Last week in Johnson Valley, California, the 18th annual King of the Hammers Ultra4 off-road races took place. Ford came to the event ready to defend last year’s unprecedented podium sweep of the 4600 stock class Every Man Challenge, and ended up doing just that, taking the first, second, and third place titles.
The King of the Hammers races mark the beginning of the Ultra4 Off-Road Racing season and are widely considered one of the toughest one-day off-road racing series in the country. It’s a great opportunity for automakers and drivers alike to showcase their prowess, displaying off-road technology and expert driving skills over a wide range of challenging courses, including 90-mile high-speed runs across desert sands and rock crawling over intense terrain. Millions come together to witness the event both in person and online, and this year the Bronco came ready to dominate.
“From the Baja 1000 to Best In The Desert, off-road racing is just as much part of Ford’s DNA as track, endurance and rally competition,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “King of the Hammers inspires us to ensure every Bronco delivers the capability, durability and high-speed off-road experience our customers expect on the trail, and it led directly to Bronco Raptor, the world’s first Ultra4-inspired SUV.”
Three separate teams took titles for Ford this year in the Every Man Challenge. Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Loren Healy came in first, driving the No. 2567 Bronco 4600, while brother duo Brad and Roger Lovell took a narrow second in the No. 4621 Bronco 4600, and were the pacesetters in class qualifying. Bailey Cole took third place in the No. 13 Bronco 4600.
This year marked Ford’s third time partnering with King of the Hammers, further establishing Ford’s importance in the off-roading world. “Having Ford as both our official vehicle and a proven competitor in the Every Man Challenge and Race of Kings is as meaningful to our fans as it is to watch racing,” said David Cole, president, Hammerking Productions/Ultra4 Racing.
Ford holds the prestigious position as both the official truck and the official SUV of the King of the Hammers races, as well as being the official vehicle of Best in the Desert and the official truck and SUV of SCORE International Off-Road Racing, which hosts the Baja 500, Baja 1000 and San Felipe 250 championships. Between these titles, plenty of impressive wins like this year’s King of the Hammers sweeps, and more, it’s no surprise that Ford is such a staple of the off-roading world. If you’re interested in learning more about the Ford Bronco, you can check out our website at Brian Hoskins Ford for more information!