Author: RockCrawler.com

2016 POLARIS RZR MINT 400 PRESENTED BY BFGOODRICH TIRES FOX HIGHLIGHTS

For the 4th consecutive year, a FOX athlete has taken the Overall win in one of the most infamously brutal off-road races, The Mint 400. In 2016, Justin Lofton made history in the #41 FOX Trick Truck affectionately known as BadCo, becoming the first driver ever to collect back-to-back Mint 400 overall wins. 13 FOX athletes would stand atop the podium in their respective classes, dominating “The Great American Off-Road Race.”

THE MINT 400 TAKES OVER LAS VEGAS STRIP, LED BY LEGEND ROD HALL
The 2016 Mint 400 kicked off with the roar of over 100 of the fastest off-road vehicles in the country echoing off the walls of the casinos and hotels on Las Vegas Boulevard. Leading the way was off-road legend Rod Hall, in his FOX-equipped 1969 Stroppe Ford Bronco, grabbing the attention of everyone on the strip.

FOX ATHLETES TAKE TOP 4 SPOTS AT TIME TRIALS
To set the starting order for the race, Time Trials were held in Primm, NV and Justin Lofton wasted no time proving that his win last year was no fluke, outrunning a field of 69 Trick Truck and Class 1500 competitors. FOX took the top 4 spots with Andy McMillin, Bryce Menzies and Jesse Jones all within 1.5 seconds of Lofton’s qualifying time.

MENZIES MOTORSPORTS UP TO THE CHALLENGE
Following Time Trials, the Method Race Wheels Pit Crew Challenge took over Fremont Street. 8 Trick Trucks and 8 Unlimited Buggy teams of three pit crew members would face-off in a race to change two tires the fastest. The local favorites of Menzies Motorsports would emerge victorious in the Trick Truck category, each member earning a set of FOX Performance Series 2.0 IFP shocks along with the coveted Method Race Wheels Golden Jack.

THE MINT 400 CONTINGENCY EXPERIENCE ON FREMONT
Over 350 vehicles descended upon Fremont Street for contingency and technical inspection. Race fans were able to get up close and personal with the race cars as they rolled down the street, get autographs from their favorite drivers and pick up the latest FOX swag.

ROGER STARKEY CLAIMS BACK-TO-BACK CLASS 1000 WINS
Race day commenced with the limited class race and Roger Starkey took the win in Class 1000, repeating his 2015 win. Starkey’s total time was just minutes short of a top 10 overall time in the unlimited race with only one limited and one unlimited buggy clocking faster overall times.

SIMS & LAMBERT ON TOP IN UTV, FOX DRIVERS SWEEP PODIUM
In the highly competitive and rapidly growing UTV classes, Branden Sims took the honors as 1st Overall UTV, finishing 1st in the Pro UTV Turbo class.  FOX athletes rounded out the UTV podiums with Wayne Matlock finishing 2nd and Ryan Laidlaw finishing 3rd in the Pro Turbo class and Kristin Matlock coming in 2nd in the Pro Production class.

Following up on his UTV World Championship win, Justin Lambert crossed the line in 2nd overall for the UTV’s, winning the Pro UTV Production class. Lambert’s win also marks his third consecutive Best in the Desert win this season.

JUSTIN LOFTON NAMED MINT 400 OVERALL CHAMPION…AGAIN!
2015 saw Justin Lofton take the Overall win at the Mint 400 in his rookie Trick Truck season and 2016 was no different. Lofton was first off the line and held his lead amongst lapped traffic, until Bryce Menzies was able to pass him in during a routine pit. Lofton was able to reclaim the lead after Menzies retired with mechanical issues and would battle with Andy McMillin all the way to the finish line.

After five and a half hours of racing through the Nevada desert, only 42 seconds on corrected time would separate McMillin and Lofton, giving Justin Lofton his second consecutive Mint 400 Overall win and making him the first driver ever to earn back-to-back wins.

TAKE A RIDE WITH THE CHAMP
Not only did Justin and his navigator, Derek Balcunas, walk away with two brand-new Polaris RZR XP Turbo’s, but Lofton also claimed the big $10,000 FOX check for finishing 1st Overall on FOX shocks.

CODY PARKHOUSE TOPS CLASS 1500
Cody Parkhouse was the first unlimited buggy to finish, earning the Class 1500 victory and a 7th place finish overall.

CHRISTIAN SOURAPAS VICTORIOUS IN 6100
Continuing the trend of FOX-equipped trucks dominating the 6100/TT Spec class, Christian Sourapas took 1st place, rounding out a successful day for FOX competitors.

FOX MINT 400 WINNERS

Overall & Trick Truck – Justin Lofton
1500 – Cody Parkhouse*
6100 – Christian Sourapas
1000 – Roger Starkey*
UTV Turbo – Branden Sims*
UTV Production – Justin Lambert*
6000 – Todd Jackson*
2000 – Kevin Smith*
3000 – Reid Rutherford*
Unlimited Pro – David Martinez*
Vintage – Todd Richards
Stock VW – Alex Rivas Alvarez*
1200 – Greg Foutz*

*Fast lap in class

#RIDEFOX

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