Johnson Valley, California (February 7, 2008) – Johnson Valley OHV Area will be home to the first of its kind, a Rock-Sports marathon event entitled, “King of the Hammers,” held in the Southern California rock canyons that some argue gave birth to the rock crawling industry over ten years ago. The event will not only be held within the well known Hammers at Johnson Valley, but will span into a large area of the California desert adjacent to the rock garden.
HammerKing Productions, Inc., working in association with Crawl Magazine, W.E. ROCK Inc, DIRTnewz.com, Pirate 4x4.com, RaceDezert.com, and Totally Off-road Radio have teamed up to present a completely new form of off-road racing that includes rock crawling, rock racing and traditional desert racing, all mixed into one race.
After 10 years, Rock-Sports has a premier event, with many of the nation’s top teams building cars specifically for this race. A host of event coverage begins on Thursday, February 21, 2008 with a Media Day in which drivers, sponsors, and race staff will discuss the race and strategy for survival.
King of the Hammers starts Friday morning February 22, 2008 with an early morning Pirate4x4/DIRTnewz live play-by-play webcast direct from the start line along with a host of other web-based media.
The 50-mile course will combine the technical aspects of rock crawling with the inherent challenges of desert racing. Designed as a made for media event, the race will be broadcasted live on the nation’s top off road racing websites.
In an unprecedented move, Pirate4x4.com and DIRTnewz.com, the leaders in web-based off road coverage, will team together and offer six facets of multimedia event coverage beginning on Monday, February 18th, four days prior to the kick off of the race.
"We are extremely excited that so many industry leaders are teaming together in order to bring the race action to computer screens across the world,” commented Jeff Knoll of HammerKing Productions, Inc.
The course will feature all aspects of open desert racing, but will add in the slower and technical crawling section, which require experience and equipment well versed in climbing big ledges and traversing insane obstacles that rock crawling is well known for.
King of the Hammers pits the top teams in rock crawling and rock racing from the W.E. ROCK and XRRA Series against hard core trail runners, desert racers, a CORR driver and even an extreme skier.
Using part of the Mojave Desert’s Lucerne Valley desert race course, as well as a dozen of the famous Hammer trails in Johnson Valley, the invite-only racers will have to balance the needs of rock crawling with the ability to drive fast. The expected finishing time for the winning team will be about 4 hours with a cut off time of 10 hours.
HammerKing Productions, Inc. has partnered with multiple media outlets in order to bring the action to fans worldwide live from the event site. The electronic age now allows for grass roots racing action to be webcast virtually instantly without using expensive television production companies.
A host of the nation’s top off road magazine editors will be in attendance providing the print world with the best-of-the-best in editorial print coverage.
King of the Hammers is not a spectator event insofar as allowing a onsite contingency of spectators. Drivers will spend the majority of the course time in narrow canyons with little access to fans and spectators. Each team will carry the majority of spare parts and equipment with them as the difficult terrain will not allow chase teams access as in traditional desert racing.
Crawl Magazine has committed to create an extensive editorial and photographic feature depicting the race, as well as dedicating the cover of their magazine to the winner of King of the Hammers.
In addition to the web-based and print media, Spike TV’s “Extreme 4x4 TV” will feature the race in an upcoming episode.
HammerKing Productions, Inc. is supported by many of the industry’s great companies. Without their support, the daunting task of promoting the next level of Rock-Sports to the public would be difficult. Please take the time to visit with our supporters. They include: 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers, QA1, TrailReady, Longfield, Interco Tire Corporation, PRP Racing Seats, Race Line Wheel, Tool Chassis and Maxxis Tires.
Invited drivers for King of the Hammers are the following:
Bart, Dixon
Becca, Webster
Brad, Lovell
Brandon, Johnson
Brett, Porter
Brian, Ellinger
Carey, Stiener
Casey, Currie
Chris, Gieger
Craig , Thompson
Dean, Bulloch
Derek, Trent
Doug, Bigalow
Drew, Burroughs
Drew, Goldie
Garry, Hall
Glenn, Bonner
Hobie, Smith
Ian, Plaine
Jack, Adams
Jack, Graef
Jeff, Mello
Jermey, Tooney
Jochiam, Schweisow
Jody, Everding
John, James
John, Reynolds
JT, Taylor
Kevin, Yoder
Larry, Gibson
Larry, Trim
Luke, Bagley
Matt Peterson
Nicole Johnson
Cameron Steele
Pete, Norris
Peter, Wells
Cotton, Rodd
Randy, Slauson
Rick, Dermo
Rick, Mooneyham
RJ, Brown
Rob, Booney
Rob, Park
Robert, Luciaro
Rusty, Bray
Scott, Ellinger
Shane, Henry
Shannon, Cambell
Tim, Florian
Tom, Wayes
Tracy, Jordan
Weston, Blackie
