KOH 2022: What Does It Take To Get To The King Of The Hammers

What does it take to race the King Of The Hammers? For racers to make it to the event, first they have to make loads of preparations for themselves as well as prepare their vehicles. Mickey Thompson Tire backed racers started this process long ago and Rockstar Garage decided a behind-the-scenes look would be critically revealing at just how extensive KOH 2022 race prep really is.

From some of the best in the sport to the independent guys doing all of everything and thrashing through the night, this video provides an intense look at the various struggles and challenges each racer faces finding a path to the start line. Each racer describes in their own words what King Of The Hammers is really about, what it takes to get ready for the race, how their Mickey Thompson Baja Boss MT Tires give them a competitive edge, and what they think about their fellow racers.

KOH 2022 Racer Jordan Pellegrino 4400 Class #98

KOH 2022 Racers Behind The Scenes With Mickey Thompson Tires

This is a mostly new car. We made a lot of big changes to the suspension and the chassis design. I think we might have went overkill on the front-end suspension, but it should be just enough! We are a couple of short weeks away. It is gonna be a tough course with a lot of difficult trails. Everyone is getting better and the bar is constantly raising. You got to keep up or get out.

The Mickey Thompson Tires handle the desert, they handle the wheel spin, and they absolutely grab in the rocks. It is amazing what you can put these things through and they still look brand new.

KOH 2022 Racer Chris Paiva 4400 Class #906

KOH 2022 Racers Behind The Scenes With Mickey Thompson Tires

Up at North Shore Raceworks, we are about as far away from Hammertown as you can get it seems. We got about three weeks left to get this thing done and get out there. Right now, we are at the final wiring and plumbing stage. We are pretty much at the finish line and have to push it that last little bit. The hammer trails are the great equalizer, so we are doing our best to do our annual hammer prep making our car perfect. To say we have a 1,000 hours in labor pulling this apart and putting it back together is putting it lightly.

The Mickey Thompson Tires are really good grip wise really, good traction, and a phenomenal trail tire. They worked with us to develop the four ply sidewall and improved the durability a ton. It is right up there with the all the other competition tires.

KOH 2022 Racer Jeremy Jones 4800 Class #4837

KOH 2022 Racers Behind The Scenes With Mickey Thompson Tires

The faster you are in the desert, the better you are in the rocks. You want to make sure the car is desert tuned before you do anything. Once you get into the rocks, hopefully you can pick your way through without any trouble. We have been out running in the whoops sections of the course to make sure the car is controllable and dialed in. It is important to do your homework ahead of time. Know the course, and know your car. We have done everything we can to get ready. The car has been completely gone through. It is working very well and very fast. I think we are ready!

KOH 2022 Racers Behind The Scenes With Mickey Thompson Tires

You know how the Mickey Thompson Tires are going to corner. You know how it is gonna bite. I have had really good success with them. The side bite has incredible traction with these knobs. By far and away the Mickeys are the best tire I have raced on.

KOH 2022 Racer Shaun Rajski 4800 Class #866

KOH 2022 Racers Behind The Scenes With Mickey Thompson TiresWe are in the pain staking process fitting everything together and doing all the finish work. We have a complete roller but we have a lot more to get through. I just wanted to be an off-road race car driver ever since I was a little kid. King of the Hammers seemed like it was achievable for us.

When we made the change to the Mickey Thompson Tires it made a big difference. Especially in the rocks! The Baja Boss MT Tires handle good with that Power play side wall.

KOH 2022 Racers Behind The Scenes With Mickey Thompson Tires

Photo gallery

VIEW FULL GALLERY >

Article Sources

About the author

Micah Anderson

Micah is a 20 year authority in the off-road industry with extensive experience founded on marketing, events, and racing. Professionally skilled in all things creative, Micah is passionate about faith, freedom, and anything powered by adventure.
Read My Articles