We traveled out west and put on a show!
Returning once again to the annual King of the Hammers race held in Johnson Valley, CA. The Wolff racing team spent three weeks in the desert competing in the hardest single day offroad races in the world. The UTV Hammers championship and the 4400 Race of Kings. Two races that demand every ounce of your passion to make it to the finish.
Kicking race week off with UTV qualifying; Paul due to winning a national championship in 2025 would be registered to qualify in “power hour” which is the last qualifying time block of the day. Where the “whos whos” of the sport, celebrities, former kings and champions will run their qualifier. Pauls run would be 5th from last. After over 120 cars had taken to that very course earlier that day. Paul laid down the 5th fastest time of the day. Putting him in the third row off the line for the big race on Thursday!
Watch the full qualifying run from Pauls POV here
Fast forward two days and Paul would qualify the 4400 unlimited truck in 1st position for the second year in a row and the third time in 4 years. Proving to ALL he’s one, if not the fastest man in Ultra4 racing. Even with a bobble at the end of his qualifying run that sent him over a berm in the short course. Paul was able to put nearly 5 seconds over the entire field!
Watch the full qualifying run from Pauls POV here!
Following 4400 qualifying day was the UTV hammers championship race. Paul accompanied by co-driver and two time king Erik Miller would experience a short race. Fighting thru the dust early on lap one, and experiencing issues with the gps navigation system. A note was missed that would send Paul and Erik end over end on race course, along with several other racers in the exact same spot. Ending their race earlier than anyone wanted. Before leaving the course Paul and Erik both recovered two other racers that had crashed moments after them, pulling them from their race vehicle to safety and then continued to direct traffic to warn other competitors of the danger ahead. Both Paul and Erik were okay and sustained no injuries.
Hear the full story from Paul and Erik themselves here.
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And a full in depth breakdown of the race here.
Saturday was the 4400 “Race of Kings”. Having qualified in the Pole position Paul would leave off the line first, and get clean air for the first half of his lap. Midday way thru the first lap Paul began experiencing low Oil pressure warnings and pulled off the race course. Unable to determine the true cause. Paul got back in the car an continued his race. Having lost several positions while pulled off course. Fighting his way back thru all the traffic on his second lap. By lap 3 he was in 4th position physically on course. The 3rd “mystery” lap known to be the hardest lap of the race. For two reasons. Competitors will race thru canyons and trails never before raced in previous years and unknown. and with no pre running allowed due to the map release coming just a day before the race. Drivers truly had to navigate on the third lap. Starting into the 3rd lap Paul continued to pick off racers until he was in the physical lead. Passing competitors in some of the most difficult trails of the race, and even pushing other competitors up some of the hardest obstacles of the race. After hours of grueling rock trails Paul managed to DRIVE through with only having to winch himself on a few occasions. Paul Began to stretch his lead into the final rock trails of the race to over 30 minutes. At this point he had been in the car for nearly 14 hours.
Dropping a hard ledge in one of the last rock trails Paul lost all power steering in the vehicle. unable to move we were forced to call the race at the time. But after some time had gone by and an overwhelming amount of support poured into Pauls live stream and into his phone. Paul with his never quit attitude and determination had remedied a temporary fix to get out of the trails and back to remote pit. Doing so with no power steering at all. Man handling 42″ Nitto tires thru rocks the size of Volkswagen Beatles on entirely mechanical steering. A feat that shall not go unrecognized. With only two official race finishers. When the race clock ran out. Paul had advanced further on course then any other competitor and was awarded 3rd place officially.
But do to Pauls live stream on the car and the exceptional coverage provided by Hammering productions of the entire race. Paul became “The Peoples Champ” between his never quit attitude on course, changing his own tires, and winching himself thru several tough obstacles being the only true “ironman to make it as far as he had on course, to be the only single seat car to lead the race all day, to having heart felt conversations with his family back home in the middle of the biggest race of his life. Paul won the audience over without any shred of doubt. He truly did become the People’s Champion this year.
Check out this awesome moment Paul shared with his family during the race
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Full recap from the Race of kings can be found here
