Starting 84th in a field of heavily modified race UTVs, Chad Hughes and co-pilot Tracon Kirk passed 63 competitors and finished the 2019 King of the Hammers in a nearly stock Can-Am Maverick Sport X rc 1000R.
The No. 1295 Can-Am crossed the finish line 21st overall with an official time of 7:33:30. Only 28 of the 93 entries completed the approximately 160-mile race within the nine-hour time limit, making the result an impressive demonstration of what Can-Am’s factory-equipped rock-crawling model could do with relatively few modifications.
A Nearly Stock Maverick Sport X rc Against Purpose-Built Race UTVs
The 2019 King of the Hammers UTV race combined fast open-desert sections with some of Johnson Valley’s most demanding rock trails. Hughes entered the naturally aspirated Maverick Sport X rc against a field filled with turbocharged UTVs, long-travel suspension systems and purpose-built race chassis.
Qualifying favored outright speed and left Hughes starting near the rear of the field. Once the race reached the technical rock canyons, however, the Maverick Sport X rc began working its way forward.
“As soon as we hit the first rock canyon, we started passing cars like crazy—eight cars here, six cars there, and it went on and on,” Hughes said. “We managed to hit 78 mph on the lake beds running 33-inch tires.”
The Maverick Sport gave up speed to the more powerful Can-Am Maverick X3 race cars in the open desert, but its compact dimensions and rock-crawling setup helped Hughes regain ground in the technical terrain.
“The car did not disappoint. It absolutely rules the rocks,” Hughes said. “As expected, it gives up quite a bit of ground to the Maverick X3 vehicles in the desert, but we started 84th and eventually passed 63 cars to end up 21st.”
View this post on Instagram
No Mechanical Problems—and No Winching
Hughes reported that the Maverick Sport X rc completed the entire race without a mechanical problem. Damage was limited to minor contact underneath the vehicle and a few scratches from the rocks.
Even more notable, Hughes and Kirk never needed the onboard winch to move their own UTV through the course. The only time they deployed it was to help clear another competitor who was blocking the trail.
“The only time we used our winch was when my co-pilot Tracon Kirk got out of the Can-Am to help move a stuck competitor out of the way,” Hughes explained.
That is an important distinction at King of the Hammers. Winching is a normal part of the race, even for highly modified vehicles, and traffic jams can quickly form when a UTV becomes stuck or disabled in a narrow canyon.
How the Maverick Sport X rc Was Prepared for KOH
Hughes estimated that the Maverick Sport X rc remained approximately 90 percent stock. Most of the changes were required to pass ULTRA4 safety inspection rather than intended to increase performance.
Hughes replaced the production ROPS with a six-point safety cage fabricated from 1.75-inch DOM tubing. He also installed five-point harnesses, window nets, fire extinguishers, a GPS, a flashing race light and the required racing numbers.
The most significant changes affecting trail performance were 33-inch STI Chicane tires mounted on 15-inch STI HD9 wheels. The larger tires and offset wheels increased ground clearance and overall width. Can-Am accessory HMW skid plates provided additional underbody protection.
The engine, drivetrain, suspension, steering, brakes and A-arms remained stock.
“We ran a stock drivetrain, stock suspension, stock brakes, stock steering, stock A-arms and all,” Hughes said. “It’s almost unbelievable, really, but I’m super impressed with the little car.”
Chad Hughes’ 2019 KOH Maverick Sport X rc Build
- Can-Am Maverick Sport X rc 1000R
- Stock naturally aspirated engine and drivetrain
- Stock suspension, A-arms and steering
- Stock braking system
- Six-point safety cage constructed from 1.75-inch DOM tubing
- Three-inch five-point racing harnesses
- Modified lower seat cushions for harness pass-throughs
- Window safety nets serving as secondary door latches
- Fire extinguishers
- GPS navigation
- Can-Am accessory HMW skid plates
- 33-inch STI Chicane tires
- 15×7 STI HD9 wheels with 5+2 offset
- Flashing rear race light
- Required racing numbers and identification
A Strong Test of Can-Am’s Factory Rock-Crawling Package
The result did not put Hughes on the overall podium, but that was never the full measure of this effort. Completing King of the Hammers in a mostly stock, naturally aspirated UTV—while passing more than 60 competitors—showed how capable the Maverick Sport X rc platform was in technical terrain.
Hughes finished less than three hours behind overall winners Mitch Guthrie Jr. and Jon Crowley, who completed the race in 4:52:33. Hughes also placed ahead of seven other official finishers despite starting 84th.
Read the complete 2019 King of the Hammers UTV race recap and results for Jon Crowley’s account of the overall victory. You can also explore the event’s development through the history of the King of the Hammers UTV race.
For more information about the production machine, see our Can-Am Maverick Sport X rc review.
