By Jon Crowley
Mitch Guthrie Jr. won the 2018 Can-Am King of the Hammers UTV Race Presented by HCR Racing after completing one of the toughest UTV courses ever laid out in Johnson Valley. Guthrie finished in 5:54:43, followed by Branden Sims and Mitch Guthrie Sr. for an all-Polaris RZR podium.
Of 118 starters, only 12 racers completed the 134-mile course within the eight-hour limit. That 10.2 percent finish rate put 2018 alongside the punishing 2013 and 2015 races.
2018 King of the Hammers UTV Race at a Glance
- Race: Can-Am King of the Hammers UTV Race Presented by HCR Racing
- Date and location: February 7, 2018, Johnson Valley, California
- Course: 134 miles over two laps, combining desert racing and technical rock crawling
- Starters: 118, according to Ultra4 Racing’s race recap
- Official finishers: 12 within the eight-hour time limit—a 10.2 percent finish rate
- Winner: Mitch Guthrie Jr., Polaris RZR No. 9, in 5:54:43
- Podium: Mitch Guthrie Jr., Branden Sims and Mitch Guthrie Sr., all in Polaris RZRs
Watch Ultra4 Racing’s 2018 UTV Race Highlights
Ultra4 Racing’s highlights capture the desert speed, rock-crawling challenges and driver reactions from the 2018 race. The organizer’s race report also provides the official finishing order used below.
Watch 2018 Can-Am King of the Hammers UTV race highlights from Ultra4 Racing on Facebook.
Ten Years of UTV Racing at King of the Hammers
UTVs had been part of King of the Hammers for 10 years by 2018, and I had attended every one of those races—eight as a racer and two covering the event from the media side.
King of the Hammers takes place each February on public land in the Johnson Valley OHV Area in Southern California. What began as 12 teams racing for bragging rights and a case of beer had grown into a weeklong event with hundreds of race teams and tens of thousands of spectators.
The early UTV courses were primarily high-speed desert runs with only a few relatively minor rock trails. That changed in 2013 when promoter Dave Cole sent the UTV field onto a substantially harder course. Only about 10 percent of the field finished that year. Read the 2013 King of the Hammers UTV race recap for a closer look at that turning point.
As the vehicles and drivers improved, the courses continued to get harder. The 2015 King of the Hammers UTV race produced another finish rate below 10 percent.
I raced in both of those events and was thrilled to land on the podium each time. But preparing for King of the Hammers takes a huge toll on me. I love rock crawling and the challenges found at Johnson Valley, but I could do without the months of preparation and race-week nerves. It is a race I have always loved to hate.
Why I Did Not Race KOH in 2018
I originally planned to race again in 2018 with my good friend Reid Nordin. We had raced together the previous year and earned a podium finish, which you can read about in the 2017 King of the Hammers UTV race recap.
Somewhere along the way, however, we lost our motivation to race. The love-hate side of King of the Hammers kicked in, and we decided to stay involved through pre-running and media coverage without entering the race itself.
Looking back, I slept much better during the months leading up to the event. At the same time, after seeing how the race unfolded, I believe we could have been competitive on the extremely difficult 2018 course.
My ideal King of the Hammers would return to the simplicity of the original event: start on the lakebed, run a list of trails and see who gets back first. No qualifying, trackers or complicated procedures—just a small grudge match across the desert and rocks.
The Families and Drivers Behind the Race
The Guthrie family was only one part of the story. Multiple generations of the Greaves, Campbell, Gomez and Currie families also entered the UTV race. Meanwhile, crossover drivers such as past King of the Hammers winners Shannon Campbell, Erik Miller and Loren Healy added to the competition.
As UTVs became more capable, the race attracted drivers from short-course trucks, desert racing and the unlimited Ultra4 classes. Dave Cole responded with a course that Ultra4 described as the longest and most difficult UTV route in the event’s history to that point. Both laps descended Backdoor, a roughly ten-foot rock ledge that added repeated exposure to one of Johnson Valley’s most unforgiving obstacles.
