Kyle Chaney made King of the Hammers history on February 1, 2024, winning the Can-Am UTV Hammers Championship for the fourth consecutive year. Chaney and co-driver Cash LeCroy led the punishing Johnson Valley race from start to finish in a new Can-Am Maverick R, overcoming flat tires, lost communications and changing weather along the way.
The victory made Chaney the first driver to win the King of the Hammers UTV race four years in a row. Mitch Guthrie Jr. finished second overall in a Polaris, while Phil Blurton placed third overall and second in the UTV Pro Mod class in a Can-Am Maverick X3.
2024 King of the Hammers UTV Race Results
More than 130 competitors, including entries in the new youth division, participated in the 2024 UTV Hammers Championship. The race combined a high-speed opening desert lap with a second lap through the technical Hammer Trails of Johnson Valley, California.
| Overall | Driver | Vehicle | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Chaney | Can-Am Maverick R | UTV Pro Mod |
| 2 | Mitch Guthrie Jr. | Polaris | Open UTV |
| 3 | Phil Blurton | Can-Am Maverick X3 | UTV Pro Mod |
| 4 | Brock Heger | Polaris | Pro Stock Turbo UTV |
| 5 | CJ Greaves | Polaris | Open UTV |
| 6 | Zach Szymik | Can-Am | Sportsman Stock UTV |
| 7 | Matt Zeiler | Can-Am | UTV Pro Mod |
| 8 | Cole Clark | Polaris | UTV Pro Mod |
| 9 | Paul Wolff | Can-Am Maverick X3 | Open UTV |
| 10 | Chris Corbin | UTV | Open UTV |
Chaney completed the race in 3:57:28. Blurton finished in 4:05:57, while Paul Wolff placed ninth overall and third in the Open UTV class with a time of 4:38:50.
Chaney Qualifies First in the Can-Am Maverick R
Chaney began the UTV Hammers Championship from the pole after setting the fastest qualifying time. The qualifying loop included Backdoor, where his aggressive descent in the Maverick R became one of the most widely shared moments of the 2024 event.
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The result put Chaney at the front of a large field for the opening desert lap. Once the race began, he immediately started building a gap over the competitors behind him.
Flat Tires Could Not Stop Chaney
The opening lap covered approximately 72 miles of fast Johnson Valley desert terrain. Chaney set the pace from the start, running alone at the front with no other competitors visible in his dust.
He stopped for fuel and two front tires before beginning the technical second lap. Chaney remained in the lead despite the pit stop and encountered another flat near the bottom of Jackhammer.
The challenge became even more complicated when communication between Chaney and LeCroy stopped working shortly before they reached the rock trails. LeCroy had to guide Chaney through the technical sections using hand signals.
Rain arrived during the second half of the race, making the already difficult rocks increasingly slick. Chaney also dealt with a slow puncture late in the race but maintained enough of an advantage to reach the finish first.
“We definitely earned this one. I have to give it up to Can-Am and my team. This car was awesome.”
— Kyle Chaney
Four Drivers Battle for Second Place
While Chaney controlled the race from the front, Mitch Guthrie Jr., Phil Blurton, Brock Heger and CJ Greaves became locked in a close fight for the remaining podium positions.
The four drivers ran within seconds of one another during portions of the race and repeatedly traded positions. One of the most important moments occurred on Chocolate Thunder when Greaves, running second at the time, stopped to winch over an obstacle.
Blurton and Heger stacked up behind Greaves as the three drivers tried to find a way through the rocks. Chaney had already cleared the trail, allowing him to expand his lead while the battle behind him slowed.
Mitch Guthrie Jr. Finishes Second Overall
Guthrie eventually moved ahead of the group and secured second place overall. He completed the race without having to winch or leave the vehicle, allowing him to maintain a consistent pace through the desert and rocks.
His runner-up result is important when interpreting the class results. Blurton finished second in UTV Pro Mod, but Guthrie was second in the combined overall standings.
Phil Blurton Puts the Maverick X3 on the Podium
Blurton’s race nearly ended during the opening mile when his Maverick X3 barrel-rolled. The car landed back on its wheels, and Blurton continued without stopping.
Despite starting fifth and encountering slower traffic, Blurton remained in contention throughout the race. He finished third overall and second in UTV Pro Mod, putting two generations of Can-Am sport UTVs on the overall podium.
Chaney won in the new Can-Am Maverick R, while Blurton earned his podium in the established Maverick X3 platform.
Maverick R Wins in Its UTV Hammers Debut
Can-Am made the decision to race the Maverick R relatively late in the preparation process. Although the platform had already entered desert competition, King of the Hammers presented a different combination of sustained high-speed running, large rocks, steep ledges and narrow technical trails.
Chaney’s victory gave the Maverick R an overall UTV Hammers win in its first appearance at the event. The result also extended Can-Am’s overall UTV winning streak at King of the Hammers to five years, beginning with Hunter Miller’s victory in 2020.
Brock Heger Wins the Pro Stock Turbo Class
Brock Heger finished fourth overall and won the Pro Stock Turbo UTV class. His result came only a few days after winning the separate King of the Hammers Desert Challenge in a Polaris RZR Pro R Factory.
Heger led the 182-mile Desert Challenge from start to finish as Polaris swept the UTV overall podium. Max Eddy Jr. finished second, and Wayne Matlock placed third. Read the complete 2024 King of the Hammers Desert Challenge results.
Zach Szymik won the Sportsman Stock UTV class and finished an impressive sixth overall. Szymik raced a Can-Am previously driven by Chaney.
First King of the Hammers Futures Youth UTV Race
The 2024 event introduced the 4900 Can-Am Futures Youth 1000cc UTV class. The class allowed racers younger than 17 to compete on the opening lap with an adult co-driver.
Dylan Trent won the inaugural youth race. Creating a separate one-lap competition gave younger racers an opportunity to experience the desert portion of King of the Hammers without being sent through the most difficult rock trails on the championship course.
Four Consecutive King of the Hammers Victories
Chaney’s 2024 win followed victories in 2021, 2022 and 2023. No other driver had won the King of the Hammers UTV race four consecutive times.
- 2020: Hunter Miller
- 2021: Kyle Chaney
- 2022: Kyle Chaney
- 2023: Kyle Chaney
- 2024: Kyle Chaney
The four-peat also illustrates the rapid development of modern factory UTV race programs. Chaney’s Maverick R combined the platform’s turbocharged three-cylinder engine and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with the safety, navigation, durability and service modifications required for King of the Hammers competition.
Chaney later entered the 2024 Nitto Race of Kings in a modified Can-Am Maverick X3 on 37-inch tires. He physically crossed the finish line first with a badly damaged front suspension but received a course penalty in the final results. Read how the dramatic final lap unfolded in the 2024 King of the Hammers Race of Kings recap.
2024 UTV Hammers Championship Takeaways
- Kyle Chaney became the first four-time consecutive winner of the King of the Hammers UTV race.
- The Can-Am Maverick R won the UTV Hammers Championship in its first appearance.
- Mitch Guthrie Jr. finished second overall after completing the race without winching.
- Phil Blurton placed third overall and second in UTV Pro Mod in a Can-Am Maverick X3.
- Brock Heger won Pro Stock Turbo after winning the separate Desert Challenge earlier in the week.
- Dylan Trent won the inaugural Futures Youth UTV race.
Explore every winner from the event’s beginnings in 2009 through today in the history of the King of the Hammers UTV race.
