Ultra4 Racing. It's a small world, but an enthusiastic one. If you know it, you're already in it, and you love it. The rest of the world, however, has only caught glimpses of the Ultra4 world — namely from an episode of "Top Gear" that aired earlier this year, showcasing Ultra4's big "King of The Hammers" (KOH) race, and more recently the new six-episode series "Journey to the Hammers" on NBC Sports. The best way to describe this race to an outsider? "Burning Man meets Mad Max."
Intrigued, yet?
If you're into 4x4s and off-roading, Ultra4 Racing is pretty much the holy embodiment of everything you hold near and dear. How so? Let's take a look...
1. Rocks.
This is what makes Ultra4 so hardcore. So many rocks. So much crawling.
2. And epic fails.
Yep. A lot of this, too. Here we see a few rock-bouncers try (and fail) to conquer Back Door at a past KOH Shootout. This stuff takes skill!
3. Killer suspension setups.
Probably not too shocking, but these cars can really take a beating. (IFS for the win? Maybe we shouldn't go there...)
4. Dust.
Ultra4 is a combination of rock crawling and desert racing — and with the latter, things can get a little dusty. This is where the Mad Max comparisons come into play...
5. Mud.
And just when you thought Ultra4 couldn't get any better... Rocks, dust and mud! The three best elements the world has to offer, all in one motorsport.
6. Fierce competition.
These drivers are in it to win it. (Cue Ludacris: "Move...get out the way!")
7. Sweet jumps.
Just what we like to see. Plenty of action.
8. Stampede!!!
This legit looks like the wildebeest scene from "The Lion King." Except the wildebeests are Transformers. Crazy, huh?
9. The scenery.
KOH takes place in the Southern Californian desert in Johnson Valley. You haven't seen jaw-dropping, vivid AF, Instagram-worthy, "there-is-a-god" sunrises until you've seen one in Johnson Valley. The views are amazeballs, and just imagine seeing that every morning of the week-long series as you walk out of your camper, ready to seize the day!
Take a deeper look at the amazing world of Ultra4 Racing in the second episode of "Journey to the Hammers" tonight at 8 PST on NBC Sports. Watch the series trailer at the top!
King of The Hammers isn't the only Ultra4 race. See more Ultra4 action at DrivingLine.com/ULTRA4.