Johnson Valley Off Highway Recreation area - where mere mortals can become legends! | Considered the toughest one-day off-road race in the world, the King of the Hammers is the largest off-road race event in North America in terms of both competitors and spectators. In its 11th year, this world renowned event shows no signs of stopping any time soon. This year 300 plus race teams along with close to 40,000 spectators converged on the Means Dry Lake Bed at Johnson Valley Off Highway Vehicle Area in Lucerne Valley, California, from February 3rd to the 11th, featuring desert racing at its very best.During the week long extravaganza put on by Hammerking Productions, racers competed on motorcycles, side by sides, stock and modified four wheel drive vehicles, in races like the King of the Motos, the VisionX Shootout, the Can-Am UTV race, or even the SmittyBilt Every Man Challenge. Finally, the week long event culminates Friday in the crown jewel of the desert, The 2017 Nitto Tires King of the Hammers powered by OPTIMA. Behind the wheel of an Ultra4 vehicle, the drivers, co-drivers, and race teams are put to the test with these highly modified beasts capable of reaching well over one hundred miles an hour in the open desert section of the almost 175 mile course. 
K&N brand ambassadors Jami Pellegrino, racing UTV with younger brother Jordan, competing in EMC | Additionally these vehicles must be more than capable of handling the boulder laden rock crawling terrain of trails like Backdoor, Jackhammer and Chocolate Thunder, using every bit of the driver's technical skill and testing the structural integrity of every component on the Ultra4. The King of the Hammers is not just a race that requires the driver to be the fastest. No, it's a race that requires thoughtful process. It requires impeccable communication between driver, co-driver, and the rest of the team. It requires mental acuity, focus, and determination. It requires that every individual on the race team be physically fit and capable of thriving in a brutal environment. It requires strength of man or woman and strength of materials. Hammerking Productions, the brainchild of Dave Cole and Jeff Knoll, the founders of The King of the Hammers, has been putting on Ultra4 Racing Series events since 2007 with races in Texas, Nevada, Oklahoma, Indiana, Kentucky, and California. What started out as an idea sketched out on a bar napkin at a Chili's in San Bernardino, California, has taken a hold of the Off-Road industry's consciousness. Having morphed from a twelve team race for beers and bragging rights the King of the Hammers has turned into a bit of a phenomenon. This year the King of the Motos was crowned after three races: the night race, the fast desert terrain race, and a course designed to be the toughest competitors had ever seen out here at Johnson Valley. Next up we had the Can-Am King of the Hammers UTV Race, where over 90 side by sides hashed it out on the same brutal course we saw the competitors from the SmittyBilt Every Man Challenge and the Ultra4 Class challengers in the King of the Hammers compete. 
Staged at sunset on Saturday night, the start of the King of the Motos night race | For the off-road or jeeping enthusiast this event is bucket list worthy. Not only do you have a chance to witness some of the most incredible desert racing, you'll likely be rubbing elbows at the fire pit or jumbotron with K&N team driver Vaughn Gittin Jr. and any one of the three K&N brand ambassador's: Jami, Jordan, or Tony Pellegrino, from Team Genright. There are dozens and dozens of vendors on hand to help the weekend warrior or diehard builder with everything from light bars to suspension modifications. Nationally recognized brands like K&N, Lazerstar, Fox, and GenRight, to Wilwood Disc Brakes, Falken Tires, and of course Optima Batteries, all ready to assist with getting your race ride ready for the Hammers! So why do they, the racers, teams and families, do it? What is it about this race that attracts the not so average competitor? Bragging rights? Many of the original group of competitors that started on this odyssey simply wanted to be crowned the King! Many are pursuing and building business opportunities in the off-road industry, while others, still, look at this as their Mount Everest. Their opportunity to push themselves beyond the ordinary into a realm that challenges them in every way just to finish the race. An exploration in self and what they are capable of. 
King of the Motos, 2017, "extreme" segment, part of the new Motos format | During this week long extravaganza there was no doubt you’d be able to find something to keep you occupied. King of the Motos, the ultimate 2 wheel challenge, started Saturday at sunset and finished up late Sunday afternoon. Part of the King of the Hammers for the past four years, it’s safe to say that there has never been a KOM quite like this in years past. With an all new format the event featured three moto segments, a night race, a desert race, and an extreme race, as opposed to just the one race preceded by qualifiers. The riders finishing positions were then tallied and the rider with the lowest combined score was crowned the King of the Motos.The night race that staged at sunset had Red Bull KTM’s Taylor Robert as the early leader nudging out his teammate Cody Webb for the win. Rockstar Husqvarna’s Colton Haaker took 3rd. Beta’s Max Gerston took 4th followed by Mitch Carvolth in 5th. 
