The Race of Kings: KOH Highlights

What is the worlds toughest one day race on the planet you ask? Well that would be Ultra4 Racing‘s Progressive King of the Hammers powered by Optima Batteries of course! The racers asked for it so Dave Cole made it happen with new trails and a new race course for the 2022 KOH.  Every racer that made it through the finish line also agreed.

Changing a desolate desert into a town is a huge feat but every year hammertown  becomes a huge destination for off-road enthusiasts. With an estimated 150k spectators, races, staff and ops, Hammertown  was bigger and badder this year. In fact we recently learned that over 200,000 wristbands were sold at the main gate!

So let’s take a perspective look at not being at KOH…from my bedroom….We were not able to attend in person this year so I made due with my warm bed, an ipad, MacBook Air and my phone. One ran the race tracker, one with the multi view premium channel and one with live view. I was also messaging people and racers that were there on the lake bed. The production team did a great job at trying to keep up with every aspect of the race. It’s a feat to try and  bring all this to you from a desert that has very little to no technology in the area. I think there are a few improvements that need to be made but it is great to be warm and watch the race from home. BUT….. not being there to race, co-drive or do my media coverage is very missed, just not the cold , the dust and the sickness that takes over after you leave.  This has been the biggest year by far for the KOH crew.

The one thing I was intrigued to see was the line up of professionals in the EV industry come in and talk about the future of racing and the EV that’s soon to come to our sport. For the last couple of years there has been one converted truck in the KOH race that is EV. Kyle Seggelin was the first last year to race his converted truck in the 4600 class EV.  We will talk more about this subject in another article.

This event continues to grow…and grow…and grow. Being there is like being at a live concert versus watching the concert on television…and while I missed smelling race fuel each day, the smell of hot coffee and breakfast each morning was ok too 🙂

UTV winners:

Pro Modified: Kyle Chaney

Stock: Brian Reid

Stock Turbo: RJ Anderson

Stock NA: Bailey Cole

Open: CJ Greaves

EMC Winners:

4500 MOD: John Mathews

4600 Stock: Vaughn Gittin

4800 Legends: Dan Fresh

EV: Kyle Seggelin

Race of Kings Winners:

4400: Raul Gomez

          Jason Scherer

          Josh Blyler

Photo Credit: Mary Byrnes

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