Rugged Radios: Official Communications of the Mint 400, the Great American Off-Road Race
The oldest and most prestigious off-road race in America returns to Las Vegas March 8 - 12, 2023. The Mint 400 is not only a brutal 400 mile race through the Nevada desert; It's also an off road festival that allows spectators a behind the scenes look at what it's really like to work and race in this grueling event.
Vendors are out in full force. People are everywhere. Tech inspections commence. Drivers, spectators and pit crews alike, work their way through the crowds. You can find all of that action right there on Freemont Street in Downtown Las Vegas!
If that wasnt enough, the Mint 400 Vehicle Parade down the Las Vegas Strip on Wednesday 3/8/23 @4pm is a sight to behold.
Back by popular demand, the 10th Annual Rugged Radios Drivers Meet & Greet Autograph Session will be better than ever before! Don't miss the opportunity to get a free Mint 400 poster, meet and collect autographs from some of your favorite racers and UFC fighters. (See schedule below)
Autograph signing will be held at the Rugged Radios booth on the corner of 8th & Freemont Street East during the Off Road Festival for The Mint 400 from 11am-3pm. (see map below)
Driver Meet & Greet Schedule
Thursday, MARCH 9TH, 2023
• Session 1: (11am - 12pm)
Blake Wilkey, Chris Isenhour, Nick Isenhour, Kaden Danbury, Harrison Weiss, Stetson Galloway, Sara Price, Bryce Ronsonet, Robert Johnson, Billy Slade
• Session 2: (12pm - 1pm)
Terry Madden, Ryan Piplic, Cadence Cowen, Eva Star, Ruslan “Greasehandz” Yankilevich, Tony Nolen, Josh Cobb, CJ Faison, Brook Jensen, Dustin “Battleaxe” Jones, Dustin Grabowski, Troy Grabowski, Jack Grabowski, Chuck Dempsey, Jim York, Cowboy Cerrone
• Session 3: ( 1pm - 2pm)
Nicole Johnson, Lecrecia Beurrier, Faith Prosser, Ryan Prosser, Nick Nelson, Jim Beaver, Mia Chapman, Wes Miller, AJ Jones, Seth Quintero, Ryder Barabee, Mandle Brothers
• Session 4: (2pm - 3pm)
Emme Hall, Jack Olliges, Steve Olliges, Angie Mitchell, Vanessa Tortolero, Jason Cobb, Chaden Minder, Mason Cotter, Karah Behrend, Tim Hall, Ryder Barnabee, Ian Torfi, Dax Ruane, George Llamosas
**More drivers are being added to the lineup daily, so be sure to check back here for up to date information**
Rugged Radios is proud to be a part of the Mint 400 as the Official Communications of the Great American Off-Road Race!
We brought an army of race support team members, service trailers, and technicians to ensure racers were dialed-in and ready to race. Rugged Radios offers industry-leading customer service to consumers and dealers along with industry-leading products at our on-site vending trailers, where you can handle any race communication needs.
What is the Rugged Radios Drivers Meet & Greet Autograph Session?
Best of all, IT"S FREE!! Show up and wait in line for one session or all of the sessions, it's up to you!!!
Visit the
Rugged Radios
Booth HERE
Rugged offers an entire line of Race Series products. Go Further™ as part of Team Rugged!
Talk over the noise and stay in-the-know during the race!
"Into the Fray" Rugged Radios at The Mint 400 in 2022
Previous Years
2022
We're Here for the Racers!
MINT 400
Rugged Radios: Official Communications of the Mint 400, the Great American Off-Road Race
Rugged Radios is proud to be a part of the Mint 400 as the Official Communications of the Great American Off-Road Race!
We brought an army of race support team members, service trailers, and technicians to ensure racers were dialed-in and ready to race. Rugged Radios offers industry-leading customer service to consumers and dealers along with industry-leading products. Like every event Rugged Radios attends, we offer the highest level of race & technical support by bringing our A-team.
Three Generations of Cottrell Family Class 11 Racers
This year's race was a special year for Rugged Radios as Jaden Cottrell, son of Rugged Radios President and Founder Greg Cottrell, competed in the Mint 400 as co-driver for 4-time winner Robert Johnson in his #1110 Class 11 car. Jaden is the third generation to compete in Class 11, a family racing history that spans the last 50 years for the Cottrell family. Greg's father, Mel, competed in Class 11 in the 1970s and '80s. Greg last competed in 2015, and now Jaden has his first race under his belt in 2022. Simply put, racing is in the DNA of the Cottrell family and influences every Rugged Radio product that is developed and produced.
Three Generations of Class 11 Racers:
Greg Cottrell, Jaden Cottrell, and Mel Cottrell
Before the big race, Greg stated:
"I am excited to watch my son Jaden compete in this event as the third generation of Cottrell racers in the Class 11 cars, especially in an event where Rugged Radios is the Official Communications company. The Mint 400 is an incredible race, and we are excited to continue hosting the official Driver Meet and Greet, connecting some of the biggest names in the sport with their fans. Our support team is here in mass and ready to offer world-class support to the Mint 400 competitors" The Mint 400 has held the title as the toughest, most spectacular off-road race in North America since 1968, when it was first run. Initially, the race was a public relations event promoting the Mint Hotel's annual deer hunt. But what started as a hotel promotion soon became a legitimate desert race. Since its 2008 revival, 'The Great American Off-Road Race' has only gotten more prominent and prestigious, with deeper fields of the best drivers in offroad racing, it only makes it more challenging and more impressive for winners at this event. We are looking forward to an amazing race week at The Mint 400!"