The 2017 Smittybuilt Every Man Challenge winners | On Sunday the second race, the “fast” desert race, boasted a gnarly start, with its two-track desert trail, sand washes, and a sprint across the lake bed. After all was said and done Cody Webb took first with Max Gerston in second and Colton Haaker took 3rd. Mitch Carvolth finished fourth and Gas Gas rider Noah Kepple came in right behind him in 5th.Race three was where the “extreme” part of extreme enduro came in. Course highlights included an 80-degree downhill (that amateurs were encouraged to walk their bike down) and “Resolution” canyon, a crevice between two rocks that no motorcycle was ever intended to fit through! Colton Haaker took first, Max Gerston second, and Mitch Carvolth third. Brothers Trystan and Wyatt Hart rounded out the top 5. After all scores were combined, the final top 5 pros were Colton Haaker, Max Gerston, Mitch Carvolth, Noah Kepple, and Trystan Hart. This was Haaker’s second KOM win. The honor of top amateur rider went to Evan Ask, a Montana native who is new to extreme motos. As top amateur he’ll receive a free entry to the pro class next year and intends to make the most of it! While there was no official women’s class, there were four women tough enough to compete. Melissa Harten who rode with boyfriend/teammate, Steve Foord, Beta’s Morgan Tanke who came in 16th amateur and fastest woman, Rachel Gutish who finished 22nd amateur overall, and newcomer Kate Schade who finished 60th amateur. 
Jessi Combs in her SAVVY Off Road Ultra4 Unlimited Class coming down on some trail traffic | On Monday night, we headed over to Backdoor for this year’s Vision X Shootout. Think drag racing up an insane, boulder filled trail, at night. Teams fought through the night for the fastest course time and their shot at the $7,500 prize money. As one of the most popular events during KOH week, thousands of spectators lined the sides of the canyon to watch an epic display of guts and power! 45 racers competed this year, but the win went to newcomer Kyle Crouch setting a new course record of 22.008, besting the 2015 record holder, Bobby Tanner, by tenths of a second. To the driver who puts on the best show goes an award of $2,500. Guy Miller, the clear crowd favorite, with his epic showing of rock crawling for the win! Spectators could catch a glimpse of qualifying throughout the week from the main pit, Chocolate Thunder, and Backdoor just to name a few of the popular spots. On Tuesday and Wednesday, spectators could head over to main pit from 4:00 to 5:00 to watch some last chance qualifying from the 4400 and 4500 class on the short course. On Wednesday, spectators were treated to the Can Am KOH UTV race presented by RCV. Some familiar faces led the race from start to finish. Shannon Campbell came in first, with son Wayland Campbell coming in second. Jon Crowley crossed the finish line in third with Erik Miller on his heels in fourth. Casie Currie rounded out the top 5 for the Can-Am KOH UTV race. 
King of the Hammers Ultra4 Unlimited Class staging. Who will be crowned your King? | The 2017 SmittyBilt Every Man Challenge is comprised of four classes, 4800 Legends Class, 4500 Rubicon Express Modified Class, 4600 Pro Comp Stock Class and 4700 Spec Class - Western Series Only. The leaders for Thursday’s race overall included in 4800 Class Brad Lovell in first with Jason Fish coming in second. From 4500 Class Jordan Pellegrino crossed the finish line 1st in his class and Marty Mann crossed second. However, with official, adjusted timing, Pellegrino came in 1 minute and 26 seconds behind Marty Mann, bumping K&N brand ambassador Jordan Pellegrino to second place, with a fourth place finish overall for the EMC. Jason Bunch rounded out the top 5 overall for the SmittyBilt Every Man Challenge.Friday morning saw 124 Unlimited Class Ultra4 4400 cars pre-staged in the pits along the vendor aisles. Heading to the 2017 Nitto King of the Hammers Powered by Optima Batteries start line two by two we had a chance to be up close and personal as these desert warriors got the green flag. The air was thick with the scent of race fuel as these beasts launched off the line. After a day filled with traffic and carnage through the trails and fighting with an uncooperative tire on the last leg of the race, Shannon Campbell would cross the finish line on four wheels but only three tires! He lost his left front tire somewhere between Backdoor and the short course, but still managed to cross the finish line just thirty seconds behind son Wayland Campbell. However, with adjusted, official time, Shannon Campbell would bump his son to second place, making Campbell a 3x King at the Hammers. Jason Scherer took third place with Erik Miller coming in fourth just ahead of JP Gomez who rounded out the top 5. 
The King of the Hammers Experience with GenRight Off Road on Saturday morning after awards | Finally on Saturday you could take in the awards ceremony at the jumbotron or maybe if you hadn’t had your fill of Johnson Valley, the Hammers and the trails, you could participate in "KOH: The Experience" with GenRight and Axial R/C Trail Run. K&N brand ambassador and KOH front runner, Tony Pellegrino, along with a few other Ultra4 racers donned headsets and radios and took 100 Jeeps and their drivers out on course to experience the trails and the race line first hand. With stops at trails like Chocolate Thunder and Backdoor enthusiasts got tips on how to conquer the trails like a pro! |
