Ford has always been known for its F-Series pickup trucks boasting superior off-road capabilities. Through the years, the carmaker has been adding more and more models – especially SUVs – into its plethora of off-road vehicles. Thus, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Ford sponsors the Ultra4 Racing Series and the King of the Hammers off-road events.
King Of The Hammers
The ULTRA4 Racing Series is currently considered one of the most off-road focused events, with drivers competing in a wide variety of disciplines such as rock crawling, short course racing and endurance desert racing. It has around 13 races around the world, including the well-known King of the Hammers.
If you’re an extreme off-road race enthusiast, the King of the Hammers should sound familiar to you. It is considered one of the toughest off-road race events in world, combining high-speed racing with low-speed rock crawling. Taking place annually in February in Johnson Valley, California, the King of the Hammers serves as the final event for the ULTRA4 Racing Series races.
Rugged Off-Road Vehicle Partner
This year, the King of the Hammers race started on January 30 and will culminate on Feb. 8. More than 450 teams are taking part with their modified stock and extreme off-road vehicles. All of them have one goal – to become the undisputed King. The latest edition of the King of the Hammers is expected to attract 75,000 spectators on the site (the so-called Hammertown) with more than 1 million online viewers.
As the official vehicle partner of the King of the Hammers, Ford has created a big opportunity to show off its lineup of rugged off-road vehicles – including the F-150 Raptor, the Super Duty Tremor, and the upcoming Bronco 4X4 SUV. Ford will be adding a new small SUV into its off-road vehicle lineup soon.
Good PR Opportunity
Sponsoring this off-road race series is nothing new for Ford. Ford is the official truck and SUV partner of SCORE-International Off-Road Racing, which organizes the Baja 500, Baja 1000 and San Felipe 250 championships. That’s a great way to show how capable its off-road vehicles are!
Well, it was a bit humiliating for Ford when its Bronco R failed to even cross the finish line at the 2019 edition of the Baja 1000. It would have been a great PR for the carmaker’s upcoming SUV!
Source: Ford, King Of The Hammers via Facebook