Text
Jaden Cottrell, co-driver for Robert Johnson
in the 2022 BFGoodrich Mint 400
Inside the Johnson Racing Class 11 Car with Jaden Cottrell & Robert Johnson
Jaden got a full dose of off-road racing co-driving for Robert Johnson in the Rugged-sponsored #1110 Class 11 car in a very eventful—and dusty—start to the race.
This is what Jaden had to say about his first race:
"For my first race, the Mint 400 was a very memorable experience. I wouldn't have asked for anything to be different. We may not have finished, but being able to partake in a legendary race was something I will never forget."
9th Annual Rugged Radios Driver Meet & Greet
One of the longest-standing opportunities to interact with the world's top off-road racers returned to the Mint 400 with our 9th Annual Rugged Radios Driver Meet & Greet. Race fans met sponsored Rugged drivers that were in our booth hanging out, signing posters, and taking pictures on March 10 on Fremont Street, downtown Las Vegas.
Thirty-six racers in four hours and it was nothing short of a whirlwind out at the 2022 Driver Meet & Greet, with 20-30 mph gusts ripping through the Mint 400 Off-Road Festival and threatening to take canopies for a ride down Fremont Street. The event was still a big success, and fun was had all around by fans, racers, and staff alike.
Mia Chapman, Josh Cobb, Wes Miller, Ryan Piplic, Maddie Wedeking, & Chaden Zane Minder
Blake Wilkey, Chris Isenhouer, & Nick Isenhouer
Brook Jensen, Nicole Johnson, Kristen Matlock, Eva Star, Cadence Cowan, & Lacrecia Beurrier
Greg Cottrell, Tim Hall, Nick Nelson, & Loren Healy
Jack Grabowski, Troy Grabowski, Dustin Grabowski, Jeremy McGrath, & Rhowan McGrath
Dustin "Battleaxe" Jones & Brook Jensen
Thank you to all of the racers that came to hangout with the Rugged Family!
Session 1: Jaden Cottrell, Max Gordon, Chris Isenhouer, Nick Isenhouer, Kristen Matlock, Bryce Ronsonet, Blake Wilkey
Session 2: Lacrecia Beurrier, Trevor Beurrier, Cadence Cowan, Brook Jensen, Nicole Johnson, Dustin "Battleaxe" Jones, Angie Mitchell, Eva Star Session 3: Dustin Grabowski, Jack Grabowski, Troy Grabowski, Tim Hall, Loren Healy, Tony Nolen, Jeremy McGrath, Rhowan McGrath, Nick Nelson, Faith Prosser, Ryan Prosser
Session 4: Jim Beaver, Mia Chapman, Josh Cobb, Kaden Danbury, Wes Miller, Chaden Zane Minder, Ryan Piplic, Dexter Warren, Maddie Wedeking, Ruslan Yankelivich
"We're beyond excited to announce our expanded relationship with Rugged Radios"
- Matt Martelli, Mint 400 CEO
Matt Martelli, Mint 400 CEO, stated this about Rugged Radios leading up to the Great American Off-Road Race:
"We're beyond excited to announce our expanded relationship with Rugged Radios, the new Official Communications of the BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400, Just like Rugged Radios is committed to providing top-notch communications for many of the biggest names in our sport, they're also committed to making sure that the countless fans who visit the Mint 400 Off-Road Festival on Fremont Street each year can meet those drivers before they hit the racecourse with the Rugged Radios Driver Meet & Greet, one of the coolest parts of the entire Mint 400 experience. Martelli concludes: "Be sure to visit the Rugged display to check out not only the Driver Meet & Greet but also all of their products on display—and be on the lookout for more Rugged content throughout the coverage of this year's event!"
Industry-Leading Communications & Race Support
When Greg Cottrell started Rugged Radios, he set out to revolutionize the offroad communications industry.That dream grew into the communications giant that Rugged Radios is today—manufacturing communications for Work, Race, and Play. Rugged Radios builds its products to be rugged and tough, engineered with the finest components, using our proprietary technology that exceeds other brands. We're passionate about communications, and our product line reflects our dedication to helping our customers Go Further®.
Whether you're ripping through Baja in your UTV, hitting the single track with your friends on the weekend, or taking flight in your Cessna, you need communications you can trust. With nearly 30 years of experience in manufacturing communications for high noise environments, Rugged Radios boasts a full line of top-notch products. From the races to industrial job sites and agriculture to fire & safety, Rugged Radios offers Communications For Any Environment.
The Cottrell Legacy. Three Generations of Class 11 Racers
"Taking off of the start line was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced in my life. We had a pretty crazy lawn dart right off the first jump, that definitely caught our attention and everyone else's."
-Jaden Cottrell
Being a third generation Class 11 racer comes with a sense of excitement that not only your father, but also your grandfather can relate to. The adrenaline you feel just before the clutch is released is a build up of hard work, dedication, and commitment to see it through.
Experiencing the tech line, testing before the race, and then the line up and eventual takeoff off from the start line, are all key moments that Jaden Cottrell will remember FOREVER.
The ability to claim that your first "official" race was The Mint 400, the toughest and most spectacular off-road race in North America, makes the youngest Cottrell an iconic new figure in the racing world. He wasn't only feeling the pressure to live up to his legacy, but to also make 4-time winner Robert Johnson proud as a co-driver. Even though the race was cut short for them due to issues with the Class 11 car, Jaden was able to make everlasting memories with Johnson and learn a thing or two about patience and race course safety.
When asked what race he most wanted to partake in, it seemed the answer was obvious. Without a second of thought he responded:
"The Baja 1000!"
Like the two generations before him, he has a bright future ahead, filled with hard work, and determination.. He is a rockstar in the sales department of Rugged Radios, and enjoys learning everything and anything that can better the future of the company.
More information on the event for racers and spectators is available at TheMint400.com, or follow the event on Rugged Radios Facebook and Instagram!