Mike Inglesbee
Currie Wins For Everyman KOH 2012
"We passed a bunch of cars right off the start," said Co-driver Gerald Lee. "We made great time in the desert even though we were considerably down on power. We had problems with our engine management computer so we put a stock one on the rig before the race...Story and photos by Mike Inglesbee
In a masterful display of driving skill, King Shocks racers John Currie and co-driver Gerald Lee won the inaugural Everyman Challenge held Sunday, Feb. 5th, 2012 at the King of the Hammers (KOH) event in Johnson Valley, Ca. Currie was competing against 18 other "stock" class competitors and also beat all 17 drivers in the much more altered "modified" class. Currie was running factory style coil springs on his Jeep, LJ and a single 2.5" King "Smoothie" shock with a hose remote reservoir on each wheel. King's smoothie shock is the most basic shock style in the King product line-up. What makes the King "Smoothie" stand out is the tunable internal valving, quality materials and strict precision tolerances that all contribute to the superior damping performance John Currie used to dominate the race. Currie finished a full 15 minutes ahead of the second place finisher who was driving a "modified" class rig.
The Stock class requires factory engines and transmissions, full frames and bodies, and DOT-approved tires no larger than 35-inches tall in addition to mechanical steering and a single 2.5-inch shock per wheel. "The spirit of the Stock Class is to allow OEM and aftermarket vendors the opportunity to showcase their products while providing a venue for teams to compete in a true drivers class in vehicles that closely relate to street driven versions," Dave Cole, KOH event organizer explained. "The 77-mile course through Johnson Valley OHV Area contained all of the elements of King of the Hammers, and surprisingly even much of the same terrain tackled by the unlimited cars. The Smittybilt Every Man Challenge required teams to navigate as quickly as possible through not only uneven desert terrain but also the notorious boulder strewn trails known simply as "The Hammers."
"We passed a bunch of cars right off the start," said Co-driver Gerald Lee. "We made great time in the desert even though we were considerably down on power. We had problems with our engine management computer so we put a stock one on the rig before the race. We were only able to rev up to 4500 rpm's. To compensate, we had to carry more speed through the rough stuff which was no problem with our King shocks. Who knows what the winning time might have been if we had our usual horsepower levels from the engine."
The Everyman Challenge gives everyone with a competitive spirit a chance to take part in the King of the Hammers, the toughest single day race event in the world. If you'd like to compete in next year's event, get yourself a 4x4 rig and give King Shocks a call at 714-530-8701 or visiting info@kingshocks.com