,000 spectators
[ ] Estimated 1 million live streaming
[ ] Over 200 vendors
[ ] Driver meet and greet
[ ] Pit crew challenge contest
[ ] Miss Mint pagent
[ ] Qualifying Race
[ ] 10 block off road festival
[ ] Parade of vehicles down LV Blvd.

This will be my 5th race since my wife and I stumbled upon the off road festival while vacationing in Vegas for St. Patties in 2015 which just happened to coincide with the Mint 400 that year. While perusing through the festival we happened to meet a driver by the Name of Justin Lofton. I didn't really follow Offroad racing at the time so I didn't know who he was but he and his family where so friendly and genuine that we stood and chatted for quite a while. I felt we really hit it off and after the conversation I told him I'd root for him and if he won he'd have a new fan.

The wife and I went out to watch the race and what do you know he ended up winning. After deciding that was the coolest thing we've ever seen we went back the next year for the 2016 race and met Justin again and confessed my fanism and jokingly told him its a lock for us if you win again this year. Back to back has happened three other time since the the first Mint 400 in 1968. Well sure enough he won and I guess you could say we are now officially fans.

He's been dominating the Mint and has since won a third time with the overall fastest time in 2020 making him the only driver to win the Super Bowl of off road races three times. I will be adding posts as I go and probably uploading a lot of pictures. So come along to the 2022 Mint 400 with me. It's always a great time!

 

With fuel prices the way they are I decided to take the Rav this year instead of the Tacoma. She's all cleaned up and ready to go

A few hours into my trip I find myself driving through this small blip on the map known as Oakridge which lies between Eugene and Klamath Oregon. Stopped and chatted up the local realtor and grabbed a photo op with his Pro

 

I've always wanted to stop and explore the old mining town of Goldfield and I was able to make some time this trip and do so and I'm glad I did.


Time to head out of town and explore

Oops don't fall in

The miners left everthing when they were done. There are endless miles of this remnants. The hillsides are covered with metal cans, class, old broken pottery, nails etc. Even old cars

Here are a few shots of the town. It's a dirty, dusty, windblown hell of a place

 

Car Forest just outside of town. Very interesting

I think I need to go up there

Ok that is definitely steep and I appear to have run out of road.

The Rav4 is a goat

Seems I've run out of trail. No problem I'm in the Goat

Ok now back down and back on the highway to the Las Vegas

 

ok now we're making some time. >>DONT TRY THIS AT HOME<<

 

Here we are at the Festival. Just had my boy three time Mint 400 champion Justin Lofton sign my Traxxas UDR body. He's a down to earth great guy and its always great to chat with him and his crew.

Toyota is here representing. Here's a cool throwback

 

Looks epic - you could've taken me with you!

 

Damn. I even thought of a group road trip with fellow Tacomaians would be fun

 

The action is on. Drivers are at their prospective sponsor booths visiting with fans, signing autographs and hanging out. The race family is such a tight knit group of genuinely great people. Its what really sucked me in when I was down here for my first race in 2015.

 

Not a fan but can appreciate a nice build and the Camburg four door Bronco with the RTT is looking sweet

And the BDS Bronco

 

Shit this looks sick, thanks for posting and keep it coming! I might have to try to make the trip next year. My wife is always looking for an excuse to go to Vegas but I prefer to gamble with my life not with my money. Combining Vegas with the Mint 400 could be a good trip to both do something we want to.

Just don't go fear and loathing on us while your down there... Or do if that's your thing

 

I hear ya brother I'm not a gambler either but I do love me some killer off road racing and some good ol fashioned people watching. We try to get to the Mint every year and it would be great to get together with some Tacoma World folks.

 

Some notable Toyota sightings from the festival. Which I have to say is about half as big as it usually is. Maybe covid has stymied things a bit still. Either way still a good time.

Ofcourse the Ivan Stewart

Chemical Guys working out of the back a VooDooBlueDoo Tacoma? Ummm...OK.

Elka sporting both a 3rd gen Tacoma and 2.5 gen Tundra

Rigid Industries putting together a nice Tundra

And the notable Falken Tires Rav4

 

Swag at this event is always insane.. The swag I collected at the fesival, or should I say lack there of, shows how just how much smaller in size the festival was this year. But again still a great time. Its really more about the race and the people.

This year

This was 2020 and thats really not all of it. I had so much I had to box it up and ship it home USPS

2018 was swagtacular as well. This is just the stickers

 

Well shit we're neighbors. I just noticed you're in PDX. Nice!

 

And you in beaverton. We next door neighbors. I'm in Sherwood

 

Nice! I noticed your location but didn’t realize you were that close in the PNW.

 

Was great conversation! Thanks again for stopping in. I didn’t get a good look at the Rav until this pic, but looks slick! Hope the event is going well. How’s the gas prices treating ya?

 

Thanks it was great talking with you as well. The most I've paid for gas so far is $5.29 at some middle of nowhere Chevron between Goldfield and Las Vegas but I've been paying around $4.50 at most stops. The Rav has been averaging between 28 and 33mpg for the trip and got as hight as 38 for a spell. Not bad

 

Some more shots from yesterday's fesival. This is also the time in which all entrants sign in and have there vehicles inspected. Its a great opportunity to see the vehicles close up and personal.

KC's Jeep

And their Maverick. I want of these real bad.

The Trophy Trucks are monsters averaging 1,000 hp on 40's with 24" of suspension travel. And this is why they're able to do 150+ mph in the dirt.

There's never a shortage of unique modified ATV's and other vehicles. There never seems to be a shortage of money here either. Everything is custom.

Sick

Its definitely a family affair. Even the kids are taking part

Nothing is off limits. There's even a limo that will be running the race

This group of custom Harleys is flat bad ass.

Freemont is always great for people watching

Met these crazy kooks from Great Britain. Their wives were standing out of frame but they were all frigging hilarious. The Brits are some funny people.