Dale Dondel Fastest in 2025 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 Unlimited Race Qualifying
Dale Dondel will get to start the BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 Unlimited Race on his own after pacing Friday’s time trial session in Primm. The final Unlimited Truck 4WD qualifier of the day threw down a blistering 4:15.228 on the five-mile qualifying course, outpacing 2024 top qualifier Nic Whetstone and all the 2WD entries for tomorrow’s top honors.
As in years past, as well as with Thursday’s Limited Race qualifying session, racers were split into two groups. The Unlimited Truck SPEC racers would get first crack at the course, followed by the Class 1 cars and both 2WD and 4WD Unlimited Trucks in the second group. Unlimited qualifying would run simultaneously with the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Race, as those racers completed their last laps on the full 93-mile race course.
In the first group, RJ Stidham set one of the fastest laps of the day right away, turning a 4:42.676 as just the second driver to hit the course. He’d soon be eclipsed by Kyle Jergensen, last year’s Mint 400 class winner, with a 4:41.322, before Conner McMullen rolled to the line and turned a blistering time to earn the right to pace the SPEC trucks on Saturday. But while the 2024 Parker 400 overall winner cleared the rest of the field by over five seconds, second through ninth place was separated by just over three seconds, setting up an intense battle to come.
In the second group, after a re-rack due to an incident involving a Class 1 car, defending 2024 Overall winner Adam Householder kicked things off by throwing down a blazing 4:23.305, followed by 2023 champ Eric Hardin with a 4:27.339. Ryan Arciero, Householder’s closest competition for much of last year’s race, came just short of the pole at 4:23.696.
That’s when Whetstone rolled out and, just like last year, set the quickest Unlimited Truck 2WD time of the day. With a nearly six-second advantage over Householder, he would hold the overall top spot until the 4WD trucks came out. Dondel, the last of the group, came flying out of the gate to knock Whetstone off the overall top spot.
2025 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 Unlimited Qualifying Group 1 results were as follows:
- #240 Conner McMullen, 4:35.749
- #222 Kyle Jergensen, 4:41.322
- #280 RJ Stidham, 4:42.676
- #279 Cole Hardin, 4:42.895
- #200 Brent Fox, 4:43.657
2025 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 Unlimited Qualifying Group 2 results were as follows:
- #100 Dale Dondel, Unlimited Truck 4WD, 4:15.228
- #18 Nic Whetstone, Unlimited Truck 2WD, 4:17.365
- #24 Adam Householder, Unlimited Truck 2WD, 4:23.305
- #32 Ryan Arciero, Unlimited Truck 2WD, 4:23.696
- #79 Eric Hardin, Unlimited Truck 2WD, 4:27.339
Gates open for Saturday’s action at the BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 at 6AM. The Motorcycle Race kicks off at 7AM, followed by Youth Races beginning at 8AM. Unlimited Race festivities begin at 9:45AM with the 7th Annual Mint 400 Unlimited Grid Walk, Opening Ceremonies at 10:15AM, and Dondel set to leave the start line at 10:45AM. Live streaming for the BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 Unlimited Race will kick off on Saturday at 10:30AM PT/1:30PM ET at themint400.com/live, with live simulcasting on SPEED SPORT 1.
The Mint 400 has held the title of 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 out as a hotel promotion soon grew into a legitimate desert race. Since its 2008 revival, “The Great American Off-Road Race” has only gotten bigger and more prestigious, and deeper fields every year only make it tougher to win.
This year’s BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 will take place from March 5-9 in Las Vegas. More information on the event for racers and spectators is available at TheMint400.com, or follow the event on Facebook and Instagram.
Details regarding racer registration, sponsorship packages, exhibitor vending, spectator tickets, camping, and parking passes for UNLTD Off-Road Racing are live on Unlimitedoffroadracing.com.