King of the Hammers 2024

Introduction

Every year, the desert picks its winners. King of the Hammers 2024 didn’t just bring the heat - it brought a new level of grit, strategy, and straight-up survival.

Held far out in the Mojave, KOH isn't another race. It's proving grounds for builders, drivers, and teams who won't settle for anything but a win. Anyone can enter. Few leave at the top. That's what makes it the most unpredictable off-road race - and most respected.

This year’s competition delivered chaos, comebacks, and one of the most dramatic victories in recent memory. For anyone who calls the off-road world home, KOH 2024 was unmissable.

King of the Hammers Event Overview

King of the Hammers 2024 ran from January 18 through February 3, two weeks of brutal racing in the unforgiving environment of Johnson Valley, California. The early arrivals came prepared to tune in their setups, and before green flags could drop, the lakebed had become more than a race event - something akin to a movement.

The grid populated rapidly: UTVs kicked things off, followed by the Every Man Challenge, and topped off by the headliner - 4400 Unlimited, or the Race of Kings. Fans filled the course from early morning until well into the night, with many camping out for days simply to catch a glimpse of activity from the most demanding rock roads in the world.

At its center was Hammertown. A dusty, desolate basin a few years prior, it was transformed into a pop-up city full of pit crews, fabricators, vendors, and thousands of onlookers. Not only was it the logistics center—it was the cultural nucleus of the event. Tech tents coexisted with taco trucks. Race cars coexisted with off-grid RVs. You can be talking gear ratios with a builder and trading firewood with a Colorado family the next minute.

Whether you came to race or just soak it all in, KOH 2024 delivered something real—dust, adrenaline, and a deep sense of community you won’t find anywhere else.

KOH Race Results and Highlights

4400 Unlimited Class – Race of Kings

Starting 99th and finishing first isn’t just rare—it’s unheard of. JP Gomez pulled it off.

In one of the wildest turnarounds KOH has ever seen, Gomez fought past nearly a hundred years' worth of competitors to claim the 4400 throne with a time of 6:27:44.737. He was close all the way through, gaining spots on open desert expanses and never giving an inch through the boulders. The final stage had the lead in his pocket— and he held it.

Brett Harrell locked in second place at 6:52:01.731, delivering a consistent run across every obstacle. He stayed clean, stayed fast, and kept the leaders in sight the entire race.

John Webb placed third in 7:05:11.531. His equipment got beat up in the process, but he never dipped in speed. That kind of recovery from technical delays is a measure of genuine racecraft—when to go hard, when to save the car, and how to maintain the pace regardless of what the trail tosses your way.

The 4400 class, again, did justice to the name Race of Kings. Each and every second counted. Each inch was important. And the winner wasn't the pole sitter—it was the one who refused to give up chasing.

Every Man Challenge (EMC)

The EMC never feels like a “support” race. It’s where future champions are built.

Duane Garretson brought the 4500 Modified Class across the finish line after piloting the rock portions carefully and the open portions with sufficient speed to discourage challengers. It wasn't glamorous—it was hard, intelligent, and consistent.

Bailey Cole took the win in the 4600 Stock Class, proving that moneybags aren't needed to be a player at KOH. His truck made it through and everyone else didn't, and his driving never wavered when the going got tough. It's a class for the hardcore, and Cole showed us what discipline on race day really is.

Veteran podium getter Randy Slawson won the 4800 Legends Class. Far more experienced with this track than almost anyone, Randy made it look easy. Ideal lines, minimal downtime, and savvy pacing added up to a class-record performance.

Across all EMC classes, the story was the same - built-not-bought rigs battling it out with everything they had. For many, just finishing the course felt like a win.

UTV Hammers Championship

The UTVs fought back in 2024 with factory-backed teams and veteran drivers pushing the limits of what these machines could accomplish. The course didn't offer them any quarter either - deep sand, technical rocks, and line choice that left little to the imagination.

Though overall results were class-dependent, the winners showed just how far the sport of UTV racing has come. Those speeds were comparable to the bigger classes in the desert conditions, and the way the UTVs managed through the rock climbs proved to be an outright advantage where everyone else bogged down.

Lap times were all about smart driving and pit strategy, and the leaders were able to accomplish it. With better suspensions, strong drivetrains, and seasoned drivers behind the wheel, the UTV class was as competitive as it had ever been.

KOH 2024 marked another big step forward for these machines—and it’s clear they’re not just a trend. They're a permanent fixture on the lakebed.

Course Details and Challenges

Terrain Overview

There is nothing forgiving about the King of the Hammers course. It's a ruthless mix of high-speed desert racing and low-gear, tire-shredding rock crawling - all requiring expert rock crawling and off road racing training. No other event demands as much balance of all-out speed and precise technical driving. That's what breaks cars - and drivers.

Long expanses of desert force rigs to churn along at top speeds while taking unyielding chatter. Just when the drivers are starting to get a rhythm going, the track forces them to run a jagged canyon or upside-down wall. It's not making it through one and only one; it's making it through all, one right after another, without tumbling off the mental cliff.

Course Layout

For 2024, new challenges were introduced and familiar routes were altered, so even returning drivers had to rethink their approach. Names like Jackhammer, Sledgehammer, and Chocolate Thunder aren't just easy to remember—they're infamous. Those sections chew up axles, tear suspension links off, and flip rigs onto their kids every year.

A new obstacle in the 2024 course introduced a wash run of high speed that doubled up two rock loops. It compelled strategy changes on numerous teams—calling for teams to re-evaluate suspension tuning and fuel management. Getting the wrong set-up took time. And, in KOH, minutes counted.

Navigation was also a significant factor. Even the experienced ones got their turns wrong or took terrible lines through the rocks and lost precious ground. Teams who laid out the course, pre-ran it slowly, and were flexible in approach did best.

Spectator Experience

Attendance and Atmosphere

Hammertown came alive after the first rig made it through. Thousands of fans, families, overlanders, and racers who just showed up to watch made the journey out to Johnson Valley. The crowd flowed out during rush hour, packed deep into the hills, congested around trail sections like Backdoor and Resolution. It was estimated that in the six figures, people attended.

The vibe? All-in. Fire pits smoldered long into the evening, radios popped with race broadcasts, and fans walked miles to claim a viewing spot. Either you were at the racing, the camaraderie, or just the pandemonium for it, but you found your people in haste.

Viewing Areas

Some of the best action was at Chocolate Thunder, where supporters packed the surrounding boulders and hillsides. Backdoor delivered its world-famous rollovers and recoveries, and the new desert portion gave high-speed riders a wide-open throttle fix.

Want a front-row view next year? Show up early, bring a radio, and stake out your space before the sun hits the valley floor. And if you’re walking out to remote spots, wear boots with real tread—some of those trails aren’t kind to your ankles.

Amenities in Hammertown

Hammertown wasn’t just for racers. Vendors lined the makeshift grid, offering everything from fabrication tools and LED lighting kits to off-road apparel, trail snacks, and coffee. Food trucks served up BBQ, breakfast burritos, and enough caffeine to keep fans wired all day.

Portable restrooms, water fill stations, and first aid tents were easy to find. And with more signage and support this year, moving around the massive compound got a little easier—even for first-timers. Hammertown become more than a race hub—it’s a full-on off-road culture experience.