Cody Sears’ ride for the Mint 400 is older than he is. In fact, it’s older than basically everyone competing in the race.

Sears will be racing a 1949 Willys Jeep, one of four cars entered in the Vintage class. It is, as he described, “bone stock besides off-road tires and safety gear” and had been put together over the course of seven weeks.

Many of his friends had gotten involved with the project, who also have prior experience with working on the Jeep family. Brennan Metcalf, for example, runs the Brennan’s Garage hobby shop that designs and makes parts for Jeeps and other vehicles. Chad Wheeler is the head of Jeep fabricator Wheeler Industries. Others involved include his wife Brittany, Clark Bender, Mike Braskisch, Josh and Niki Patt, Matthew Lee, and Hunter and Kimberly Sparrow.

Likewise, Sears specializes in building and driving “flatties”, or flat front-fendered Jeeps. Flatties were prominent during the early years of the jeep in the 1940s and 50s, when they started to be produced for civilian use. While the Jeep had a multitude of manufacturers in its infancy, Willys was the preeminent company for both the vehicle used in World War II and the civilian CJ.

In the Vintage category, Sears’ #V171 Willys will be contending against Scott Grimm’s 1978 Bronco, Bradan McDonnell’s 1972 buggy, and Eric Pond’s 1969 Bronco. Former NFL player Brady McDonnell is driving a 1978 Ford buggy in Vintage Open.

UNLTD rules stipulate cars must be from 1982 or older to be eligible for the Vintage classes. There is also a Vintage Military division, which is occupied by Warfighter Made‘s 1993 AM General Humvee M998 and Chenowth Light Strike Vehicle.

Sears and his classmates will run the Mint’s Limited Race on Friday, March 7. Following Wednesday’s vehicle parade on the Las Vegas Strip, the Willys will be on display at the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame’s booth for the Fremont Street Off-Road Festival on Thursday.

Featured image credit: Brennan Metcalf