NAXJA goes racing......King of the Hammers, Fri Feb 22....details

[Goatman]

Paul Sinclair and I are fortunate enough to be included as participants in this race. We are racing my new XJ based buggy, and I've been working on it virtually non-stop for over a month to get it finished and race ready. Below I'm going to post a press release from Pirate, since it has the most complete info about the race that I've seen. There will be extensive online coverage of the race for anyone who is interested in following it. I'll also post below the most recent pics of the rig, and the bio information that was sent to CRAWL magazine. Be sure to check out Pirate4x4.com for coverage and look for a major write up in a future issue of CRAWL. To follow us, we are racing as Team Garry Hall, as neither Paul nor I are well known in competitive circles, and that's what it took for us to get an invite.

Many, many thanks to our sponsors and those who are on our crew and who have driven to Bakersfield to help get it ready to race. I have a few more projects to be done today, then I load up tomorrow and hit the road on Tues.

[Goatman]

King of the Hammers – The newest Rock-Sport merging rock and desert racing into a one-of-a-kind race.

FOR Immediate Release:

Johnson Valley, California (February 7, 2008) Johnson Valley OHV Area will be home to the first of its kind, a Rock-Sports marathon event entitled, “King of the Hammers,” held in the Southern California rock canyons that some argue gave birth to the rock crawling industry over ten years ago. The event will not only be held within the well known Hammers at Johnson Valley, but will span into a large area of the California desert adjacent to the rock garden.

HammerKing Productions, Inc., working in association with Crawl Magazine, W.E. ROCK Inc, DIRTnewz.com, Pirate 4x4.com, RaceDezert.com, and Totally Off-road Radio have teamed up to present a completely new form of off-road racing that includes rock crawling, rock racing and traditional desert racing, all mixed into one race.

After 10 years, Rock-Sports has a premier event, with many of the nation’s top teams building cars specifically for this race. A host of event coverage begins on Thursday, February 21, 2008 with a Media Day in which drivers, sponsors, and race staff will discuss the race and strategy for survival.

King of the Hammers starts Friday morning February 22, 2008 with an early morning Pirate4x4/DIRTnewz live play-by-play webcast direct from the start line along with a host of other web-based media.

The 50-mile course will combine the technical aspects of rock crawling with the inherent challenges of desert racing. Designed as a made for media event, the race will be broadcasted live on the nation’s top off road racing websites.

In an unprecedented move, Pirate4x4.com and DIRTnewz.com, the leaders in web-based off road coverage, will team together and offer six facets of multimedia event coverage beginning on Monday, February 18th, four days prior to the kick off of the race.

"We are extremely excited that so many industry leaders are teaming together in order to bring the race action to computer screens across the world,” commented Jeff Knoll of HammerKing Productions, Inc.

The course will feature all aspects of open desert racing, but will add in the slower and technical crawling section, which require experience and equipment well versed in climbing big ledges and traversing insane obstacles that rock crawling is well known for.

King of the Hammers pits the top teams in rock crawling and rock racing from the W.E. ROCK and XRRA Series against hard core trail runners, desert racers, a CORR driver and even an extreme skier.

Using part of the Mojave Desert’s Lucerne Valley desert race course, as well as a dozen of the famous Hammer trails in Johnson Valley, the invite-only racers will have to balance the needs of rock crawling with the ability to drive fast. The expected finishing time for the winning team will be about 4 hours with a cut off time of 10 hours.

HammerKing Productions, Inc. has partnered with multiple media outlets in order to bring the action to fans worldwide live from the event site. The electronic age now allows for grass roots racing action to be webcast virtually instantly without using expensive television production companies.

A host of the nation’s top off road magazine editors will be in attendance providing the print world with the best-of-the-best in editorial print coverage.

King of the Hammers is not a spectator event insofar as allowing a onsite contingency of spectators. Drivers will spend the majority of the course time in narrow canyons with little access to fans and spectators. Each team will carry the majority of spare parts and equipment with them as the difficult terrain will not allow chase teams access as in traditional desert racing.

Crawl Magazine has committed to create an extensive editorial and photographic feature depicting the race, as well as dedicating the cover of their magazine to the winner of King of the Hammers.

In addition to the web-based and print media, Spike TV’s “Extreme 4x4 TV” will feature the race in an upcoming episode.

HammerKing Productions, Inc. is supported by many of the industry’s great companies. Without their support, the daunting task of promoting the next level of Rock-Sports to the public would be difficult. Please take the time to visit with our supporters. They include: 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers, QA1, TrailReady, Longfield, Interco Tire Corporation, PRP Racing Seats, Race Line Wheel, Tool Chassis and Maxxis Tires.

Invited drivers for King of the Hammers are the following:

Bart, Dixon
Becca, Webster
Brad, Lovell
Brandon, Johnson
Brett, Porter
Brian, Ellinger
Carey, Stiener
Casey, Currie
Chris, Gieger
Craig , Thompson
Dean, Bulloch
Derek, Trent
Doug, Bigalow
Drew, Burroughs
Drew, Goldie
Garry, Hall (Richard Gauthier)
Glenn, Bonner
Hobie, Smith
Ian, Plaine
Jack, Adams
Jack, Graef
Jeff, Mello
Jermey, Tooney
Jochiam, Schweisow
Jody, Everding
John, James
John, Reynolds
JT, Taylor
Kevin, Yoder
Larry, Gibson
Larry, Trim
Luke, Bagley
Matt Peterson
Nicole Johnson
Cameron Steele
Pete, Norris
Peter, Wells
Cotton, Rodd
Randy, Slauson
Rick, Dermo
Rick, Mooneyham
RJ, Brown
Rob, Booney
Rob, Park
Robert, Luciaro
Rusty, Bray
Scott, Ellinger
Shane, Henry
Shannon, Cambell
Tim, Florian
Tom, Wayes
Tracy, Jordan
Weston, Blackie

[Goatman]

Richard Gauthier
Team Garry Hall
Age 57
Live in Bakersfield, Ca
My day job is used car manager at Jim Burke Ford in Bakersfield.