Pre-Running the 2018 King of the Hammers Course
We made an early trip to Johnson Valley in December with several racers to revisit trails that had appeared in previous King of the Hammers courses. Riding in Johnson Valley is always fun, but everything becomes more intense once you know a race course is taking shape.
After the King of the Hammers live show, Dave Cole revealed that the UTV course would include Spooners. This difficult rock trail had been used by the 4400-class cars for several years and was commonly paired with Outer Limits.
Reid and I joined Mitch Guthrie, Mitch Guthrie Jr., and Aaron and Maddie Wedeking from PRP Seats to inspect Spooners and Outer Limits firsthand.
Neither trail was easy. With more than 100 racers already registered, it was clear that the 2018 King of the Hammers UTV race was going to be brutal.
A Week of Pre-Running in Johnson Valley
I arrived on Wednesday night, a full week before the UTV race. My plan was to pre-run as much of the course as possible with several of the top teams and share insight into the trails, vehicles and racers.
I joined Dean Bulloch and his new Textron Off Road Wildcat XX on Jack North, Jackhammer, Spooners and Backdoor.
I also ran Outer Limits, Highway 19/20 and Aftershock with Mitch Guthrie and Mitch Guthrie Jr.
Mitch Guthrie Sr. pre-running Highway 19/20 before the 2018 King of the Hammers.
Another trip took me to Cougar Buttes with Ross Pilgreen, where racers would face the Notches early in the course.
Johnny and CJ Greaves Lead KOH Qualifying
More than 85 UTVs were scheduled to qualify on Saturday. The biggest news was the performance of Johnny and CJ Greaves, who topped the qualifying order in their turbocharged Yamaha YXZ1000Rs.
Johnny earned the pole, CJ qualified second and Casey Currie joined them at the front of the starting field. Their short-course backgrounds translated into speed in qualifying, but the race would demand patience over nearly six hours or more.
Later in the week, I joined Phil Blurton and his No Limit Can-Am Maverick X3 on Highway 19/20, Resolution and Backdoor.
Monday night brought the Shootout, where Cash LeCroy entered his custom single-seat Polaris RZR XP Turbo against full-size rock buggies. Even at that young age, it was easy to see that Cash had a future in off-road racing.
Tuesday was devoted primarily to tech inspection and contingency, where I caught up with racers including Sara Price and Jesse Johnson.
Sara Price
Jesse Johnson
The 2018 KOH UTV Race Begins
When race day arrived, I skipped the starting line and went directly to race mile 3. CJ Greaves was the first UTV to pass me in his Yamaha YXZ1000R. The top 10 remained largely in starting order at that point, although several racers were already out of the event.
I then moved to race mile 57, immediately before the field entered its first major rock sections at Resolution and Backdoor. Once again, Greaves was the first UTV to arrive. Mitch Guthrie Jr., Casey Currie, Johnny Greaves, Branden Sims and Mitch Guthrie Sr. were also running inside the top 10.
CJ Greaves’ Early Lead and the Change at Sledgehammer
Ultra4 Racing’s recap reported that CJ Greaves led through the first 89 miles before a rollover while descending Sledgehammer cost him the lead. Mitch Guthrie Jr. moved ahead as the race reached its most demanding rock sections.
Afterward, Greaves described the mistakes as part of learning King of the Hammers. He had not pre-run the entire course, and the rocks demanded a different kind of knowledge from the short-course racing he knew so well. Even so, his recovery and eventual fifth-place finish made his first KOH attempt a major part of the 2018 story.
Jack North Becomes a Critical Test
After watching the first 10 to 15 vehicles pass race mile 57, I headed to Jack North. I had pre-run the trail and knew it could become a bottleneck if damaged UTVs or winching racers blocked the primary lines.
Mitch Guthrie Jr. was the first UTV to reach Jack North at 11:15 a.m. He was followed by Johnny Greaves, CJ Greaves, Casey Currie, Cody Currie, Branden Sims, Marc Burnett and Mitch Guthrie Sr.
Mitch Guthrie Jr. on Jack North
CJ Greaves on Jack North
Casey Scherer Winching on Jack North
Aaron and Maddie Wedeking on Jack North
Watch Aaron and Maddie Wedeking climb Jack North on Instagram.
