We’re back from Johnson Valley, and this is our race recap of the 2026 King of the Hammers UTV Hammers Championship.

King of the Hammers 2026 once again highlighted why the UTV Hammers Championship is one of the most demanding events in off-road racing. Combining high-speed desert sections with technical rock trails, the race rewarded not just outright speed, but preparation, durability, and decision-making under pressure.

Early timing data suggested a clear pace advantage among the front runners, but as the course transitioned into the rocks, attrition reshaped the results and emphasized how quickly the event can turn.

Pre-Race & Prerunning

The buildup to race day centered on extensive prerunning and setup refinement. Teams focused on balancing desert speed with survivability in the rock sections, particularly Jackhammer, which historically has proven decisive.

Qualifying Sets the Pace

Qualifying results immediately put Brock Heger at the front of the conversation. His fastest lap of 1:52.195 in 4900 Open UTV was the quickest time of the session, nearly four seconds faster than Ronnie Anderson (1:56.219) and Kyle Chaney (1:56.921).

On a short qualifying loop, that margin was notable. The top ten Open UTV entries were separated by less than nine seconds, underscoring how competitive the field was heading into race day.

Early Race Pace: Desert Advantage

That qualifying speed translated directly into the race. Heger completed the opening desert-only lap — nearly 60 miles — in 1h08m03.965s, one of the fastest opening laps recorded before the field reached the rock sections.

Ronnie Anderson followed approximately two minutes behind, reinforcing that the gap seen in qualifying reflected genuine race pace rather than a single hot lap.

At this stage, the timing data suggested Heger was well-positioned to contend for an overall victory if the car could survive the rocks.

Jackhammer Changes Everything

As the race entered the rock sections, the dynamic shifted sharply. Jackhammer proved decisive across the field, with bottlenecks, broken components, and recovery delays affecting many of the expected contenders.

Heger broke two axles in the rock section. After carrying one spare, he required assistance from another Polaris team member to deliver a replacement. While he was able to continue, the time lost removed him from overall contention despite his early advantage.

Similar issues affected multiple front-running entries, reinforcing that King of the Hammers is rarely decided by speed alone.

Execution Wins the Day

While several top contenders lost time in the rocks, Jeff Martin emerged as the defining story of the race. Driving the No. 968 Can-Am, Martin completed the full course in 4h54m30.2s, claiming both the overall and Open UTV victory — the first time a privateer has achieved that result.

Rather than relying on outright pace, Martin managed traffic, controlled temperatures, and avoided major damage through the rock sections. His winning margin of more than seven minutes over second place highlights how quickly time can be lost once problems begin.

Only 25 of more than 100 entries completed the full course within the 10-hour time limit, underscoring the difficulty of the event.

Podium & Class Results

Overall & Open UTV Winner: Jeff Martin — 4h54m30.2s
Pro Mod UTV Winner: Scott Lesage — 6h55m04.8s (5th overall)
Pro Stock Turbo UTV Winner: Kurt Mackie
Pro Stock NA UTV Winner: Jeremy McGrath

Despite early pace, Brock Heger ultimately finished third overall after axle failures in the rocks — a result that reflected both his speed and the unforgiving nature of the course.

What the Timing Data Tells Us

• Early desert pace strongly correlated with qualifying results.
• The rock sections, particularly Jackhammer, introduced the largest time swings.
• Winning pace was defined more by consistency and damage avoidance than peak speed.
• Even small mechanical issues resulted in multi-minute losses that reshaped the podium.

King of the Hammers once again proved that survival is as critical as speed.

Looking Ahead: Mint 400

With the UTV Hammers Championship complete, attention now turns to the next major stop on the desert racing calendar: the Mint 400.

While each event presents different challenges, the lessons from King of the Hammers remain consistent. Early pace sets the tone, but execution, preparation, and durability ultimately determine results over long race distances.

As teams transition from technical rock terrain back into full desert racing, consistency and mechanical reliability once again become decisive. We’ll be following how these programs carry momentum forward into the Mint 400.