I Drove the Final Off-Roader: KOH Race Machine Expertise

King of the Hammers

Dave Cole, a long-time off-road racer, received the 2006 Rock Crawling World Championships. The subsequent 12 months, he began King of the Hammers. The occasion grew from 12 racers in 2007, to 52 racers in 2008, and 1,062 racers in 2023.

“Nice tenting get together with a race that breaks out.”

— Dave Cole

KOH consists of three weekends of racing. The primary weekend is for the motos, with over 200 bikes taking over the filth, sand, and large rocks discovered within the Johnson Valley OHV space. The second weekend of KOH is a brief course and wide-open desert racing. This weekend is the place the Trophy Vehicles shine.

The large present is the third weekend, the place the desert is mixed with the rocks and {custom} Ultra4 race vehicles of all sizes and shapes tackle the unforgiving terrain. Within the massive races, there might be over 170 autos. All in, there are over 500 groups that now compete at KOH annually.

Most races encompass three laps by means of programs that change annually. The secret’s that every lap goes by means of Hammertown, the short-term metropolis constructed in the course of the desert annually for the occasion. This enables racers to get wanted repairs — as no outdoors help is allowed when on target — and gasoline from their most important pit crews every lap, and for the 80,000-plus spectators on website to have a central place to get together and take within the racing motion.

Winners will end the ultimate race of the occasion, the Race of Kings, in round 6 hours. Others will hold transferring however not beat the 14-hour cutoff for the 240-ish mile course. However, the loopy factor is that the race has over a 70% attrition fee. Simply ending is a significant accomplishment!

Co-Dawg Seat in KOH Race Autos

Prerunner Journey

First up for my KOH race car expertise was getting some proper seat time in a variety of loopy off-road machines.

This began with a spirited journey in Dave Cole’s prerunner. It began life as a uncommon Ford Centurion and is now a full-blown street-legal race-ready machine. It took 4 years to construct, has 36 inches of rear suspension journey, seats 4 comfortably, and even has fridges as middle armrests for all passengers. To say this machine boogies is a gross understatement!

“Every thing we do is sizzling rod.”

— Dave Cole

Race UTV Journey

UTVs are available in many flavors, however the Desert Assassins Alsup racing-built Can-Am is a purpose-built machine for high-speed racing within the desert and within the rocks. It’s a small, nimble machine that provides spectacular speeds throughout the desert whereas nonetheless being robust sufficient to bounce by means of the rocks. I used to be impressed by the flexibility and sturdiness of this machine, and by how enjoyable it seemed to drive.

Whereas a inventory Can-Am of this type will set you again round $30,000, a completely constructed race machine like this one will are available in at over $150,000.

Attention-grabbing factoid: The Polaris RZR launched in 2007, the identical 12 months as King of the Hammers.

4800 Legends Journey

I additionally received to take pleasure in passenger seat time in some rock trails, together with the well-known Chocolate Thunder, in SoCalX‘s 4800 Legends class automotive. This Bomber Fabrication machine rolls on 37s and has single shocks at every nook — each are max for the foundations within the class. It additionally places out over 600 ponies from its LS V8 motor.

It’s a driver’s automotive, and proprietor Josh Sowell, whereas a rookie for 2024, has some apparent expertise behind the wheel. This machine far surpasses any sort of relatable 4×4 that you simply is perhaps conversant in. No, your constructed Jeep on 37s cannot do what this machine can, not within the rocks and never by means of the whoops within the desert at pace.

Ultra4 race autos like this Legends automotive are a fantastic choice to get into KOH racing, however even used don’t come low-cost. One thing like this may run you approach north of $100,000 used, even for a car with a number of race miles on it that wants some love.

6600 Spec Trophy Truck Journey

Trophy Vehicles are simply cool! These machines appear like a pickup from a distance, however being a truck is simply fiberglass pores and skin deep. They’re from the bottom up custom-built race machines designed to go insanely quick throughout the desert.