I originally planned to move from Jack North to Outer Limits, the hardest portion of the course. By the time I hiked back to my RZR, however, Guthrie Jr. had already entered the trail. I changed plans and headed to Backdoor in hopes of catching the leaders during the final part of the race.
Backdoor on the First Lap
Casey Peoples and Mitch Guthrie Sr. descending Backdoor on lap one. Footage credited to @lipps_13.
Mitch Guthrie Jr. Wins the 2018 KOH UTV Race
Mitch Guthrie Jr. had separated himself from the field by the time he descended Backdoor. He completed the course in 5:54:43 to earn the overall victory.
Branden Sims finished second, while six-time winner Mitch Guthrie Sr. completed the podium. All three were racing Polaris RZRs.
CJ Greaves physically crossed the finish line in third after an impressive performance in his Yamaha YXZ1000R. A 15-minute penalty for missing a checkpoint moved him to fifth in the official results. Greaves recorded the fastest opening lap of the race at 1:47:08.
A Breakthrough Win for Mitch Guthrie Jr.
Guthrie Jr. had already won major races including the Mint 400, UTV World Championship and Baja 1000. King of the Hammers remained a prize he wanted to earn from the driver’s seat after earlier experiences racing alongside his father.
In the Polaris post-race report, Guthrie Jr. credited the hours spent practicing and preparing. He also described his father as both his biggest inspiration and toughest competition. His first KOH victory carried the family’s success into a new generation.
The official times put Guthrie Jr. 42 minutes and 15 seconds ahead of Branden Sims. Mitch Guthrie Sr. finished another 16 minutes and 9 seconds behind Sims, but just 1 minute and 14 seconds ahead of fourth-place Casey Currie.
For Sims, this was his third runner-up finish at King of the Hammers. He told Ultra4 that he had qualified 19th and worked forward through the desert. Although he primarily raced desert events, he had grown up around rock crawling through his father.
Guthrie Sr. entered the race as a six-time UTV winner. ITP’s report noted that he recovered from a tip-over at Backdoor and still reached the podium. In his post-race comments to Ultra4, he emphasized how physically demanding the race had been and reflected on the challenge of keeping pace with the younger drivers.
Polaris RZR Sweeps the Podium Again
The all-RZR podium followed Polaris’ sweep in 2017. It also continued the brand’s strong start to the 2018 season, following success at the Parker 250 and Ronnie Anderson’s win in the new RZR RS1 at the WORCS season opener.
Across the 12 official finishers, Polaris accounted for six vehicles. Yamaha and Can-Am each had three. The result highlighted both Polaris’ podium success and the variety of machines that survived the course.
Watch Polaris RZR podium sweep at the 2018 King of the Hammers on Facebook.
2018 King of the Hammers Official UTV Finishers
| Place | Driver | Car No. | Start | Lap 1 | Lap 2 | Penalty | Final Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitch Guthrie Jr. | 9 | 8:01:00 | 1:53:45 | 4:00:58 | — | 5:54:43 |
| 2 | Branden Sims | 913 | 8:04:30 | 1:50:10 | 4:31:48 | 15:00 | 6:36:58 |
| 3 | Mitch Guthrie Sr. | 6 | 8:06:30 | 2:06:03 | 4:47:04 | — | 6:53:07 |
| 4 | Casey Currie | 2 | 8:00:30 | 1:49:45 | 5:04:36 | — | 6:54:21 |
| 5 | CJ Greaves | 33 | 8:00:00 | 1:47:08 | 4:55:56 | 15:00 | 6:58:04 |
| 6 | Marc Burnett | 905 | 8:06:00 | 1:59:19 | 5:09:29 | — | 7:08:48 |
| 7 | Johnny Greaves | 122 | 8:00:00 | 1:48:56 | 5:24:45 | — | 7:13:41 |
| 8 | Phil Blurton | 944 | 8:04:00 | 2:05:26 | 5:15:13 | — | 7:20:39 |
| 9 | Kyle Anderson | 1930 | 8:10:30 | 2:04:15 | 5:28:22 | — | 7:32:37 |
| 10 | Ross Pilgreen | 111 | 8:07:00 | 2:02:20 | 5:42:58 | 3:00 | 7:48:18 |
| 11 | Jacob Versey | 4931 | 8:09:30 | 2:05:52 | 5:42:53 | — | 7:48:45 |
| 12 | Ricky Farmer | 4959 | 8:13:00 | 2:08:00 | 5:44:16 | — | 7:52:16 |
Source: Ultra4 Racing’s published results. Start times are as listed in the source; lap and final times are elapsed times. Final times include penalties. All 12 listed drivers finished within the eight-hour limit.
