Bopper & Mark

For the other team in which Mark ran the race, see Mark & Mallory.

William "Bopper" Minton and Mark Jackson are a team of Best Friends on The Amazing Race 20.

Coming from a poor, rural background, Bopper & Mark were vocal about their need to win the money for their families. Their Southern charm and folksy personalities endeared them to their competitors, who gladly gave them assistance whenever they could, in sharp contrast to the bitter rivalries among the other teams. However, the two friends could also hold their own, being the only team other than Art & JJ and Rachel & Dave to win a leg. Despite their perseverance, injuries and ailments eventually caught up with them, and when Mark struggled with the Roadblock inn the ninth leg, they dropped to a distant last place. They were spared by a Non-Elimination Leg, but they fell too far behind the rest of the pack. Even after winning the Fast Forward in the following leg, Bopper & Mark still came in last and were eliminated in 5th place.

Profile[]

Retrieved from CBS.com^[1]

Bopper[]

Age: 41
Hometown: Manchester, Ky.
Connection to Teammate: Best Friend
Current Occupation: Motorcycle Mechanic
Describe what you do: I fix motorcycles and take care of my Mom and Dad.
How will these skills help you win The Race? I am good with my hands and it has made me a better person—I think outside of the box.
Three words to describe you: Hyper, funny and exciting.
Favorite hobbies: Motorcycle riding, swimming and building bikes.
What famous person reminds you of yourself? Jim Carey
What famous person reminds you of your teammate? Tiger Woods
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? My child
What scares you most about traveling? Getting lost and high places.
What excites you most about traveling? I have not done much traveling so I am really excited about getting to do that.
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together? For Mark to listen to me and realize that he is not always right.
Pet peeve about your teammate: He thinks he knows everything.
What country and place would you most like to visit and why? Germany, because I have friends there.
What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? To better our friendship and to see the world together.

Mark[]

Age: 45
Hometown: Manchester, Ky.
Connection to Teammate: Best Friend
Current Occupation: Former State Inspector
What skills do you have that will help you win The Race? Don't know but my heart will pull me through.
Three words to describe you: Loyal, outspoken and friendly.
Favorite hobbies: Golf, basketball and four wheeling.
What famous person reminds you of yourself? Michael Jordan and Denzel Washington
What famous person reminds you of your teammate? Patrick Swayze
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? My kids
What scares you most about traveling? Flying
What excites you most about traveling? Seeing different things.
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together? Listening to each other.
Pet peeve about your teammate: He acts up too much. He doesn't know when to stop.
What country and place would you most like to visit and why? Scotland—to see some of the first golf courses ever built.
What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? See the world.

The Amazing Race 20[]

Race History[]

Booper & Mark's Race History
Episode	Leg	Destination(s)	Detour Choice (underlined)	Roadblock Performer	Placement	Notes
1	1	United States → Argentina	No Detour	Bopper	9 of 11
2	2	Argentina	Boil My Water / Light My Fire	Mark	3 of 10
3	3	Argentina → Paraguay	Stacked Up / Strung Out	Mark	4 of 9
4	4	Paraguay → Italy	Clean That Statue / Name That Salami	Bopper	8 of 8
5	5	Italy → Austria → Germany	Fairy Tale / Champion Male	Mark	6 of 8
6	6	Germany → Azerbaijan	Apples / Oil	Bopper	3 of 7
7	7	Azerbaijan → Tanzania	Marksmanship / Courtship	No Roadblock	2 of 6
8	8	Tanzania	Water Supply / Air Supply	Mark	1 of 6
9	9	Tanzania → India	Cricket / Clutch It	Mark	5 of 5
10	10	India	Used Fast Forward		5 of 5►	^[1]
				Average	4.60
Legend: The team finished in first place The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg The team that won The Amazing Race The team that crossed the Finish Line second The team that crossed the Finish Line third ► The team used the Fast Forward pass ϵ The team used the Express Pass somewhere during the leg ⊂ The team used the U-Turn ⊃ Recipient of the U-Turn ⋐ The team that used the second slot of the "Double U-Turn" ⋑ Recipient of a second U-Turn due to the "Double U-Turn" twist
Notes: 1: Bopper & Mark completed the Fast Forward task, but were too far behind the other teams and they still came in last and were eliminated.

Post Race[]

Bopper & Mark were originally set to compete in The Amazing Race: All-Stars, but Bopper was deemed unfit by the medical team due to showing signs of pancreatitis before the Race began. Mark was eventually paired with The Amazing Race 17 and The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business racer Mallory Ervin, who was flown in as a last-minute replacement for Bopper.
Bopper & Mark competed on a The Amazing Race Primetime special of The Price is Right in 2016.^[2] Bopper & Mark helped their respective contestant, Monifa Sims, wife of Survivor: Worlds Apart castaway Will Sims II, win a trip to South Africa in their pricing game. However, the trio failed to make it to the Showcase.^[3]

Trivia[]

Bopper & Mark are the only team on The Amazing Race 20 that won a leg to not win multiple legs.
- They are also the only team on The Amazing Race 20 to win a leg and not be in the final three.

External links[]

Interviews[]

Season 20[]

Reg Seeton at The Deadbolt (04/30/2012): "The Amazing Race: Heat and Heart with Bopper and Mark"
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski at Reality TV World (04/30/2012): "Exclusive: "Bopper" Minton and Mark Jackson talk The Amazing Race"
Joyce Eng at TV Guide Online (04/30/2012): "Our Friendship Is Deeper Than Any Situation"
Catriona Wightman at Digital Spy (05/01/2012): "We gave everything we had"
Elimination Interviews at CBS.com (05/01/2012): "Elimination Interview: Mark and Bopper"
Daniel Fienberg at Hitfix.com (05/02/2012): "Team Kentucky talks about their reception back home and more"
Susan Gonzales at Yakkity Yaks (05/03/2012): "The Amazing Race: The Yak Chats with Mark Jackson and William 'Bopper' Minton"

Season 24[]

Rob Cesternino at RHAP (02/24/2014): "Talking with the Latest Eliminated Players from Amazing Race"
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski at Reality TV World (02/24/2014): "William 'Bopper' Minton talks The Amazing Race 24" [Parts 1 & 2
Daniel Fienberg at Hitfix.com (02/25/2014): "Bopper discusses his medical exit"
Joyce Eng at TV Guide Online (02/25/2014): "Withdrawal Was Heartbreaking"