Stone Cold Steve Austin isn’t letting a major knee surgery keep him out of the driver’s seat. Just 13 weeks after undergoing a full knee replacement, the WWE Hall of Famer is preparing for one of the most punishing off-road races in the world—the Mint 400.
“I’m about 13 weeks out, and it really takes about a year for these things to fully heal up,” Austin revealed on Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez.
“So it’s still a little bit tender. Just got back in the car and started driving again, and we’re about to run the Mint 400. It’s probably the roughest race I’ve ever driven, so if I can just keep my knee together—that’s my brake leg—I’m just going to do the best I can.”
Austin’s love for off-road racing has only grown since he first got involved, but the Mint 400 will be one of his biggest tests yet. The 550-mile endurance race from Las Vegas to Reno features brutal desert terrain, extreme conditions, and no scheduled stops.
“I’m out of pain now because they cut all that arthritis out when they put that new joint in there, so I’m in a good place, but I’ve got some work to do,” Austin said.
“I just want to finish a race. I’d love to see Zach [Kissman] on the podium, and if I can be up there too, even better.”
Fans can track Austin’s progress live, as his team will be streaming their race in real time using Star Stream internet. For more on Stone Cold Steve Austin’s return to racing:
