Yokohama Tire’s Off-Road Team Gears Up for King of the Hammers
Tiremaker returns as title sponsor of the Yokohama Tire Every Man Challenge Race. Team Yokohama drivers will compete in nine 4-wheel classes on various GEOLANDAR® tires
Yokohama Tire’s off-road team is on the road to Johnson Valley, CA, site of the annual King of the Hammers (KOH) race. The tiremaker, which is also the title sponsor of the Yokohama Tire Every Man Challenge (EMC) race for the second consecutive year, will field several drivers in nine classes at the race, which runs from Jan. 22-Feb. 7. All Yokohama drivers will compete on GEOLANDAR tires.
Veteran Team Yokohama members returning to KOH include Wayne and Kristen Matlock, who will compete again in their Factory RZR Pro-R in the UTV Pro Open on GEOLANDAR SD tires, while Levi Shirley will line up for his 14th King of the Hammers start in the 4400 class on 40-inch GEOLANDAR M/T-R tires. Philip McGilton, backed by Yokohama and Southern Tire Mart, is entered in the 4400 class on the GEOLANDAR M/T-R and the 4900 class, running on 37-inch GEOLANDAR M/T G003 SxS tires.
Bailey Cole will be racing in three classes at KOH (including the EMC) on a variety of GEOLANDAR tires, and Jonathan and Jordan Brenthel will be in the T1 & T2 classes on GEOLANDAR M/T-R tires. Mitchell Alsup, Micheal McFayden and Josh Row will all be running in the UTV Pro Open on GEOLANDAR SD tires.
Cameron Steele is back and competing in several classes, including King of the Motos events, the Desert Challenge on the GEOLANDAR M/T-R and in the UTV Hammers Championship on the GEOLANDAR M/T G003 SxS. Steele will also be contending in the Every Man Challenge race, looking to better his 2025 3rd-place finish.
The Warrior Built Foundation will also be on the lakebed, taking on the Class 11 Showdown with military veterans behind the wheel as they battle 50 other 1960s-era “Class 11” VW Beetles to see how they stack up. Throughout the week, Yokohama will honor veterans by giving away one set of tires as a “thank-you” for their service.
Warrior Built will also participate in several additional opportunities in partnership with King of the Hammers and Optima Batteries, further showcasing their commitment to the off-road community and those who served.
Yokohama has a full slate of activities planned both on and off the racecourse throughout Hammertown. Team Yokohama athletes from a variety of on-road disciplines will be on-site to experience everything King of the Hammers has to offer.
Fans are invited to visit the Yokohama activation rig to explore the complete GEOLANDAR product lineup and enter for a chance to win a set of Yokohama tires.
In partnership with Optima Batteries, Yokohama will host the Optihama Block Party at the Optima Oasis on Feb. 5. The event will feature the Trailer Park Drift, where Team Yokohama athletes will go head-to-head with other King of the Hammers racers. Guests can enjoy exciting giveaways, live music, and a campfire as the festivities lead into the biggest races of the year!
“Yokohama is thrilled to sponsor the King of the Hammer’s Every Man Challenge again,” said Candace Cogan, Yokohama’s director of product marketing. “It’s one of the biggest, most popular and extremely challenging races and offers grassroots competitors the chance to race the King of the Hammers course. Our Team Yokohama drivers can’t wait to compete in it and all the other classes at KOH. Plus, Yokohama will roll out a new racer and contingency program that is open to anyone competing at KOH.”
For more info on Yokohama motorsports programs, go to https://www.yokohamatire.com/motorsports.
For details on KOH, visit https://kingofthehammers.com/.