A Desert Racing Feast for the Eyes
KOH insights from our motorsports photo maestros…
Words: Kyra Sacdalan
Photos: Logan Gallagher & Justin W. Coffey
You’ve read the race reports. Maybe you were there to witness the action firsthand. But for those who weren’t at the 2023 King of the Hammers extravaganza in Johnson Valley, or whomever wants a visual smorgasbord to remind them of good times, hard falls and the scent of a five-mile silt cloud, check out our Story in Photos…
Cool People, Rad Rigs and a Little Tech & Inspect
You might need competitors to have a race, but you need an audience to have an event. It’s the passionate, loyal and kookie ass people who come to the dusty desert in the middle of nowhere which makes King of the Hammers so great. Take a gander at the cars and characters who give this gathering some substance.
Ultra4’s King of the Hammers Toyo Tires Desert Challenge
“After three hours and 54 minutes of combating rocky, sandy and unforgiving terrain within the Johnson Valley OHV Area in southern California, King of the Hammers (KOH) first four-wheeled event came to an uproarious end. During the Prologue, there was no evidence of the wind. It was hot; the dust was oppressive; the visibility was little to none.
But at the race, the gales were howling, the air dry and cool and seeing was still tough, but for different reasons. Much of the competition, the course was fast. But in places like the rock garden just ahead of mile marker 75, winding down through a fanglomerate, boulder and cobblestone trail, there wasn’t a buggy or UTV that didn’t take caution as they navigated the steep sandy decline.” [Read the full story here.]
KOH Kids 170 Race
“After the Nitto Race of Kings qualifying and power hour, twenty-six young guns took to the condensed and reversed short course at the first-ever youth event at King of the Hammers. The fact that these kids don’t have drivers’ licenses didn’t stop them. Of course, many have parents competing in King of the Hammers competition as well, who either hyped up their kids or calmed their fears prior to the competition. As daylight faded to dusk, the young racers had to adapt to racing under the lights. Around 6:00 pm, the Kids 250 Modified class drivers piloted their single-seat machines around the course for the sight lap behind the pace car, then took off from a rolling start.” [Read the full story here.]
KOH Can-Am UTV Hammers Championship
“You can see the camel colored cloud hovering low above the earth revealing this makeshift city from miles away. That silty fog is a product of the dense collection of land vessels moving through a flat patch of desert, kicking up dirt all at once. Every year, King of the Hammers grows bigger, changing the environment that hosts it for several weeks. The atmosphere in Hammertown is otherworldly. A concoction of dust and exhaust replaces the air, and all we breathe for a solid week (or more)…is glory. They call it controlled chaos – mayhem disguised as structure, designated by yellow vests, orange flags, wooden posts and warning signs.
The early morning sun: that time of the day where the moon still glowed but the sky had already turned blue. Haze set the scene for the big show, which over 85 thousand people and counting had been waiting for: the Can-Am UTV Hammers Championship. Engines were already grumbling and roaring to life. One by one, side-by-sides lined up in anticipation of two laps of speed and agony, with the rock race through Chocolate Thunder as the undignified cherry on top. Many would fall victim to the many consequences of crawling for sport. Others wouldn’t even make it that far.” [Read the full story here.]
And It’s Time for the Champagne Bath!