I received to journey in Lasernut Racing‘s 6100 Spec Trophy Truck with Rodney Stoye. This shiny machine is model new and hadn’t even been shock-tuned but. It nonetheless drove easily over tough desert terrain, together with 2-plus-foot deep whoops, at speeds over 80 mph.

Behind the Wheel of KOH Race Autos

Rockcrawler Drive

The primary drive for me at this occasion was a full-on rock crawler, referred to as a “Path Bomber.” This explicit machine is Dave Cole’s private toy. It’s tremendous easy and primary, but additionally tremendous succesful and actually enjoyable to drive. No, it’s not very fast or superb within the open desert, however it’s amazingly succesful and sturdy within the rocks.

4400 Limitless Class EV Drive

Subsequent up for me to get behind the wheel was the first-ever all-electric Limitless Class Ultra4 automotive. It’s the event automotive for a full Hypercraft drop-in EV powertrain for all these off-road race autos, which you’ll be seeing in tons extra autos quickly. Whereas the gearing isn’t actually sorted out but for high-speed runs within the desert — I maxed it out at 50 mph on the lakebed — it’s phenomenal within the rocks. The moment torque is tremendous straightforward to modulate.

This explicit chassis had a blown motor, which led to the EV powertrain swap. Some will say the Hemi to EV swap is heresy, however I see it as a step into the longer term. It was a large honor to get to pilot this machine up the Chocolate Thunder rock path a number of occasions, particularly as this chassis has been pushed by such automotive luminaries as Jessi Combs and Chris Harris.

4400 Limitless Class Drive

The crown jewel of my expertise with the KOH workforce in Johnson Valley was practically 2 hours behind the wheel of the SoCalX Motorsports Race Bomber 4400 automotive. Not solely did I get to drive it throughout the desert to the summit of the tallest mountain in Johnson Valley to soak up an epic sundown, however I additionally received the prospect to drive it up the notorious Claw Hammer rock path.

This beast has strong axles, a number of huge shocks at every nook, 40-inch tires, and a really wholesome LS V8 powertrain. The LSX motor gulps gasoline at about 3 mpg out of its 30-gallon gasoline cell. New, a car like this may set you again over a quarter-million {dollars}, however used examples could be had within the neighborhood of $150,000.

The SoCalX 4400 automotive will race in the primary occasion, the Race of Kings, this 12 months. 4400 is the highest class of racing at KOH and is a totally limitless class. This explicit automotive has received the occasion prior to now however is unlikely to win this 12 months. Will probably be pushed by rookie KOH driver Josh Sowell, and there are some tremendous loopy superior builds with greater motors, clever suspension, and IFS racing this 12 months.

I discovered this imply beast of a race automotive to be comparatively straightforward to drive. The largest factor that takes time to calibrate your mind to is the hydraulic steering, because it doesn’t auto middle and the steering wheel place has no relation to the route the entrance wheels are pointed.

Due to the fluid going by means of the system, you really should shuffle the wheel by means of your fingers to go in a straight line at pace throughout the open desert. Driving this machine easily and quick would take some critical apply! Mad respect for the KOH race drivers.

An enormous thanks has to exit to Martin Castro, the SoCalX co-driver, who not solely confirmed me what this car may do from behind the wheel however talked me by means of driving it from the passenger seat. His deep information and expertise made my studying curve a lot steeper than it might have been.

Expertise KOH for Your self

I’ve by no means been to King of the Hammers, however I’ve watched loads of spotlight reels and race protection on-line. I’m itching to go, nevertheless, and with a $50 early entry payment, or $100 on the gate, for 3 weeks of racing, tenting, and partying, it’s a price to not be missed. I hear there are even epic free concert events, with massive bands like Chic taking part in over the previous few years.

Should you can’t make it in individual, KOH has a livestream that’s top-notch. Whereas upward of 80,000 individuals converge on Hammertown yearly, one other 2 million plus tune in on-line to see the motion.

For this 12 months, racing begins on January 20 and ends Feb. 3.

A particular thanks should exit to Kahn Media for the invite, KOH for the hospitality, and SoCalX for the 4400 seat time.