The race was for both motorcycles, until 1977, and four-wheel vehicles (buggies, cars and trucks) sponsored by Del Webb's Mint Hotel and Casino.

[1] Webb, a real estate developer and friend of Howard Hughes, was owner of the Mint Hotel in downtown Las Vegas.

The first race sent 101 vehicles across roughly 400 miles (640 km) of desert, started and ended at The Mint Hotel in Las Vegas with pit-stops at Ash Meadows, Beatty and Lathrop Wells.

[citation needed] New owner Binion felt the race and its ancillary activities along Fremont Street had a negative impact on his casinos.

[citation needed] The Mint was not held for nearly twenty years, then was restarted by long-time sponsor General Tire with help from the Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts.

After several close and heated rounds the General Tire/THR team – which included drivers Mikey Childress, Rick Johnson, and crew member James Walker – out-pitted the field to win.

[citation needed] The Martelli Brothers parted ways with Best in the Desert for the 2020 edition, and created the Unlimited Off-Road Racing series in 2023, which also features the Parker 400 and California 300.

Source:[11] Entrants in this event were worldwide and included some well-known names from racing and people from the television and motion picture industry.

Indianapolis 500 winners Parnelli Jones, Al Unser, Rick Mears, and Rodger Ward; off-road champions Mickey Thompson, Ivan Stewart, Jack Flannery, Walker Evans; international off-road competitor, Rod Hall; power boat champion Bill Muncey, film and television stars James Garner, Steve McQueen, Larry Wilcox and Patrick Dempsey; comedian Mort Sahl; astronaut Gordon Cooper and rock musician Ted Nugent have competed in the Mint 400.