Dealer to Desert: Tacoma TRD Pro vs. the Mint 400 With Jay Leno!

When it comes to off-road racing, a whole new group of elements is thrown into the mix that you never had to previously consider when racing on a paved surface. There are all sorts of obstacles out there that could swallow your ride alive which calls for an extra layer of preparation and focus when you head out into the desert for a race like this one! Of the 380 off-road vehicles that set out into the Las Vegas sunrise, less than half finish when all is said and done. I would venture to think that there aren’t too many people who would like to take the odds of a coin flip that they’re going to make it back once all is said and done. However, the grueling challenge is obviously one that hundreds take on!

“In 1967, Norm Johnson organized the first ever “Mint 400 Off-Road Rally” to promote and publicize The Mint Hotel. Norm sent two matching dune buggies across 600 miles (970 km) of desert, from The Mint Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, to the Sahara Hotel in Lake Tahoe, California. The coverage by the national media caught the attention of race teams and off-road enthusiasts everywhere and the endurance race became famous overnight.” –Mint 400 Wiki

Follow along down below as we’re given the down and dirty on exactly what you can expect from a race like this, a race that has even drawn out the likes of Jay Leno to see what it’s all about. You know that if Leno is on the scene, this is going to be something that you’re going to want to get your eyes on.

After learning all about how treacherous this race can be when competitors head out under a full head of steam, tell us if this is a competition that you’d want to find yourself being a part of with your very own set of wheels!