Mopar will provide Hemi power for a new off-road spec class that debuts February 6 in the Everyman Challenge at the 2014 Griffin King of the Hammers (KOH). Currently six vehicles in the new 4700 Spec Class have been built, all running a Gen III 5.7-liter Hemi crate engine.

The Mopar crate engines require some modification to work in an off-road environment, such as flipping the intake manifold so that the air filter can be mounted in the cab.

Often considered the toughest 1-day off-road race in the world, the KOH is run over a 100-plus mile course near Johnson Valley, California, that includes open desert running as well as hardcore rock crawling. Only 27 of the 129 starters in last year’s race finished in the required time. Winning time was 7 hours, 28 minutes, but the course changes every year. Top finishers in the Everyman Challenge — which is run over much of the same course as the Hammers — will qualify for the main KOH race on February 7.

“We’re excited to supply Hemi engines to the newly formed spec class at King of The Hammers and put our quality products to the test in the toughest conditions,” says Pietro Gorlier, Mopar president and CEO. “The 5.7 crate engines we are providing are the off-road race version of the recently announced Scat Package performance upgrades for the Challenger and Charger. This event is in essence a proving ground for our engine, set-up, calibration and parts, as we don’t just design and produce quality parts, we want to test them in the field so that customers know that they are getting the very best available.”

The spec class features specially designed tube-frame, 2-seater chassis, front and rear solid axles, 4-link/coil-over-shock suspensions, hydraulic steering and large off-road tires.

“We’ve partnered with the best manufacturers in off-road, and this class required parts that could handle the demands of off-road racing and the brutality of The Hammers,” adds David Cole, executive director of ULTRA4 Racing Series. “Nobody knows off-road better than Jeep and Mopar, and we’re excited to have the Hemi powering the 4700 Spec Class.”

Started in 2007 as an invitation-only event with 12 teams, the KOH has grown to hosting more than 300 teams and drawing more than 35,000 spectators to the desert setting. A live Internet broadcast will be available this year at www.ultra4racing.com/live/.