The drag strip and the desert are usually two places to find two completely different types of people, but for this year’s Mint 400 the two worlds collide with the Polaris RZR Star Car. The Polaris RZR Star Car brings in high profile star drivers from action sports and racing to join Jim Beaver, along with Polaris RZR, in racing a fully desert race prepped factory supported 2018 Polaris RZR XP4 Turbo.

Antron Brown (left) and Steve Torrence (right) are teaming up with Jim Beaver (middle) and the Polaris RZR Star Car for the 50th Anniversary of the Mint 400.

The Polaris RZR Star Car started last year as a partnership with Jim Beaver and did a total of four races starting with the Mint 400. For the 50th Anniversary of the race, Polaris and Beaver are teaming with drag racing stars Antron Brown, a  three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion and Steve Torrence, a Top Alcohol champion.

The desert may not be new for Beaver, but for the drag racers it is not only new, it is long. “Each 130-mile loop is probably further than Antron or Steve have drag raced in all of their combined years!” explained Beaver.

“It only took me about three seconds to accept Jim’s offer to race in the Mint 400,” Antron said. The Don Schumacher Racing driver is well accustomed to making 1000-foot drag strip passes at over 325 mph in under three seconds. Charming and articulate in addition to being blistering fast, Antron’s resume also included hosting BBC’s Top Gear America with Tom Ford and William Fichtner. Antron’s humility and never quit attitude make him easy to root for, whether he is on the drag strip or in the desert.

Steve Torrence has been running his own NHRA Top Fuel team since 2012, and he has celebrated in the winners’ circle twelve times over the last two seasons. Just this weekend Steve set a career best, running 333 mph for an elapsed time of 3.655 seconds in qualifying on his way to taking home the Wally at the NHRA Arizona Nationals.

“To get out and get in the dirt, get nasty, get some air, go somewhere, and to be able to turn the steering wheel is super exciting,” Torrence explained. “I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity and it is going to be a blast.”

Stay tuned for more from these two drivers as we catch up with them out at the Mint 400 to see just how excited they really are.