Yamaha, Can-Am and Other Notable Team Performances
Three Yamaha YXZ1000Rs Finish in the Top Nine
CJ Greaves finished fifth, Johnny Greaves seventh and Kyle Anderson ninth. Together, they represented one-quarter of the official finishers. Yamaha’s report identified eight YXZs in the field, making the three finishes especially meaningful for the brand.
The Greaves duo arrived with extensive TORC short-course experience in Pro 2 and Pro 4 trucks. CJ was also the defending TORC Pro Stock UTV champion. Their GYTR turbo-equipped YXZ1000Rs took the top two qualifying spots, and CJ earned Yamaha’s $5,000 bLU cRU bonus as the highest-finishing YXZ driver.
Johnny described the adjustment from a short sprint to a long survival race. Seeing another competitor in his mirrors made him want to push, but his co-driver reminded him to protect the machine. As he told Ultra4, “It’s not a race against other competitors, it’s a race to bring the machine to the finish.”
Kyle Anderson Overcomes Heat and Brake Problems
Anderson’s ninth place was more than a clean run to the finish. Factory UTV’s report placed him 44th in qualifying. Weller Racing reported that he passed 30 cars on the first lap, then picked his way through traffic in the rocks on lap two.
A radiator problem sent engine temperatures to nearly 250 degrees. Later, a cracked brake line compromised his braking system. Anderson credited the YXZ’s manual transmission and engine braking with helping him reach the finish despite the brake failure.
Both Weller Racing entries used 32-inch Maxxis Liberty tires. Anderson reported that the tires survived sharp rocks and the abuse of climbing through the course. His result gave Weller Racing a top-10 finish for the third consecutive year.
Jason Weller Completes the Route After the Time Limit
Jason Weller had worked into eighth place when hub trouble interrupted his race. According to the team’s report, the repair took more than an hour before he could limp to the pit and continue.
By then, the team knew an official finish was out of reach. Weller reported making it through Outer Limits when the race was called, then continuing to the finish line. That distinction matters: he completed the route after time expired, but the official results list him as a DNF.
Jason Weller qualifying his Yamaha YXZ1000R for the 2018 King of the Hammers.
Weller Racing’s listed 2018 sponsors
Yamaha Motor USA, Dragonfire Racing, Full Throttle Battery, Demon Powersports, Maxxis Tires, Axia Alloys, PAC Racing Springs, Raceline Wheels, Factory UTV, SPARCO USA, Lucas Oil Racing TV, Lucas Oil Racing Products, AIM Sports, Tubeworks, Action Sports Canopies, Lazer Star Lights, AZ Drive Shaft, XTC Powersports and Weller Racing, LLC.
Casey Currie, Marc Burnett and Phil Blurton Bring Can-Am into the Results
Casey Currie finished fourth in a Can-Am Maverick X3, narrowly behind Guthrie Sr. His 6:54:21 final time made him the highest-finishing Can-Am driver.
Marc Burnett finished sixth in 7:08:48. ITP’s report identified this as his first KOH attempt, using a Can-Am Maverick X3 X rc with Ultra Cross R Spec tires. His desert-racing background helped carry him into the top six on a course that also demanded serious rock-crawling ability.
Phil Blurton finished eighth in 7:20:39 in his No Limit Can-Am Maverick X3 X rc. The defending UTV World Champion was another first-time KOH entrant. His preparation on Highway 19/20, Resolution and Backdoor was part of the pre-running I documented before the race.
Working Around Traffic on Jack North
Our Jack North video shows Casey Peoples in a Polaris RZR, Phil Blurton in a Can-Am X3 and Kyle Anderson in a Yamaha YXZ1000R adapting to blocked lines. Blurton and Anderson would become official finishers. Peoples appears in the published results as a DNF.
