Superstition can be summed up as irrational belief, making it the perfect co-driver for the highly irrational venture of racing at the Nitto King of the Hammers presented by 4 Wheel Parts. As everyone knows, the attrition rate in the unlimited race is off the charts and finishing takes a dose of good fortune. I set out Thursday morning before the Smittybilt Every Man Challenge to talk to drivers, not about suspension systems they were running or prep time, but about their pre-race rituals and superstitions they believe in.
The 2015 Smittybilt Everyman Challenge had 92 cars registered in four classes – Modified, Stock, Spec and Legends. None of the returning kings were running it and this year’s course was the same as the unlimited race minus Backdoor. Wind and weather were not a factor – Thursday was a pristine day with temperatures topping out in the mid-70s.
As the cars lined up in pairs, drivers were surrounded by gaggles of fans and media. The first racer I talked to was Aussie Norm Walters in the Mod Class car 4536. He informed me his racing good luck charm is a picture of his grandson he keeps in his car. “I’m also a huge fan of Australian racer Peter Brock and his #5 car, so I’m usually #5 when I race,” he said.
Canadian Karl Nornberg of Big Country Customs scoffed at the notion of being superstitious about off-road racing and disclosed the only pre-race ritual he follows is to be sure to go to the bbathroom. Banged up after multiple rollovers during qualifying, Kevin Adler in car 4602 told me he was focusing on being cool and calm during the race. He added that he always eats a couple of bananas to stave off cramps.
Motors revved to life as I made my way over to the Legends class section of the lineup to see what other racing rituals would be revealed. Rock and Metal Racing’s Angelo Parisi in car 4899 told me before a race he prays with his family. Then his co-driver reminded him of another ritual they engage in. “We rub a piece of tire that was all that was left after our car wrecked in a past race,” he laughed. “Everyone walked away safely so that’s become our lucky tire.”
Eventually, Brandon Currie followed in his father’s footsteps and won the 2015 Every Man Challenge, posting an impressive total time of 5 hrs. 57 min. and 43 sec. His father John won the
inaugural race four years ago in a Stock Class Jeep Wrangler. Unfortunately, each one of the drivers I talked to about their good luck rituals and superstitions did not finish. Only Jordan
Townsend, who told me he follows a routine of putting on his seat belt, helmet, tightening straps then putting up the window net, actually completed the race.
The highlight of the day was the gathering of all past kings of the Hammers and other luminaries onstage. They were asked about the keys to finishing the race and what makes it
different from other off-road events. 2012 winner Erik Miller stressed preparation and emphasized that if you have a clean day you can win. Past winner Jason Scherer cited his pit
crew as key, revealing that he has 40 guys working for him in the pits. Randy Slawson cautioned that guys who think they’re going to sprint to the finish line at Hammers aren’t going to make it.
Bill Baird told the crowd that you’re never ready for the race completely. “You have to say to yourself slow down and start thinking,” he said. JT Taylor was part of the OG 13 and talked
about racing the same car since the King of the Hammers began nine years ago. “I’m not on the cutting edge, but my car Old Blue is solid and I have new BFGoodrich tires,” he said. Taylor recalled how the first version of the big race was 38 miles and checkpoints were notecards that drivers had to sign.
Afterwards, I asked Taylor if he had any pre-race rituals or superstitions he’d be following before the next day’s big race. “I used to race #7 in Germany years ago and then someone else
took that number so I took lucky number 13,” he said. When I approached Erik Miller to ask if he had any pre-race rituals or superstitions he thought about it then got a big smile on his face.
“I have a little cheetah on the car that my niece gave me,” he revealed. “She gave me a cheetah because it’s the fastest animal.”
King of the Hammers is one of the hardest off road races on the planet. Johnson Valley in the huge Navajo desert is the home to 70 miles circle the drivers must make twice! King of the Hammers is really challenging with long gravel and sand stretches and rock crawling up some big boulder canyons.
