‘Burning Man for rednecks’: inside King of the Hammers, the gnarliest off-road race of the yr

Yearly, tens of hundreds of individuals collect right here within the Mojave Desert with two targets: to see some unbelievable off-road racing and to lose their minds within the form of unbridled debauchery their moms all the time warned them about. 

King of the Hammers is usually described as “Burning Man for rednecks,” and whereas the drug of alternative is normally Coors Gentle and the automobiles are valued for efficiency slightly than inventive sensibilities, the outline works. This yr, practically 80,000 individuals got here to the tenting space on Means Dry Lake, drawn by the promise of buddies, gasoline, and two weeks of dirt-slinging, rock-spewing, mind-blowing racing.

Whereas some people are conversant in off-road races just like the Baja 1000 or the Dakar Rally, King of the Hammers is totally completely different. The rigs have to have the ability to conquer a high-speed desert part — normally meaning impartial entrance suspension and loads of horsepower — however in addition they must defy physics within the rock-crawling sections. A strong axle within the entrance and loads of torque is a necessity. 

The issue of the rock sections is known. Boulders the scale of a Mini Cooper are scattered all through a slender valley. Some are embedded within the floor, and others transfer if you put weight on them, which occurs usually. King of the Hammers opponents relish these rocks. They stay for them. The rocks are their cause for being.

Race automobiles can’t simply change their front-end suspension for every part, so it’s as much as the MacGyver-like minds of the fabricators to both make impartial entrance suspension work effectively within the rocks or engineer a strong entrance axle that may pace by way of the desert. 

I’ve been to King of the Hammers no less than 5 occasions — as a spectator, employees member, and this yr, as a competitor — however the thrill by no means diminishes. What began as a bunch of friends who put a case of beer on the road for the one who might run all of the extremely tough rock-crawler trails in in the future has morphed right into a two-week off-road racing extravaganza with bikes, desert automobiles, UTVs, and limitless rock crawlers with 40-inch tires and an abundance of horsepower.

Over 1,000 opponents take the inexperienced flag to battle a few of the hardest terrain in North America. Most will fail, however there’s honor to people who end and glory to people who win.

Nevertheless it’s not simply the racing, and albeit, it’s not simply the extracurricular occasions that occur across the Hammers. Yearly, I take away some key classes from KOH that I can apply in my on a regular basis life. It could be hokey, discovering inspiration in a two-week racing get together, however what can I say? I’m a sentimental gal.

The primary four-wheeled race passed off on the only-on-the-desert sections, and I’m proud to say that your humble creator took the inexperienced beginning flag in her lifted Miata named Buddy. I’ve raced loads out right here however all the time in a automobile that was constructed for the desert, not in a freaking Miata. Amid a sea of vans thrice my dimension, I piloted Buddy by way of tough and sandy sections alike. Did I believe I used to be going to die? Sure, a number of occasions. However I acquired Buddy across the monitor in a single piece to the slack-jawed amazement of multiple spectator. 

It was Christopher Polvoorde in a 1,000-horsepower Mason Motorsports AWD truck who ultimately ran the quickest race, ending about two hours sooner than I did. Whereas I didn’t win any trophies, Buddy the Off-Highway Miata definitely received the hearts of loads of off-road followers that day. 

Count on the sudden. That’s Hammers.

After a number of days of qualifying periods, the UTVs set off across the course, encountering each high-speed desert working and rock crawling. They usually needed to do it within the rain because of the atmospheric river that attacked California in February. Though Kyle Chaney made brief work of Johnson Valley, incomes his fourth first-place end within the occasion, third-place finisher Phil Blurton actually had fun.

“A mile into the race, I had my visor up, and we barrel-rolled the automobile, and I acquired a face stuffed with filth. We landed on all fours and by no means let off and stored going,” mentioned Blurton.

Persevere. That’s Hammers.

Subsequent up, the Each Man Problem, the place the self-funded grassroots groups get their probability to shine. This yr, Keith and Melissa Silva defied conference of their garage-built electrical rock crawler, a mixture of Chevrolet S-10 and Tesla Mannequin S. Final yr, they weren’t capable of full a full lap, however this yr, because of a greater battery administration system, they earned first place within the EV class. Positive, they had been a category of 1, and their lap was shorter than different lessons, however bringing a completely electrical rock crawler with 37-inch tires throughout the end line is an accomplishment, particularly when you think about that over 100 opponents weren’t capable of full the race. 

After I requested them why they torture themselves with the additional complexity of working an EV, Melissa replied, “How straightforward is it to place an LS motor in and do what everybody else is doing? No one is pushing the boundaries. Any person has to do it and I’d slightly or not it’s a single workforce.”

Whereas it was Randy Slawson who took prime spot on the rostrum within the Each Man Problem, regardless of having to drive 10 miles on two flat tires to achieve his workforce in his pits for assist, the Silvas took the crown for not taking the simple manner out.