Co-driver is Paul Sinclair. Paul also has an XJ based buggy and has wheeled in Johnson Valley more than anybody I know.

Crew includes Matt Strmiska, Cal Tuttle, Dave Taylor, Andy Couch, Tony Rojo, Grant Barclay, and Garry Hall.

Sponsors
and the Cherokee XJ 25th Anniversary Celebration, Moab, Oct ‘08
Maxxis Tires
Rigwerks
JE Reel Drivelines
CTM Racing
The Blue 52

My very first car was a ‘55 Willy’s wagon with a Chevy V8 motor, and I was very active in the local 4x4 club as a teenager. I think I broke everything there was on that first Jeep. I’m still an active member of the Bakersfield Trailblazers, serving as president numerous times. I got away from wheeling for a time, but bought another Jeep 15 years ago and have been hard at it since then. My first trip to the Hammers was 12 years ago in my ‘88 XJ on 32’s, now it has big axles and 37’s, and a little less sheet metal. I also recently built an XJ based buggy, which is what I’m driving in the race. I would imagine that I’m the only XJ based buggy in King of the Hammers.

I’m also very active in , the North American XJ Association, and have served two terms as president. I’ve never been in any kind of competition, offroad or otherwise, my main emphasis and contribution has been organizing runs and events.

I organized the first two Fall Fling events in Moab, UT, in 1999 and 2000.

Coordinated the Cherokee XJ 20th Anniversary Celebration in Moab in Oct of 2003. We had 175 rigs participating, nearly all of them XJ’s and MJ’s.

Currently coordinating the XJ 25th Anniversary Celebration which will be in Moab the first week of Oct ‘08. We’re anticipating 250 or more XJ’s.

I have organized a run we call Best of the West for the last six years, which is a week long wheeling trip to most of the hardest wheeling locations in the west. We’ve wheeled in many locations in CO, UT, AZ and in CA. This trip has had magazine coverage twice.

I have also put on a run in Johnson Valley the last three years called the Rockin’ XJ Jamboree. We’ve raised $12,000 for Friends of Panamint Valley to help in the effort to reopen Surprise Canyon. This run has also had magazine coverage.

Vehicle specs:
XJ based buggy, .120 and .188 wall DOM
4.0L 6 cyl
AW4 automatic
Atlas 3.8 transfer case
Tera CRD60’s front and rear, 4.56's, T-Lockers
Rear has Dutchman 35 spline shafts, disc brakes
Front has 35 spline Alloy USA inners, CTM axle joints, 33 spline CTM 300M stubs, 1/2 ton brakes
3 link front and rear with heat treated Chomo lower links and all 1" rod ends
Sway-a-way coilovers and Fox air bumps front
Fox coilovers rear
Warn M8000 winch front
Warn 1700 winch rear
PRP seats
Maxxis 40” Creepie Crawlers

I’m very happy to be competing in the first official KOH race. While I don’t have the horsepower that many rigs have, or competition experience, I’ve been rock crawling for a long time and am very familiar with the Hammers. I’m anxious to see what we can do up against some of the best teams and best rigs in the country. My goal is to run a fast, clean race and not break.

[Goatman]

Here's pics of the rig with the new Maxxis 40's and the new body panels. I'll get more pics when I get all the stickers on.

[Goatman]

[Bryan C.]

Good luck Richard!!! I'll be watching on the web, rooting you on from the bay area.

[4xSanta]

Good luck Richard I will see ya out there on thursday.......SANTA

[RTicUL8]

Let's see...
Steering wheel, center shift lever & plate, and grill cover are all I recognize.

Other than that, this thing is fugly!

Best of luck to you

.

[Starboard M]

Good luck!!!


And stay safe out there.

[Jimbo_1321]

Originally Posted by Bryan C.

Good luck Richard!!! I'll be watching on the web, rooting you on from the bay area.

x2 good luck man!

[Rob D]

Man that thing is lookin good Richard. The best of luck to ya!!!!!!

[97XJ Jeeper]

Good luck!!! Have fun and stay safe.

[Goatman]

Big thanks to Scrappy who drove up yesterday and spent the day doing the last few projects on the buggy. After work today I have to fix a spot on the paint on a body panel, put on the last stickers, and load everything up. We're leaving Tues as soon as everything it loaded.

It should be a fun week........and hopefully we're still in one piece at the end. Thanks again to all those folks who have helped us, some have sent some funds to help with expenses, and some have come by and spent hours working to get the rig ready. We'll do our best.

[HaleYes]

Maybe I missed it somewhere......Is this thing going to be televised?

Best of luck Goatman!

[buzzbombxj]

I will be glued to my computer friday rooting for you guys! have a safe race.