The King of the Hammers event is one of the roughest off-roading racing events in years. People travel to Means Dry Lake at Johnson Valley, California, annually to witness this savage, gritty event.
The place suddenly turns into "Hammertown" as it becomes a temporary city with streets, generators, and food stalls. Team garages are also present for final tuning on the competitors.
Sporting events have faced extraordinary unpredictability over the past year, but luckily, this beloved off-roading event will go on.
Let's take a closer look at what's in store for the 2021 event.
A Brief Background On King Of The Hammers
The first King of The Hammers started in 2007. It was supposed to be just a fun, friendly competition where a group of friends race through the desert off-roads.
Just like any lucky passion, the friendly game grew into one of the world's largest off-roading events. It has also put Johnson Valley, California, on the map for February of each year.
The first events started as kit-car offroad racing events before evolving into Ultra 4 off-road racing over the more rugged desert and rocky terrains. More vehicles such as quad bikes, dirt bikes, and even pickups have been added to the event.
Recent events have been more of a convention/competition of any off-road vehicle you can think of. Vehicles are categorized into classes, and the winners receive cash prizes.
Money isn't a major factor as some of the competitors probably have spent more on their vehicles than what they won with a cash prize. What really matters is off-roaders gathering in the desert to share this week-long spectacle.
King Of The Hammers Rules
For 2021, for any given race race, two competitors will start side-by-side before they compete to finish a 165-mile course in fewer than 14 hours. Two more vehicles will follow every thirty seconds.
Teams are required to go through seven checkpoints as they stay within one hundred feet of the centerline of the course. Only the racers are allowed to do repairs on-track, or they can have it done in the pit area.
If a competitor falls behind, there will be a last chance qualifier before the two-mile course. Only 35-50 teams will qualify for this stage.
What To Expect In King Of The Hammers This Year
King Of The Hammers require that every vehicle runs on four-wheel drive to be able to climb the rocky portion of the race.
This year will be more lenient as Ultra 4 Racing announced that the race will feature an unlimited desert truck class. There's not going to be any rock climbing this year, hence, a chance for non-four-wheel-drive vehicles to join.
King of the Hammers founder Dave Cole has said that the organization is ensuring that everything operates in a safe manner and follows the guidelines. Nonessential travel is heavily discouraged too.
This means Johnson Valley will be filled mostly with racers and pit crews than outside fans. There isn't an estimated number yet on how many will be attending this year's event.
According to Alan Johnson, the vice president of marketing and communications for Ultra4 Racing, less than 1,500 spectator tickets were pre-sold. Only 482 drivers were registered to compete. Add all essential attendees, and the number is expected to end up at around 1,920 more attendees.
What Else To Expect At The 2021 King Of The Hammers
There will be a ton of safety precautions since the coronavirus is still around in 2021. Ultra 4 worked closely with governing bodies such as the San Bernardino County, the Bureau of Land Management, and other government agencies.
Competitors and spectators alike will be tested under necessary safety precautions. Eighty percent of attendees will also be tested prior to make sure that the partial headcount will turn out with negative test results.
Expect strict guidelines in Hammertown once the festivities kick-off since access to the 2021 KOTH event will have pre-event COVID-19 testing for admission. It will mean having to bring sanitary materials and wear face coverings.
Temperatures will be checked upon entry into Hammertown. Nobody will be exempt regardless of gate attendance. Drivers, co-drivers, staff, media, and vendors are expected to undergo the same checks.
Will The Event Be A Success?
Each year, competitors have put their custom four-wheelers through an ultimate torture fest to find out who's king. Those who will be attending the event will ultimately be able to enjoy the same show as in previous years.
Nobody feels sorry for all those chewed-up driveshafts and sheet metal flying all over the California desert. It's the fun and thrill of the event that people are after. All of this to name who indeed is the King of the Hammers.
Josh Blyler took home the crown last year. This year will see tougher and diverse competition as Ultra 4 has opened up an unlimited desert truck class.
King of the Hammers is still going to be the "toughest" one in the world in 2021. No pandemic precautions can take away the adrenaline from this event.
Since the event already has pre-estimated numbers, Ultra 4 has surely made the necessary adjustments that will limit the loss of fans. Still, we hope that the ratio of success from previous years can still be replicated.
Who wins the crown in 2021 will still be the most important thing to determine. The clock is ticking down by the second to the beginning of the King of the Hammers 2021.