K&N Race Team Driver Greg Adler Wins The Mint 400 - The Great American Off-Road Race
- 27 Apr 2017
The Mint 400’s list of winner’s reads like a veritable who’s who in racing, both off and on road, dirt and track. From the legendary Parnelli Jones to Ivan “Ironman” Stewart, this race features all the pomp and circumstance off-road racers and enthusiasts can handle!
But in 1988, this legendary race came into question following the sale of Del Webb's Mint Hotel and Casino. However as a testament to the race itself, the prestige and importance of the event created by veteran race director K.J. Howe and the Mint management team, along with the financial benefit this promotion brought to the City of Las Vegas, the annual Mint 400 Off Road Race continued to be run until 1989 under the new ownership.
In 2012, The Martelli Brothers partnered with off-road industry veteran Casey Folks, owner of the largest off-road desert racing organization in the world, the Best In The Desert Racing Association. The Mint was added to the Best in the Desert championship schedule, and a new one hundred mile race loop was carved out for the epic 400-mile contest. The number of entries swelled to an astounding three hundred and twenty three race teams, making the Mint 400 one of the largest off-road races in the world.
“I can’t say enough about our team,” said Adler. “We made the decision to run the Mint 400 after Hammers and Brian Kirby and Justin Bodewitz busted their tails preparing to get us ready to race. Racing over 500 miles of some of the most grueling terrain imaginable in the last three weeks, this car has taken a ton of abuse. The guys gave us a great car and we had zero issues the entire day.”
“We had a lot of fun racing today,” Adler said. “We hopped in the car with a nice lead and set off to find our pace, keep moving forward, and not make any mistakes. As the race went on, the course got rougher, but as we were counting down the miles to the finish, it started to sink in that we were headed to our first Mint 400 win. Some of my first races in the early '90s were at the Mint 400, so to come back here and bring home a win is extremely special. This really is a bucket list moment for me.”
For Adler and Team 4 Wheel Parts, the triumph put the exclamation point on a week of Mint 400 festivities that exemplified the renaissance of the iconic event as it has returned to its former glory. The week kicked off with the 4 Wheel Parts vehicle procession that saw the Ultra4 car #4444, leading the field of competitors down the famed Las Vegas Strip on Wednesday and continued through Friday with a festive contingency party.
“The Martelli Brothers have brought The Mint 400 back from the ashes to become the biggest desert race in the nation,” said Adler. “They have restored the Mint 400 to glory with its pageantry and a nod toward tradition. Honoring the history of the sport and paying homage to the legends that laid the foundation, not only for this event, but for off-road racing, make it a truly distinctive experience. We’re proud to be a part of this historic race and look forward to attending for years to come.” A hearty congratulations goes out to Greg Adler and Rob MacCachren for their outstanding efforts culminating in a class win for the two and Team 4 Wheel Parts. They epitomize the spirit of off road racing and K&N Engineering. | ||||||
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