What Is King of the Hammers?
King of the Hammers is a grueling off-road race meet, and the 2022 event featured some of the weirdest 4x4 mods ever.
Written by Alex Healey
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Table of Contents
King of the Hammers (KOH) is an annual off-road race in Johnson Valley, California. Combining desert racing and rock crawling, it's considered one of the most grueling races in the country.
During race week, thousands of off-road enthusiasts turn up in custom
SUVs
and trucks, often camping out in nearby Hammertown. And this tradition was alive and well at KOH2022, where some monstrous home-built rigs were on show.A brief history of King of the Hammers
The King of the Hammers was founded in 2007 by friends Jeff Knoll and Dave Cole. The inaugural race included 12 teams, known as the OG13, and no spectators. The OG13 are invited back to race each year, along with all past winners.
While the location—Means Dry Lake at Johnson Valley—remains the same, the event has now expanded to a series of five races, spread out over one week. More than 400 teams and 60,000 spectators take part.
A challenging combo of rock-crawling, desert racing, and other off-road disciplines, the race action is broadcast live on Ultra 4 Racing's website, though there are rumors of a move to network TV in 2023.
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Welcome to Hammertown
While the TV cameras focus on the racing, there’s lots to be seen away from the track. Fans are invited to camp just outside of the main event, and for the entire race week, this location becomes a pop-up village called Hammertown.
Hammertown has food vendors, retail stalls, and even live music, but the most exciting aspect is all of the crazy off-road vehicles that gather together.
Motor Trend
spent much of KOH2022 in Hammertown and documented some of the coolest mods they saw. Among the most notable off-roaders were a lifted RevCon motorhome, a 1962 International Scout, and an Austin-Healy 4x4!Regardless of how impressive your car is, you must have the right insurance. For the best deal, try using the
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