By Jon Crowley
King of the Hammers UTV Race is one of the most intense and grueling off-road events in the world. I’ve personally raced nine times both as a driver and co-dog and can tell you first-hand that King of the Hammers is something that gets under your skin. I call it a sickness that can overwhelm you. The pressure to build a car and race as a privateer can be quite overwhelming.
King of the Hammers attracts top factory racers to the rugged desert terrain of Johnson Valley, California each year in late January. Known as the ultimate test of machine and driver, the race combines high-speed desert runs with technical rock crawling, pushing UTVs to their limits across a punishing 100+ mile course. With its unique blend of speed, endurance, and technical skill, the King of the Hammers has certainly become a crown jewel in the UTV racing calendar.
With eight years under his belt, Michael Lee is no stranger to racing King of the Hammers. Although he has yet to find the podium, Michael has spent the last year honing his rock-crawling skills as a new resident of southwest Utah. With Sand Hollow a mere mile from his house, Michael has spent more time rock crawling in 2024 than all the previous eight years combined. For the 2025 King of the Hammers race, Michael decided to once again race a Polaris RZR Pro R.
In December, Michael picked up a new 2025 Polaris RZR Pro R at Triple S Polaris in Cedar City. With time of the essence for a race-legal build, Michael decided to have UTV Pros in Hurricane UT dive in and do most of the fabrication work including the cage, tire carrier, front bumper and all the aluminum work. With long days and nights between the UTV Pros crew and Michael and his co-dog Chris, the build was finally completed less than a week before the team departs for Johnson Valley.
I caught up with Michael and Chris as they tested the new build for the first time at Sand Hollow.
After checking out this build first—hand I can honestly say that UTV Pros did an excellent job on the fabrication. In my opinion, racers often take their builds a bit too far ( I did this on my Race Teryx long ago) for King of the Hammers and end up modifying more of the vehicle than necessary. Michael has done a great job keeping the build as simple and clean as possible.
Build Specifications
- 2025 Polaris RZR Pro R purchased at Triple S Polaris
- UTV Pros – Custom Race Chassis
- Shock Therapy – Springs and Limit Straps
- FOX – Factory Race IBP 3.0 shocks
- MRT – 35” Rocky RX Tires
- L&W Fab – Trailing Arms
- DRT Motorsports – Radius rods, steering wheel, quick release, shifter, mirrors, sun visors, door bags, tool bag, tire strap
- 5zero3designs – Window nets
- Infinite Offroad – LED Lights
- Switch Works – Alpha 12
- Pandemyk Performance – ECU Tuning
- Super ATV – Winch and Skid Plate
- Rugged Radios – M1 radio, 5100 intercom, and pumper
- Triton Engineering – Radiator
- Union Graphics – Wrap
- Lonestar Racing – 35 gallon fuel cell, firewall and seat mounts.
In addition to racing King of the Hammers (both desert and rock races), Michael intends to also race The Mint 400 and Vegas to Reno.
Polaris RZR Pro R
The 2025 Polaris RZR Pro R stands at the pinnacle of desert racing innovation, engineered to dominate the toughest terrain and deliver unmatched performance in extreme conditions. Powered by a robust 2.0L, four-cylinder engine producing 225 horsepower, the Pro R sets a new standard for power, speed, and durability in the UTV world. Built with desert racing in mind, its advanced suspension system, reinforced chassis, and precision handling make it a top contender for events like the Baja 1000, King of the Hammers, and the Dakar Rally. Proven in the harshest environments by Polaris Factory Racing, the 2025 RZR Pro R is the ultimate choice for racers and enthusiasts looking to push the boundaries of what’s possible in desert racing.
