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2018 King Of The Hammers - A King Is Crowned...

Feb. 7, 2018
UTVUG Staff

2018 King Of The Hammers - A King Is Crowned... Words & Photos by: Jason Zindroski // UTVUnderground.com The UTV class shows no signs of slowing down with a record 118 UTV's entered in the 2018 Can-Am KOH UTV Race Presented by HCR Racing. Racing started today with two at a time leaving the line every 30 seconds so the excitement and adrenaline was pumping from the get go as racers tried to battle for positions out in the desert on the first lap before heading back out for the rock sections where track position is key. The father and son team of CJ and Johnny Greaves qualified first and second earlier in the week, and the two KOH rookies led a packed field going into the desert loop for the first lap. The UTV race is broken down into two laps with the first being out in the desert for 63 miles. After the go down Resolution and Back Door right before the main pit they head back out for 70 more miles with a large portion being out in the rocks. CJ held his lead all through lap one with his dad close behind followed by Casey Currie, Mitch Guthrie Jr., Robert Vanbeekum and Brandon Sims all within striking distance. With the desert section out of the way it was time to hit the rocks and see where everyone stacked up. As each rock crawl obstacle came up CJ showed that he could hang as he kept his lead through the first four land marks, but a costly mistake going down Sledgehammer caused him to tip on his side. That small mistake is all Mitch Guthrie Jr. needed as he slipped by and moved into the lead. Son of Mitch Guthrie Sr, a six-time winner of this race, Guthrie Jr. is no rookie. In most of his fathers wins Guthrie Jr. was riding shotgun so he's very familiar with the course. Once he took over the lead Guthrie Jr. never looked back increasing his lead through head rock section. By the time he came around on his last lap and crossed the finish line he had almost a 25 minute lead over second place finisher Branden Sims. Sims would miss a check point on course as did CJ Greaves so both were given a 15 minute penalty. That didn't effect Sims finishing position but it did bump CJ down to fifth place. Guthrie Sr. then moved into third place rounding out the podium followed by Casey Currie. The 2018 race also showed an increase in finishers as 12 UTV's finished officially with three more finishing the course after the time limit. Taking Points Mitch Guthrie Jr. #9, 1st Place: “I don’t know what to say, it’s been a long road getting here riding with my dad a lot and we had a few wins but I really wanted to do it by myself. I was nervous going in. It’s my first time really getting in the rocks. We made it through, and it was a clean race.” Branden Sims #913, 2nd Place: “We qualified 19th so not the best place to start, but we got out in the desert and were catching people. The desert is where I’m from. I run Best of Desert and SCORE, and I feel like I can make up time there and keep the car together. I didn’t have a chance to run all the rock trails beforehand, but I dropped Backdoor pretty nicely then I fought back and forth with the Curries an the Greaves. We got to the Outer Limits and Spooner and that was pretty surprising. I wasn’t expecting there to be that many waterfalls and cliffs. Once we got through there it was the desert section and home. I think I went back and forth with Casey Currie, four or five times. We swapped positons a lot on those limited width trails.” Mitch Guthrie Sr. #6, 3rd Place: “This race is so special because I’ve been coming up here forever doing these rocks and four-wheeling, and it feels like home. It doesn’t get any better having my son enjoy an event that’s so important to me. It’s unbelievable (that he won), and I knew he had it in him. He’s so fast. I have no words, I’m speechless.” C.J. Greaves #33 (age 22), 5th Place: “It came down to being rookies. We made a couple of big mistakes like when we rolled on sledge. Then we took a bad line. My dad and I spent a half hour trying to help each other. We were on rocks bigger than the rocks we rolled over. We are just happy to be out here. And hopefully we can do it again. We didn’t pre-run all of it. It takes a lot of knowledge and the rocks are crazy. I don’t even want to see the bottom of this car.” Johnny Greaves #122: “The short course is 20 minutes, 110 percent all out. In this thing (Hammers), I had to talk myself out of being in race mode and to relax. It was tough for me. Every once in a while, I would see someone in my mirror and I’d want to take off and my co-driver would have to reign me in. It’s not a race against other competitors, it’s a race to bring the machine to the finish You can’t imagine what’s out there and what we did. I can’t believe this car finished to be honest.” UNOFFICIAL RESULTS / FINISHING ORDER 1 MITCH GUTHRIE J 9 8:01:00 1:53:45 4:00:58 0:00:00 5:54:43 2 BRANDEN SIMS 913 8:04:30 1:50:10 4:31:48 0:15:00 6:36:58 3 MITCH GUTHRIE S 6 8:06:30 2:06:03 4:47:04 0:00:00 6:53:07 4 CASEY CURRIE 2 8:00:30 1:49:45 5:04:36 0:00:00 6:54:21 5 CJ GREAVES 33 8:00:00 1:47:08 4:55:56 0:15:00 6:58:04 6 MARC BURNETT 905 8:06:00 1:59:19 5:09:29 0:00:00 7:08:48 7 JOHNNY GREAVES 122 8:00:00 1:48:56 5:24:45 0:00:00 7:13:41 8 PHIL BLURTON 944 8:04:00 2:05:26 5:15:13 0:00:00 7:20:39 9 KYLE ANDERSON 1930 8:10:30 2:04:15 5:28:22 0:00:00 7:32:37 10 ROSS PILGREEN 111 8:07:00 2:02:20 5:42:58 0:03:00 7:48:18 11 JACOB VERSEY 4931 8:09:30 2:05:52 5:42:53 0:00:00 7:48:45 12 RICKY FARMER 4959 8:13:00 2:08:00 5:44:16 0:00:00 7:52:16 DNF LOREN HEALY 67 8:02:30 2:02:57 16:05:16 DNF OOT DNF BAILEY CAMPBELL 35 8:05:30 2:31:42 16:15:38 DNF OOT DNF CODY CURRIE 22 8:08:00 1:53:21 16:22:16 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 VANBEEKUM1964 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 CALLAWAY1914 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 CAMPBELL3 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 HEFFINGTON1973 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 ZOLLINGER220 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 CAMPBELL5 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 SMITH965 8:18:00 3:21:31 DNF DNF DNF DNF BLAKE VAN DE LOO1945 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 PENNINGTON259 8:08:30 DNF DNF DNF DNF DNF SEAN HALUCH 1905 8:09:00 DNF DNF DNF DNF DNF GEORGE LISENBERY1966 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 [gallery link="file" 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