The time-honored tradition of off-road vehicles closing the Las Vegas Strip to kick off BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 week continued on Wednesday with the Republic Services Vehicle Parade. The official start of the Great American Off-Road Race featured its usual assortment of everything from Unlimited Trucks to vintage racers, UTVs, and motorcycles, taking well over 100 vehicles all the way down Las Vegas Boulevard and leading competitors and fans alike to the official Mint 400 Kickoff Party on Fremont Street, home to the annual Mint 400 Off-Road Festival.
“Seeing the biggest names and baddest vehicles of the Mint 400 shut down the Las Vegas Strip never gets old,” said Mint 400 CEO Matt Martelli. “The Mint 400 Vehicle Parade is our way of bringing the thrill of the desert to the downtown area, and a great way to lead fans to Fremont Street for the Mint 400 Off-Road Festival over the next two days. Hopefully everybody who was on the Strip got a great view from wherever they were, and we hope they’ll get to join us at the Off-Road Festival as well!”
Countless off-road fans and unexpecting bystanders alike who were lucky enough to be in Las Vegas on Wednesday were greeted with the roar and rumble of trucks, cars, buggies, motorcycles, UTVs, and even military vehicles. The parade is one of just a small handful of times that Las Vegas Boulevard is shut down over the course of the year, making its annual presence an even more prestigious tradition.
The list of parade participants reads like a who’s who of the sport. Three-time and defending Mint 400 winner Justin Lofton headed up the Unlimited Trucks on hand, joined by 2017 winner Rob MacCachren and front-runners Kevin Thompson and Sara Price. Also on hand were the vehicles of the Mint 400 Military Challenge, a charitable initiative looking to raise $100,000 for veterans of all five military branches. In total, the vehicles on hand represent tens of millions of dollars in investment in the sport of off-road racing.
BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 week continues with the Dinner of Champions on Wednesday night, where legendary past Mint 400 winners will all be on hand for a gourmet dinner at La Monja in downtown Las Vegas. The next day will see premier Unlimited classes take to the desert for the first time as part of Method Race Wheels Time Trials, while fans in the city can head to Fremont Street for the first full day of the Mint 400 Off-Road Festival. For up to date information on this year’s event, visit themint400.com or follow @themint400 on social media.
