Franklin, Tenn. - ITP racers put in an impressive showing at the 2018 Ultra4 King of the Hammers UTV race in Johnson Valley, CA, winning the event and putting another pilot on the podium. In a race where just finishing is viewed as an accomplishment—only 12 of 118 competitors finished the course on time this year—ITP tallied three top-10 finishes, reinforcing the brand's dependability.
The most impressive finish came from ITP Pro Driver, Mitch Guthrie Jr., who earned the win racing in his Polaris RZR dressed in ITP Blackwater Evolution tires. The young driver combined his course knowledge and exceptional driving skills with the formidable and dependable 8-ply Blackwater Evolution tires to conquer every challenge on the KOH course, one many fans call the "Ultimate Desert Race." ITP racers Mitch Guthrie Sr. and Mark Burnett, both riding on ITP Ultra Cross R Spec tires, finished in third and sixth, respectively.
"We pushed our 32-inch Blackwater tires to the limits at this race,” Guthrie, Jr., said. “With no tire failures, we were able to drive faster and more confidently through every type of terrain over the challenging course."
While ITP-sponsored, father-and-son racers, Mitch Guthrie Jr. and Senior finished on the podium, it was the younger Guthrie who dazzled spectators and racers alike with many graceful cat-like moves he made over the boulder fields and gravel washes. At one point, the young racer led by as much as 45 minutes.
"This race across dangerous rocky terrain and brutal desert will go down as one of the most successful races ever for ITP racers,” Rhett Turpin, head of ITP Sales, said. “Anytime you come away with a victory and three racers finishing in the top 10, it speaks volumes about your product and about those dedicated racers who choose to run ITP tires on their race vehicles.
"We are very pleased to lead the way in side-by-side vehicle desert racing and the success our teams are having competing with the ITP Blackwater and Ultra Cross R Spec tires. It is clear that ITP is THE tire choice, whether it's for racing or purely for recreational enjoyment, ITP continues to lead the way in the desert."
Guthrie Sr., who has notched six wins at the KOH UTV race previously, ran among the top five all day. The grizzled rock-racing veteran even overcame a tip over on the Rally's vertical "backdoor" to still garner a spot on the podium. The third-place finish was even sweeter not only because he was one of only a dozen finishers, but also because his son took home the victory.
"ITP tires helped land me a spot on the podium," said Guthrie Sr. "The ITP Blackwater Evolution tires are the one item that actually touches the ground on my race and recreational cars; so I am fully committed to having the best possible tires out there and one that's manufactured in the USA."
Burnett competed at the KOH UTV race for the first time in a new Can-Am Maverick X3 X rc outfitted with proven ITP Ultra Cross R Spec tires. Burnett is very familiar with desert racing, but the rookie KOH racer proved rather resilient in the rocks, too, coming away with a top 10 finish.