Do it the arduous manner. That’s Hammers.

Lastly, the Race of Kings introduced the entire occasion to a detailed. That is the preferred race, with automobiles utterly limitless when it comes to energy, suspension, and tire dimension. When you can construct it, you may race it. Whereas it runs the identical course as the opposite races, these opponents should race the rock part twice. 

Out of 105 starters, solely 40 completed. One competitor misplaced their steering rack a mere 0.7 miles into the race. Two racers acquired tangled collectively when one tried to drive over the opposite. One other workforce was all set to win however misplaced their transmission mere miles earlier than the end line. In a feat of terrific driving and only a small quantity of luck, JP Gomez, who had began 99th, took the win.

Gomez took the trophy from his brother Raul, who received in 2022 and 2023. The brand new king teared up when speaking about his brothers on the end line. “We labored our asses off. Everybody within the Gomez Brothers Racing workforce and household — all of them earned this as a lot as I did.”

Household first. That’s Hammers.

Because the course is closed to racers, it’s opened to spectators. Many of the racecourse is on public land, which implies everybody has the best to entry it. And these spectators go arduous.

The largest get together goes down on Chocolate Thunder. Sure, that’s the identify of the path. I do know it seems like one thing a 12-year-old boy would say, however the fact is, the primary particular person to efficiently full a brand new path will get to call it. Some trails have been round for years and have names that make obscure sense like Outer Limits, Sledgehammer, or Wrecking Ball. These are phrases that conjure up photographs of actually tough rock trails. However then we get names like Chocolate Thunder. Or Her Drawback. Could I curiosity you in a journey on Backdoor? 

At any charge, each evening at Chocolate Thunder, lots of of spectators present as much as take a look at their garage-built rigs in opposition to the rocks. It’s a veritable site visitors jam with drivers making an attempt each driving line doable and a few which might be unimaginable. Drivelines are destroyed, hubs are sheared off, and engines routinely go growth. Of us set off fireworks, placed on laser exhibits, and sure, have a fistfight or two. When you flip your rig, you’ll get chastised by the gang, however people will all the time aid you recuperate. Whereas racers must run totally caged automobiles with five-point harnesses and put on the suitable security gear, nighttime at King of the Hammers is a free-for-all. It’s unbridled chaos.

My pal Michael Teo Van Runkle skilled the spectacle that’s Chocolate Thunder at evening for the primary time this yr. “It’s gnarly,” he instructed me. “Everyone seems to be wasted, everybody’s screaming. There are a number of side-by-sides with big speaker methods blasting early 2000s rap music and fashionable pop nation. Tires are blasting rocks into the gang and tearing up what will be the race course the following day.”

“In the meantime, the wind is blasting and there’s sand and smoke in every single place,” he continued. “The vans are spewing exhaust so that you’re hacking the entire time. My eyeballs had been coughing up grit and filth for 2 days however it was so price it…only a hard-core ragefest on the mountain with Mad Max apocalypse shit occurring. It was superior.”

Get together like there’s no tomorrow. That’s Hammers.

Whereas the get together rages on each evening on the path, these wanting one thing a bit extra staid, — and far more techy — can try the two-day Optima Unplugged occasion. For the second yr in a row, Optima Batteries had 67 electrified automobiles out to King of the Hammers for enjoyable path rides by way of Johnson Valley. Most members had been in Rivians, each the truck and SUV, however there have been additionally a number of Ford F-150 Lightnings, Toyota Tundra hybrids, and a Tesla Mannequin Y. To cost all of those EVs in the course of the desert, Renewable Improvements was alongside for the journey with its inexperienced hydrogen and solar-powered Cell Power Command models, offering the free use of 4 Degree 3 chargers and 10 Degree 2 chargers.

Beginner Dennis Wang got here out along with his red-wrapped Cybertruck for a superb introduction to wheeling within the filth.

“This was my first time off-roading, my first time at King of the Hammers– first time at every little thing,” he mentioned. “I didn’t know KOH was so huge and this EV factor was solely like a sliver of what was occurring. I used to be a bit anxious about off-roading however I discovered loads within the driver’s assembly and after the primary hour I used to be actually comfy. At first I used to be apprehensive about charging however having Renewable Improvements there with its off-grid system was fairly cool. My CCS adapter didn’t work, so I ran the entire day on one cost. I made it residence, although!”

There have been truly two Cybertrucks on the occasion, as Tesla aftermarket provider Unplugged Efficiency introduced out its personal Cybertruck with the intent to search out its limits — which ultimately took the type of a damaged rear tie rod. I used to be fortunate sufficient to get a fast drive in Elon Musk’s dream automobile and was stunned by the composed air suspension within the undulating whoops. I anticipated the entrance finish to get overwhelmed at speeds of 30 miles per hour or so, however it soaked up the hits no downside.