I initially identified the Yamaha driver as Jason Weller while filming; the driver in this sequence was Kyle Anderson. The footage illustrates how choosing another line could make the difference between continuing and waiting behind a trail plug.
Ross Pilgreen’s Portal RZR and the Final Finishers
Ross Pilgreen finished tenth in 7:48:18, including a three-minute penalty. His custom RZR combined a 108-inch wheelbase with SuperATV portals and a chassis designed for desert, short-course and rock-crawling competition.
Read Ross Pilgreen’s King of the Hammers RZR build spotlight for the full specifications and his account of developing the car with co-driver Heath Day.
Jacob Versey finished eleventh in 7:48:45 in a Polaris RZR. Ricky Farmer completed the list of official finishers in twelfth at 7:52:16. Both reached the finish within the eight-hour limit.
Race Equipment: Tires and Protection in the Rocks
Mitch Guthrie Jr.’s ITP Blackwater Evolution Tires
ITP reported that Guthrie Jr. won on 32-inch, eight-ply Blackwater Evolution tires. In the company’s post-race release, he said he pushed the tires hard and had no tire failures.
ITP’s three top-10 drivers were Guthrie Jr., Guthrie Sr. and Marc Burnett. The release identifies Burnett’s tires as Ultra Cross R Spec. It gives conflicting tire-model information for Guthrie Sr., so his exact race tire is not specified here.
Factory UTV UHMW Protection
Factory UTV reported that all of the top nine finishers, plus eleventh-place Jacob Versey, used its UHMW protection. That put its armor beneath ten of the twelve officially finishing machines, across Polaris, Yamaha and Can-Am.
The first nine finishers were four Polaris RZRs, three Yamaha YXZ1000Rs and two Can-Am Maverick X3s. Johnny Greaves also singled out the protection in his post-race comments, expressing surprise that the floor remained intact after the punishment it had taken.
Firsthand Reports from the Teams
The finishing order tells only part of the story. These separate reports preserve the experiences of teams that faced repairs, traffic, recovery work and the time limit:
- Maddie Wedeking’s 2018 King of the Hammers race report
- Erik Jokinen’s TORQ Locker race report
- Chad Hummer’s report from Blake Van de Loo’s No. 1945 RZR
- Jami Pellegrino’s interview about the 2018 race
For more of the preparation, see the 2018 UTV course preview and pre-run and our rock-crawling report with Dean Bulloch’s Textron Wildcat XX.
Coverage combines my firsthand reporting with Ultra4 Racing’s race recap and results, plus contemporary reports from Polaris, Yamaha, Weller Racing, ITP and Factory UTV. Equipment and team-specific observations are attributed to those reports.
One of the Toughest KOH UTV Races Ever
Only 12 racers completed the course within the allotted time. Polaris placed six RZRs among the finishers, including all three podium positions. Yamaha and Can-Am each had three finishers.
The 10.2 percent finish rate echoed the punishing races of 2013 and 2015. In my opinion, the 2018 course was the toughest UTV route King of the Hammers had produced to that point.
The major difference was how far the UTVs had progressed. By 2018, the fastest side-by-sides were capable of posting times competitive with some of the unlimited 4400-class cars. The UTV race was also attracting accomplished drivers from outside the traditional UTV racing world, pushing competition to another level.
Mitch Guthrie Jr. put together a nearly flawless run on a course that stopped most of the field. His performance made him a deserving winner of the 2018 King of the Hammers UTV race.
More Photos from the 2018 UTV Race
Complete Published Results: Non-Finishers and DNS
The table below preserves the remaining rows from Ultra4 Racing’s published results. DNF means did not finish; DNS means did not start; OOT means out of time. A completed lap or arrival after the cutoff does not count as an official finish.
