Team AMSOIL Takes on the 2025 King of the Hammers

Bragging rights and beer?

Every year, tens of thousands of hardcore spectators and nearly 1,000 competitors flood Johnson Valley, California, to create the city affectionately known as “Hammertown.” Its off-grid location emulates the postapocalyptic “Mad Max” films, setting the stage for pure chaos, with some racing sprinkled in.

King of the Hammers includes an entire week of racing, with the mack daddy Race of Kings, taking place Saturday, Feb. 8. A race known for carnage and chaos, only about 15% of racers who take the start ever finish the race.

The event was conceived by a pair of racers in search of bragging rights and a case of beer. It combines desert racing and rock crawling through 200 miles of grueling trails. It’s no wonder almost 80,000 people flood this otherwise deserted valley to witness the havoc.

Win and earn the title of King. Lose and the walk of shame could be your vehicle lifted out of the desert by helicopter (it happens).

Let’s take a look at where Team AMSOIL is competing this year.

Precision in the rocks

Kyle Chaney has been called a “surgeon” when it comes to navigating the rocks. The four-time King of the Hammers UTV champ showed us just that during qualifying last year as he slammed his Maverick R down Back Door on his way to earning pole position. On race day, Chaney overcame multiple obstacles, including two flat tires and a loss of in-car communication, to earn his fourth crown.

Never slowing down, Chaney moved on to the Race of Kings a few days later. Battling his UTV against massive Ultra 4 cars, Chaney was first across the finish line, proving he deserves respect on the lakebed, but penalties dropped him to an eighth-place finish overall.

A full stable

Brad Lovell is also looking to keep his legendary streak alive by competing in the Every Man Challenge. Having already won the Every Man crown three times, and the 4800 class four times, this will be Lovell’s 20th trip to the lakebed.

Lovell plans to race both the Desert and Every Man Challenge this year, aiming for first-in-class finishes.

King of the Hammers 2025 Event Schedule

Here’s where you’ll find Team AMSOIL next week:

• Saturday, Feb. 1 — Brad Lovell tackles the Limited Class.
  AMSOIL hosts the Supercross watch party around the Fire Pit.

  ---

• Sunday, Feb. 2 — Brad Lovell takes on the Unlimited class.
  

  ---

• Thursday, Feb. 6 — Bryce Menzies competes alongside Kyle Chaney in the UTV Championship.
  

  ---

• Friday, Feb. 7 — Brad Lovell attacks the Every Man Challenge.
  

  ---

• Saturday, Feb. 8 — The Race of Kings. Two-time champ Erik Miller and three-time champ Shannon Campbell line up against Kyle Chaney.
  

  ---

Be sure to follow AMSOIL for daily updates and behind-the-scenes action from the lakebed, and don’t forget to tune in to the livestream on race day.

We’ll see you in Hammertown!