Observation Deck

For more than ten years, February has been all about King of the Hammers – surprisingly, this year was no exception. KOH is the toughest one-day race for four-wheel drives; it’s the ultimate challenge for every American wheeler. Whether you aspire to be on the lakebed or not, you can’t ignore the impact KOH has had on the four-wheel-drive community. Just recognizing the advances in the industry is enough.  I can’t even begin to imagine the hoops jumped through to make this happen in the state of California in 2021. It is hard enough to get events off in other states; we thought for sure, California would be a no-go. For the sake of every team member who poured their heart and soul into the competition this year, I am so thankful it happened.

Having worked at KOH in the past, I am familiar with the process of building the city called Hammertown. I’ve watched the efforts put on by the various factions within the staff and volunteers. From the course building to registration, from merchandise to media, from the race workers to the scoring team, and everyone between, among, and surrounding the effort – congratulations to all!

This issue is full of KOH stories, the sorrows, the heartbreaks, the exultations, and wins! Everyone participating – in any capacity – has a story. It’s the stories that create the race; it’s the stories that build the expectation; it’s the stories that live long in the memories.  Read well the stories of KOH 2021, and raise a glass to all who made it happen. It’s a thankless job.