A dense cloud of dust stretched over Means Dry Lake. The nearby mountains were nothing more than dim silhouettes beyond the fog-like haze. The fifth annual Griffin King of the Hammers race was just minutes from starting, and the anticipation of nearly 25,000 spectators had reached its peak. Near the starting line, things appeared well-organized, with barriers separating race fans from the active area. Clans of photographers in fluorescent green safety vests were hustling back and forth between cars, searching for that-last minute scoop on which teams were most poised for the win. The morning air was a chilly mixture of spent race gas and dust plumes stirred up by a pair of hovering helicopters. The sound of 40,000 horsepower serenaded our ears as the engines of 100 competitor vehicles danced chaotically throughout rpm bands.
In staging, the teams were arranged into groups of two, set to battle for position at the drop of the green flag. Since the race’s inception, spectators have flocked to watch the drag race-style start, and this year was no exception. When the first pair of cars left the line, everyone’s adrenalin began to rush, and an epic battle between man, machine and the surrounding desert landscape erupted in biblical proportions. King of the Hammers was under way, and our staff was there to capture the action.
TTC Winner Goes to KOH
One of the perks of winning the Buggy Class at Top Truck Challenge 2010 (Dec. ’10) was an invitation to compete at King of the Hammers. Buggy Class winner Mike Karwath, made the long trek from his home in Union, Kentucky, to Johnson Valley to give KOH a whirl. This time around, he left his TTC-winning YJ buggy at home and ran a custom rig built by his friend and co-driver, Kirby Kirby. He noted that the weight and gearing of his YJ buggy wasn’t KOH-friendly, but Kirby’s custom buggy was built specifically for Johnson Valley. It featured a tube chassis, LS1 V-8 engine, NV4500 transmission, Atlas transfer case, Dana 60 front axle, 14-bolt rear axle, and 43-inch Interco tires. Karwath started in the 66th position, and by the end of the first lap was sitting in a respectable 45th position even after suffering clutch failure due to fluid loss. The fluid, and a faulty helmet radio, were replaced at the first pit. Unfortunately, things didn’t go so well on the second lap. At the Backdoor obstacle, the rear locker and the pulley on the power steering broke. Karwath and Kirby fixed the power steering while perched on the rocks and then attempted to continue. Sadly, three-wheel drive just wasn’t going to get them through the rest of the course, and all the needed repair parts were back at their pit. After analyzing how long it would take to walk to their pits and back and then fix everything, they made the decision to end the race. The fire is lit though, and Karwath says he’ll attempt to qualify for KOH 2012.
TTC Winner Goes to KOH . . . and Wins (Again)!
Is there something in the water at the Tank Trap that produces champions at King of the Hammers? We can’t say for sure, but this year’s KOH winner, Shannon Campbell, is no stranger to longtime fans of Four Wheeler’s Top Truck Challenge, having won the fourth running of our signature event, in 1996. Since then, Campbell has gone on to establish a successful fabrication business (Campbell Enterprises in Gilbert, Arizona), and he’s carved out a reputation as a legend in the world of competition rock racing; he’s captured top honors at events on the W.E. Rock and XRRA circuits, as well as last year’s Reno Stampede. And with his victory at KOH 2011, Campbell has written his name in the record books, too; he’s now the only two-time winner in the history of the event.
Name: Shannon Campbell
Age: 40
Family: Wife, Tammy; son, Wayland; daughter, Bailey
Hometown: Gilbert, Arizona
Occupation: Mechanic, fabricator, race-car driver
Wheeling experience: 21 years
First 4x4: 1972 Jeep CJ-5
Current daily driver: 1993 Ford Ranger 2WD
If I could go wheeling right now, I’d go: Anywhere. TDS is a blast!
Race rig: Custom-built, one-seat, LS3-powered, with Hughes TH350, Atlas 3.0, Fox shocks, Goodyear tires, Currie axles, ARB Air Lockers
Most challenging section of the KOH course: Outer Limits
Last movie watched: Little Fockers
Last book read: Not much of a reader. I’m slow, but love looking at the pictures, though.
In your CD/MP3 player: Whatever Wayland and Bailey put on it.
How it feels to be a two-time King of the Hammers winner: It still hasn’t sunk in yet. All I can think about is how I’m going to win my next race. Sometimes I feel like a machine that’s programmed to just win, so having a beer and hanging with friends is very relaxing and takes it off my mind. Winning is great, but I know it was friends, family, and sponsors that got me here. Thank you!
Last words: I’m happy as hell. I proved the A-armed car is a force to be reckoned with. Several people said it wouldn’t work, but I knew the first year it was the shiznit. I just had to prove it. I have no secrets and love to help others. I remember when I first started, the people I dealt with, the trial and error, and the headaches. I was determined to learn. Being innovative and breaking several parts got me where I’m at today. I love to share my experiences with people who have the ambition and drive.
I hate to see anyone struggle. It’s no fun. I’ve been there. If you read the magazines and watch TV, you would think I was a millionaire. I struggle to pay bills and keep my job every day, but I’m chest-deep in family and friends and that will get you a lot further than a wad of cash. See ya at the next race!
-
-
-
The “Backdoor” obstacle looked like a parking lot for a time during the race as teams stru
-
Race teams came from all over the globe to compete in this year’s King of the Hammers, but
-
The vendor area was a bustling hub of activity on the day before the race. It’s hard to be
-
This was the scene at the starting line as 100 vehicles paired up for the drag race-style
-
Shortly into the race, Jesse Haines’ car had a small underhood fire that sidelined them fo
-
Randy Slawson blasts up Backdoor on his way to a Fourth-Place finish.
-
You don’t need a buggy to run KOH (though it helps). This Wrangler JK kicks up some dirt o
-
Team Ferravanti rolled into the pits sans a passenger-side front tire. Further, a large po
-
Race day dawned sunny but chilly as the teams lined up for the 8:00 a.m. start.
-
King of the Hammers is unique in that the teams are blasting across the desert at top spee
-
Tracy Jordan found himself wheels-up on Backdoor, but it didn’t slow him down much.
-
Nick Nielson leads Bill Phillips through a rock section of trail early in the race. Ultima
-
We had our Source Interlink Media trailer in the vendor area and it was manned by Four Whe
-
Dustyn Friesen hammers his buggy trying to get up the Backdoor obstacle.
-
Nick Nielson catches a bit of air as he launches up the Backdoor obstacle.
-
Drivers exchange glances as they wait for a fellow competitor to ascend the Backdoor obsta
-
Flanked by a mountain, this team blasts down a two-track early in the race.
-
Lucas Murphy had to back out of the way as a fellow racer went wheels-up on the Backdoor o
-
Every spectator at King of the Hammers received a spectator guide that included a wealth o