Mint 400 off-road race scheduled March 27-30
 
There is a revival of sorts underway in Las Vegas, where off-road racing
enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the return of the Mint 400 March 27-30.
 

The old Mint 400 drew crowds of more than 100,000 fans each year from 1968-88
in Southern Nevada and the ’08 event has more than 300 entries that will tackle 96-mile laps
with a start-finish line north of Jean off the Las Vegas Boulevard frontage road.
 

Presented by the Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts (SNORE), the Mint
400 kicked off with a drawing for starting positions March 19 at the El
Cortez Hotel and Casino.

Registration and tech inspection will be March 27-28 with registration
from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the El Cortez and tech inspection will be
from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Fremont Street East.
 

The Mint 400 Fan fest street party highlighted with music, autograph
sessions, food bars and vintage vehicle displays from 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Thursday on Fremont Street East.
 

The race will begin at 7 a.m. March 29 and will be run on a 16-hour time limit.
 

The awards ceremony March 30 has been scheduled at Whiskey Pete’s at
Primm beginning at 10 a.m.

At its peak, the Mint 400 drew 538 entries in 1983. The event was first
run at the old Mint Gun Club before finally concluding on the grounds of
what is now Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
 

KJ Howe was the race director of the event from 1973-85. He also competed
in the race in a Class 2 Unlimited entry with his son Scott, brother,
Sandy and Mint Hotel head Andrew Zorne.
 

“The Mint 400 became one of those must-attend events in Las Vegas
especially during the 1970s,”recalled Howe, adding that the idea for the
event was the brainchild of Mint publicist Norm Johnson who enlisted the
assistance of race promoter Mel Larson in the late-1960s. “Due to the
fact that the technical and safety inspection was held on Fremont
Street prior to the race, the Mint 400 drew garnered incredible publicity
for the hotel and the city of Las Vegas.”
 

Howe sees great possibilities with the return of the Mint 400.
 

“The present organizers of the new Mint 400 are very experienced in
producing off-road races,” he said of SNORE. “As a matter of fact, SNORE
provided the manpower and technical expertise for me and my staff since
their members manned the checkpoints, conducted technical and safety
inspections, provided timing and worked with the Sheriff’s Jeep Posse. I
relied on the membership heavily. They learned and I learned how to
conduct an off-road race properly and effectively.”
 

Howe said key members of SNORE then included Walt Lott, Denny Selleck and
Tom Camp, among others. He also lauded the efforts of current SNORE
President Don Wall and the SNORE staff for not only reviving the Mint 400
but also instilling a huge boost for off-road racing at the same time.
 

The Mint 400 also included “The Mint 400 Girls” which featured Vanna
White (now of Wheel of Fortune), Linda Carter (Wonder Woman), Tracy
Vacarro (a Playboy Playmate who was married to Los Angeles Rams’ player
and television star Fred Dryer), Los Angeles Rams cheerleader Debbie
Holder; and Las Vegas members Merle Jensen, and Rose Dixon, among others.
The contest drew entries from around the world.
 

The Mint 400 stopped soon after the hotel was sold by Del Webb in the
late-1980s. The revival is certain to draw big attention.
 

The’08 Mint 400 has an impressive list of entrants including Trophy
Truck drivers Las Vegan B.J. Baldwin, who won the SCORE Trophy Truck
championship in ’07; B.J.’s father and casino executive Bobby Baldwin;
ESPN commentator  Cameron Steele and Las Vegas standout Brian Collins,
who ran the original Mint 400.
 

“My mom used to take us out and we’d sit in the desert for two days,”
remembers the 45-year-old Collins, who ran the old Mint 400 in a Class 11
Volkswagen. “I think the new Mint 400 is really exciting. It has always
been amazing to me how people who knew nothing about the Mint 400 still
attended the race.”
 

Class 1-2 1600 already has more than 40 entries, while Class 10 has
nearly 35 entries. The event will have a total 14 different classes.
Further information may be obtained at www.snoreracing.net,

www.themint400.com or by calling Kenny Freeman at 702-736-6355.

CAPTIONS:

KJ PHOTO: Mint Hotel executives KJ Howe and Andrew Zorne power their Class 2
Unlimited buggy past a No. 107Class 1 Unlimited entry in the Mint 400 in about 1978.

BRIAN: Las Vegas resident Brian Collins, who competed in the original Mint400, will drive
his powerful Trophy Truck in the new Mint 400, which is scheduled March 27-30.

Contact: Mike Henle,702-279-3483