With the approach of King of the Hammers (KOH) week starting on Friday, January 29 racing fans across the country are making their final preparations to visit Hammertown in Southern California. This event will give off road racing fans their first look at new drivers and cars, and the changes made to cars racing last season to be more competitive at races in the 2016 Ultra4 season.

We spoke to several teams about the requirements to be competitive in Ultra4 – from building a winning car, race car prep in the off season, selecting the best parts, recruiting the right team members, and how drivers prefer to prepare for a race.

Building a Competitive Car/Buggy

A competitive car in the Ultra4 4400 unlimited class has to have the best components to allow the driver to be successful. Frequent innovations in off-road racing parts means there is always something new that promises better reliability or performance. The design of the race car and proper selection of reliable performance components is critical to Ultra4 success.

Horsepower alone is not going to get you over the rocks, and the best shocks in the world are not going to help if you have problems with your transmission or transfer case. It’s the combination of these components working together that allows drivers to push the car to its limits throughout the entire race without failure.

These vehicles can hit speeds over 100 mph, but also can crawl through the rocks.

Experts like Gerald Lee of Savvy Off Road, have some very simple guidelines when selecting parts. “Whatever you use it must be reliable and easy to maintain. It has to be simple and a proven product for us to use,” Lee explained. This seems to be consistent with other teams as well, with proven reliability being a priority over chasing the latest fad or new part.

Ultra4 race cars can be built in an unlimited number of combinations using parts from many different companies. The lack of restrictions draws many racers to Ultra4 from other types of racing. The challenge of building the best car for this event inspires many sponsors and manufacturers to get involved to highlight how their products can help cars perform at their best.

Tony Pellegrino from GenRight Off-Road agrees, “Part of what I like about Ultra4 is that it is unlimited! Design and build what you think will win, then show up on race day and prove it.” You can see in the photographs accompanying this article that every car is unique. It is not the same car, engine, tires and parts in 50 different colors.

Ultra4 race courses are made up of a wide range of terrains. Vehicles must be able to handle all of them to come out on top.

Metal fabrication shops across the country provide drivers with custom-built chassis options to choose from. Most often the chassis is custom-built by the team and driver. The most important part of any race car is the experience and talent of the person sitting in the seat. The car must also have professional level components to allow the driver to be competitive. Here is a short list of the main components of an Ultra4 car, and what we commonly see teams using on the track today.

• Engine: Reliable 500-800 hp with 500-750 lb-ft of torque
• Transmission: Performance TH400
• Transfer Case: Advance Adapters Atlas 2
• Chassis: Typically stronger than required with DOM or 2-inch 4130 chromoly tubing
• Axles: Currie and Spidertrax axles
• Suspension Components and Shocks: King or Fox shocks
• Tires: Falken, BF Goodrich, Maxxis or Nitto tires typically: 38 or 40-inch
• Wheels: Walker Evans, KMC, Method, plenty of other choices
• Communication and GPS: Rugged Race Radios and Lowrance GPS
• Seats and Harnesses: PRP or Sparco formed seats, and Simpson harnesses
• Personal Protective Gear: Sparco firesuit, gloves, neck restraint and full face helmet
• Fuel Cell: Custom 30 to 40 gallons
• Forced Air System: Rugged’s Mac air pumper
• Lights: Huge variety of lights being used
• Winch: Warn

What ever driver and team what at the end of the day, to be atop the podium.

Building a Competitive Team

When we asked team managers about the structure of their team, and how it compares to the format we see in NASCAR or NHRA, the unanimous response was it does not compare at all.

Teams have someone completing the duties of; team manager, driver, crew chief, engine specialist, tire specialist, suspension specialist and general mechanic. However, these duties are typically divided among two to three key people, not six to eight specialists.

Each member on the team has to know the role of everyone else and work together to keep cars in the race. Many of the teams are comprised of family members, or people that have grown to become family over the years of recreational wheeling and competing in events together.

