THE TOYOTAS OF KING OF THE HAMMERS

Two Weeks of Racing and Playing

- LINDSEY FISHER

 If you haven’t been to King of the Hammers, you absolutely need to put it on your automotive bucket list. With over two weeks of racing and tons of Toyotas both in race and play form to scope out, it is the off-road experience every Toyota fan should experience!

A Bit of Background

King of the Hammers unofficially started back in 2007 between a handful of wheelers with the basics jotted down on a bar napkin by founders Jeff Knoll and Dave Cole. That year, the race was merely a challenge among friends to see who could complete all of the Hammers (wheeling trails) in Johnson Valley, California, the quickest. The prize? A case of beer.

In 2008, the first official running of King of the Hammers (KOH) took place, pinning the original 12 competitors (dubbed the “OG 13”) against other invitees in a run-what-you-brought kind of competition. From there, the race grew exponentially, very quickly incorporating a qualification system to race via other off-road competitions and a Last Chance Qualifier to determine who would have the opportunity to compete against an ever-growing field of competitors.

Fast forward to 2024, and KOH is the biggest and baddest off-road event in the United States, spanning over two weeks of races, concerts, vendor and sponsor interactions, and some of the coolest vehicles you’ve ever seen. If you’re an off-road enthusiast, regardless of what you drive, KOH is definitely a MUST SEE!