HAMMERTOWN, Calif. – A desolate dry lakebed plays host to a legendary event where hundreds of racers, and nearly 100,000 spectators, return each year to construct a settlement of its own, host an abundance of festivities and events while bearing witness to crowning the King of the Hammers.
Set nearly an hour from any civilization, patrons, racers and staff alike battle the the elements without the common amenities similar racing events take for granted. Dirt roads line the one-way drive into Hammertown, an event in which Burning Man meets Woodstock, for gearheads.Â
Hammertown sits at the heart of King of the Hammers on the lakebed while the trails and race course run through the surrounding desert in all directions. After crossing under the main entrance to the lakebed, you’re engulfed into the sea of trailers and motorhomes camped in groups of familiarity.
With no electricity or running water, this bustling city comes to life once a year for 11 days and is centralized among the spectators. Hammertown houses vendor booths, food trucks and racer garages where fans can get an up close and personal chance to meet legends, kings and racers alike. At the center of Hammertown stands a large fire pit that fans gather around to stay warm and watch the live camera racing stream projected onto a large screen nearby.Â
SPEED SPORT will present its LIVE From coverage of the King of the Hammers this year, which includes a live stage show featuring SPEED SPORT’s Ralph Sheheen at the Hammer Town Stage. The stage show will feature live analysis, interviews and more. Click here for more information. SPEED SPORT’s broadcast coverage begins Wednesday with a live pre-show beginning at 7 p.m. PT. Click here to watch.
Fans are watch the live racing coverage as drones zip across the race course, around the vehicles and through the rocks in which they must conquer. Coined the toughest race on the planet, drivers from all disciplines and from all over the world descend on Johnson Valley for a chance to win the coveted King of the Hammers race.
With 11 days packed with events and festivities, there is something for everyone who comes.Â
To begin the weeks tasks, Limited vehicles and Class 11 fully stock Volkswagen Beetles battle around the off camber turns and clearing the tabletop jumps to slide into the finish, showcasing what a stock-styled vehicle can withstand. Later in the weeks, UTVs bring a faster ensemble to the desert as the growing field continues to expand, adding more competitors to chase down for a crown. The desert race, home to the buggy and trophy truck styled builds, rumble through the hills, throttling powerfully through the course. The events also include an Every Man Challenge, where any vehicle, any style, as long as it is four-wheel drive, can partake in the abusive task to rock climb through a rock quarry.Â
These events lead up to the race unlike any other, the cornerstone of the Hammers, the Race of Kings. Racers will climb, winch and thrash through the rock sections with the goal of not succumbing to the Kings Graveyard, where vehicles are eaten alive and unrecoverable until the next morning by helicopter.Â
With a finish rate of less than 50 percent, anyone can take the crown. In this race, it’s not always about who starts out front.Â
For in-depth coverage from King of the Hammers, visit www.DirtSportsWorld.com.