We not only see the teams working closely together during these events but we even see competitors sharing parts or tools to help each other get back out on the track. Drivers will often refer to 4×4 clubs across the country as being the heritage of the Ultra4 racing, where everyone helps to get through whatever the trail throws at them.

Other drivers will tell you that in order to be the best, you have to race the best and win. These drivers are willing to donate or loan parts to put their competition on the track just so they can show the world there is no one who can get through the course faster.

Things happen, and teams must be prepared for anything.

Race Car Preparation

For most teams, the start of the 2016 racing season begins as soon as the previous season ends. Teams start by cleaning and tearing their car down to inspect for wear and damaged components. Then, plans to rebuild the car are made; including discussions on whatever upgrades to the vehicle are planned for the next season.

Several team managers and drivers competing this year shared what they have their team doing to win. Below is a high level overview of the steps teams are using to ensure they are ready for the beating of KOH and the 2016 Ultra4 season ahead.

• Clean chassis and car with pressure washer
• Remove, inspect, clean, repair or replace all suspension components
• Inspect differential housing and bearings.
• Inspect, gears, axle shafts, and lockers
• Disassemble inspect and replace CV axle assembly
• Steering components inspected and replaced if needed
• Drain and replace all the fluids
• Disassemble and rebuild shocks
• Racing engine removed and inspected
• Inspect and all chassis bolts and replace all shock bolts
• Transmission and engine lines inspected, cleaned and/or replaced
• Braking system inspected (lines, fittings, master cylinders, rotors and pads)
• Hub assemblies removed, cleaned, inspected and/or replaced
• All filters replaced
• Remove safety components, clean and inspect (seats, safety belts, and safety devices)
• Replace any damaged body panels or skid plates

Drivers do whatever it takes to get to the finish line.

Powertrain components go out to be rebuilt and tested. The recurring theme of reliability appeared throughout the interviews and when you consider the obstacles and the courses these vehicles will compete on it is with good reason. Unlike many other forms of racing there is rarely a pit crew nearby when something fails and the car is in need of repairs.

There is no computer data being fed back to the crew chief displaying performance data. There is no camera coverage or GPS feed showing the pit crew where the race car stopped. Many times these drivers are alone and will have to make repairs themselves in the middle of nowhere in the dark, just to get the car moving and able to cross the finish line. Without the knowledge of every system and component of their car, this can be a very difficult if not impossible task.

Pre-Running the Course

The importance of knowing the course and being able to spend time on the track before an off road race is invaluable to drivers. Not only are they able to identify locations on the course where they can go fast, they can also note places where caution is required.

Courses like KOH in Southern California will draw drivers all year long to practice the technical sections in the rocks, and test their limits in the speed sections in the lake bed prior to the race. For most of the teams, this is the part of the race that brings the teams together.

Dirt flies in more than one way during these events.

When you speak to the veterans of this course like two-time KOH Champion Loren Healey, pre-running in preparation for a race is enjoyable because it “Kinda takes you back to the days of recreational wheeling just for fun.”

Pre-running just before a race is very different. Teams show up with their cars prepared and every part inspected and ready to race. Some drivers will take multiple hot laps through the course before the start of the race.

Top teams often limit their track time to one lap at 50 percent just to find the best path through the rocks, or the best speed to safely attack other technical sections. The risk of running the car at 100% prior to a race is not worth the reward. The preference is to be conservative pre-race and push the car to its limits when it counts, after the flag drops.

Some two-wheel action during an Ultra4 event last year.

Conclusion

We hope everyone has the chance to see one of the Ultra4 races occurring across the United States this season. Many of the drivers like Shannon Campbell, Loren Healey, Gary Ferravanti, Jason Scherer, Tom Wayes, Clay Gilstrap and Derek West are already legends in many forms of off road racing.

In addition, many young drivers have already made their mark in the sport, like Levi Shirley, winning the National Championship in 2015, and Wayland Campbell standing on the podium at the end of several races last year. With the start of the racing season in 2016, we are prepared to see the largest crowds ever at off-road racing events. Which event will you be at this year? Tell us in the comments below!