Land rush starts are a sight to behold—many of the 100+ registered riders all rocketed from the starting line simultaneously and fought hard for the lead. That epic visual was the scene at the start of the 2020 Progressive King of the Motos and the first time a race was held after the 4400 class of the Nitto King of the Hammers race.
The course was expected to be extremely difficult—the theme of all of the races out in Johnson Valley. The day began with an 8am “Prologue” that acted as a shakedown run for the bikes and before the main start at 10 am. A full day of racing was planned with three laps divided into three levels, bronze, silver and gold, with bronze being the first lap and gold as the final lap with each lap getting progressively harder. It’s so difficult, the race officials thought that only three to four professional riders were expected to finish.
German KTM rider Manuel Littenbichler battled the desert and Cody Webb for the lead all day, but Littenbichler missed a section of the course and was penalized which gave the lead and win to four-time King Cody Webb.
“There were 26 pros at this race, and only four of them started the Gold Lap,” Course Director Justin Lieneweber explained. “My goal was to make the race harder than ever and I think that it was. No one finished within the time limit.”
2020 Progressive King of the Motos Results
1. Cody Webb
2. Trystan Hart
3. Manuel Littenbichler
Photos courtesy of King of the Motos
Click here to see all the action from 2020's King of the Hammers.