Show the published DNF, out-of-time and DNS results
| Status | Driver | Car No. | Start | Lap 1 | Lap 2 | Penalty | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DNF | LOREN HEALY | 67 | 8:02:30 | 2:02:57 | 5:59:49 | DNF | OOT |
| DNF | BAILEY CAMPBELL | 35 | 8:05:30 | 2:31:42 | 5:38:26 | DNF | OOT |
| DNF | CODY CURRIE | 22 | 8:08:00 | 1:53:21 | 6:20:55 | DNF | OOT |
| DNF | CASEY SCHERER | 79 | 8:20:00 | 1:55:02 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | CASEY PEOPLES | 1128 | 8:11:00 | 1:56:35 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | ROBERT VANBEEKUM | 1964 | 8:01:30 | 2:01:48 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JOHN CURRIE | 202 | 8:03:00 | 2:03:28 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JEFF PALHEGYI | 1931 | 8:14:00 | 2:03:47 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | CODY NYGREN | 1916 | 8:11:30 | 2:05:47 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | DEAN BULLOCH | 93 | 8:16:00 | 2:06:32 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JT WALTON | 1970 | 8:05:00 | 2:10:40 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | BAILEY COLE | 4954 | 8:22:30 | 2:12:52 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | BRENT ZIMMERMAN | 31 | 8:14:00 | 2:13:24 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | GARISON CALLAWAY | 1914 | 8:21:30 | 2:14:24 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | KEVIN HART | 773 | 8:06:30 | 2:14:52 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JOSH CHAPMAN | 4907 | 8:27:00 | 2:17:06 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | WAYLAND CAMPBELL | 3 | 8:10:00 | 2:18:56 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | SARA PRICE | 78 | 8:03:30 | 2:19:19 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | LOGAN GOODALL | 1950 | 8:26:00 | 2:19:43 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | AARON WEDEKING | 1808 | 8:14:30 | 2:20:19 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JASON ONEAL | 101 | 8:17:00 | 2:22:21 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JOHN DUCKWORTH | 1920 | 8:12:30 | 2:25:08 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | SHANE REDLINE | 4912 | 8:24:00 | 2:25:50 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | GEORGE HEFFINGTON | 1973 | 8:21:00 | 2:26:05 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JAMES CANTRELL | 502 | 8:11:00 | 2:28:10 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | ERIK JOKINEN | 901 | 8:26:00 | 2:29:56 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | MICHAEL SAWYER | 4905 | 8:15:00 | 2:30:20 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | MATT CHAPMAN | 52 | 8:16:00 | 2:30:27 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | GREG UFFENS | 1944 | 8:15:30 | 2:34:36 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | KNOX GRIFFIN | 278 | 8:03:00 | 2:34:57 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | DUSTIN ROBBINS | 311 | 8:09:30 | 2:36:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | CONNOR FULTS | 4906 | 8:12:00 | 2:37:20 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | PAT OKEEFE | 4923 | 8:19:30 | 2:39:52 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | EVAN ENGELHARDT | 1991 | 8:02:00 | 2:42:52 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | TRAVIS ZOLLINGER | 220 | 8:12:00 | 2:43:21 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | BILL BAIRD | 5252 | 8:07:30 | 2:47:57 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | AARON QUESADA | 3124 | 8:10:00 | 2:49:42 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | AARON HENRY | 209 | 8:14:30 | 2:50:36 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JAMI PELLEGRINO | 485 | 8:23:00 | 2:51:36 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | SHANNON CAMPBELL | 5 | 8:01:30 | 2:57:56 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JEROD BIRZER | 425 | 8:19:00 | 2:58:12 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | ALAN CLARK | 4975 | 8:04:30 | 2:58:44 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | MATT MYRICK | 2116 | 8:26:30 | 3:02:23 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | PHIL CAGLIERO | 21 | 8:03:30 | 3:02:32 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | HUBERT ROWLAND | 615 | 8:15:30 | 3:03:41 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | CHRIS ARMSTRONG | 706 | 8:15:00 | 3:06:42 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | NATHAN OWEN | 1776 | 8:28:00 | 3:08:45 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | DREW SCHULTS | 1932 | 8:19:30 | 3:09:16 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JUSTIN BARTH | 2700 | 8:20:00 | 3:10:53 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JUSTIN COCHRAN | 4972 | 8:25:30 | 3:11:24 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | TOMAS LLAMAS | 726 | 8:20:30 | 3:14:05 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | CRAIG HONNOLL | 1908 | 8:18:30 | 3:15:46 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | MATTHEW WILSON | 1903 | 8:09:00 | 3:17:53 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | CHACE RODD | 4970 | 8:22:00 | 3:19:26 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JOSHUA SMITH | 1948 | 8:23:30 | 3:21:12 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JIM HENLE | 411 | 8:17:30 | 3:21:26 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | ROBERT FORREST SMITH | 965 | 8:18:00 | 3:21:31 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | BLAKE VAN DE LOO | 1945 | 8:02:00 | 3:37:54 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JASON WELLER | 1910 | 8:05:00 | 3:44:27 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | SEAN STROUD | 1028 | 8:00:30 | 3:45:41 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | BEN COLLIER | 713 | 8:25:30 | 3:46:03 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | RYAN BERGAMINI | 1933 | 8:24:00 | 3:46:04 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | MARK MACDONALD | 4910 | 8:24:30 | 3:46:39 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | BRIAN FULKERSON | 208 | 8:24:00 | 3:49:12 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | MICHAEL LEE | 211 | 8:23:00 | 3:53:31 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | AUSTIN WEILAND | 4927 | 8:04:00 | 4:00:22 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | ERIK MILLER | 921 | 8:05:30 | 4:05:25 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | BILL HILLIARD | 89 | 8:13:00 | 4:12:03 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | TYSON SMITH | 4944 | 8:18:30 | 4:18:36 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | SCOTT MUCHOW | 4916 | 8:07:30 | 4:20:26 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | BRIAN CAPRARA | 991 | 8:08:30 | 4:28:28 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | CHRIS BARNETT | 1961 | 8:07:00 | 4:48:22 | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | DARIAN GOMEZ | 90 | 8:01:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JESSE JOHNSON | 1947 | 8:02:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | RON SCHAEFER | 4911 | 8:06:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | DUSTIN NELSON | 994 | 8:08:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | AUSTIN PENNINGTON | 259 | 8:08:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | SEAN HALUCH | 1905 | 8:09:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | GEORGE LISENBERY | 1966 | 8:10:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | KIERAN COX | 142 | 8:11:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JP GOMEZ | 82 | 8:12:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | WILL HARRIS | 4903 | 8:13:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | RAUL GOMEZ | 83 | 8:13:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | AARON CLARK | 1002 | 8:16:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | COLE CLARK | 24 | 8:16:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | DAVID MIZE | 5585 | 8:17:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | PATRICK MURRAY | 902 | 8:17:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | BRAYDON EDDY | 4985 | 8:18:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | RANDY JELLEFF | 4902 | 8:19:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | DAN WALLER | 261 | 8:20:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | ROB FRYREAR | 1999 | 8:21:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | MARCOS GOMEZ | 86 | 8:21:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | BROC SMITH | 1941 | 8:22:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | DANIEL MARKLEY | 777 | 8:22:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | PAUL KROUT | 4915 | 8:23:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | JEFFREY DONDA | 4908 | 8:24:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | CHASE BRIDGMON | 1975 | 8:25:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | TODD COOK | 1110 | 8:26:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | TANNER STEPHENS | 6851 | 8:27:00 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | RANDY SOUTHALL | 4988 | 8:27:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNF | LUIS GALLARDO | 492 | 8:27:30 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF |
| DNS | OCEAN RODD | 4913 | 8:24:00 | DNS | DNF | DNF | DNS |
| DNS | ROBBY GORDON | 4977 | 8:25:00 | DNS | DNF | DNF | DNS |
2018 King of the Hammers Photo Gallery
More King of the Hammers UTV History
UTV Winners Leading into the 2018 Race
- 2009 and 2010: Mitch Guthrie Sr.
- 2011: Brandon Schueler
- 2012–2015: Mitch Guthrie Sr.
- 2016: Blake Van de Loo
- 2017: Shannon Campbell
- 2018: Mitch Guthrie Jr.
Explore the complete history of the King of the Hammers UTV race, including the vehicles, drivers and courses that transformed the event from an exhibition into one of the most demanding UTV races in the world.