Ford Efficiency even introduced out its one-off Switchgear idea. The workforce took an F-150 Lightning and added longer-travel Fox shocks, beefier management arms, and 37-inch tires, after which let driver {and professional} fun-haver Vaughn Gittin Jr. unfastened behind the wheel. I used to be relegated to the passenger seat, however man, what a thrill journey. We drifted throughout the dry lake mattress, threw up rooster tails within the delicate sand, and customarily hooned like irresponsible youngsters. If you wish to get most vary out of your EV when on the filth, don’t let the fun-haver behind the wheel. Throughout our drive, we solely managed 0.5 miles / kWh, and it was price each minute of additional time at Renewable Improvements.

Be completely different. That’s Hammers.

Even in case you’re not at King of the Hammers, you may watch all of the motion on the streaming stay present. For 2 weeks, a few of the finest off-road racing content material on the earth is streamed from a distant lake mattress onto YouTube. There are three jumbotrons, two distant reporters, dozens of static cameras, and no fewer than 20 drones capturing all of the motion on the ultimate day of racing. 

“At first we used a DJI Encourage 1 drone,” mentioned operator Daniel Mayfield. “Now we have now these first-person view drones and we have now drone racers coming into cinematography. So we get flips and turns. We take the video feed out of their goggles and that’s what goes into the stay present.”

These first-person drones present an unbelievable view, stepping into some shut quarters with 6,000-pound race automobiles as they arrive into the end. The fliers can spin, flip, and in any other case carry out spectacular acrobatics, offering a view to these at residence like no different.

Whereas it’s fairly straightforward to ship the end line footage to the manufacturing trailer a number of ft away, the manufacturing crew makes use of drones out on the course, too, usually miles away. Prior to now, microwave dishes have been used to relay footage again to the manufacturing trailer. This yr, it was all carried out with Starlink. The video stream goes from the controller to a LiveU transmitter to a hardwired Starlink unit, though in addition they preserve a secondary Starlink on Wi-Fi as backup. The feed will get despatched to the manufacturing trailer the place the technical director can convey the drone feed out and in of the stay present as essential.

A number of static cameras courageous the terrain, driving their very own rigs over tough desert terrain to taking pictures spots, organising their Starlinks, and ready all day for the automobiles to come back by. They courageous the weather whereas the course is scorching, enduring every little thing from bitter winds and rain to the pounding solar. They usually do all of it for the shot.

The result’s 12 hours of uninterrupted protection, beamed out to the lots of of hundreds of race followers all over the world. Followers appear to love it as effectively, with one Perry P commenting on YouTube, “​It’s fairly superb that the KOH protection today is healthier high quality than Baja (1000) protection.”

At all times innovate. That’s Hammers.

Whereas your complete King of the Hammers group is dedicated to packing out what it packs in, some spectators should not fairly so respectful of our public lands. Each morning, volunteers head as much as Chocolate Thunder and Backdoor for a cleanup. They’re led by Tread Evenly, a nationwide group that promotes accountable off-roading, and the Sons of Smokey, a ragtag group of friends dedicated to the gathering and disposal of trash from public lands, and sponsored partially by Bronco Wild Fund.

These devoted volunteers are the true heroes of King of the Hammers. Over the 2 weeks of occasions, the morning cleanups netted 7,600 kilos of trash cleared off our public lands.

Including their very own twist to land stewardship was Unhealthy Strains, Good Instances and its King of the Canners effort. Armed with 21 empty 55-gallon gasoline drums with hooked up can crushers, the canners entered King of the Hammers on a mission: to gather and recycle as many aluminum cans as doable. The contraptions had been scattered round well-liked viewing spots in addition to the seller space referred to as Hammertown and emptied a few times a day. In the long run, they hauled 267 kilos of aluminum off the lake mattress. 

The group misplaced cash on the enterprise, as most cleanups normally do, however workforce member Elliot Strickler summed it up completely, “Doing nothing will not be an possibility.”

Do the best factor. That’s Hammers.

In fact, there are such a lot of extra tales to inform from the lake mattress. There was an invasion of old-school three-wheelers, a motorbike race the place bikes acquired flipped and riders went flying, a contest to check the mettle of groups’ pit crews, 33 inventory Volkswagen bugs began their race aspect by aspect and all of it went horribly unsuitable, a man whose automobile caught on fireplace in the course of the evening whereas he slept subsequent to it, and numerous different debacles and victories that I don’t even find out about. 

The racing at King of the Hammers is like no different. The place F1 cancels a race due to a manhole cowl and NASCAR throws a warning flag for an errant pebble on the monitor, the opponents at King of the Hammers are stopped by nothing. It’s the one occasion the place a part of your race technique would possibly simply be driving off a cliff.