While the King of the Hammers is the main event out at the week-long dirt-drivin’, rock-stomping off-road dustfest of the same name, organizers make sure everyone gets a chance to compete in one class of racing or another. It’s a whole week, after all, and there’s something for everyone. Or, in this case, Every Man.

The Smittybilt Every Man Challenge was founded to give racers and rock crawlers a place to compete as the King of the Hammers main event got more and more expensive to run. In the Every Man, teams get to choose from one of three more affordable classes. The Rubicon Express Modified Class (4500) requires a factory-appearing body, partial frame, mechanical steering, two shocks per corner, and 37-inch DOT-approved tires. The Pro Comp Stock Class, (4600) requires a factory engine, stock frame, full body, single shock per wheel, and 35-inch tall DOT-approved tires. The G2 Legends (4800) class is the most modified of the three; the only requirements are a front engine, two seats, solid axle, single shock per wheel, and 37-inch DOT approved tires. You can see the upright grille of a Jeep on many of the entries, and some even have Jeep-like bodywork down the side.

Despite their less-expensive vehicles, competitors in The Smitty have to take on much of the same terrain their more mechanically sophisticated brethren will run in the following day’s King of the Hammers. This year the course for 4500 and 4800 classes was 136 miles long. Pro Comp Stock only got a little bit of a break with a 124-mile course. Crazily enough, the top three finishers overall were from three different classes.

Winner Dan Fresh and co-driver Bryan Crofts completed the two-lap course in six hours 15 minutes and 47 seconds.

“The course was just brutal,” said Fresh, who competed in the 4500 class. “When they send you across these rocks you’re like, ‘There is no way we’re getting through. It’s just not possible.’ I’m an off-roader; now that I’ve done this rock crawling thing, I can say these vehicles are amazing. They made an addict out of me.”

Finishing second overall and winning the 4800 class were Casey Gilbert and co-driver Kent Fults. 2018 was Gilbert’s seventh year competing in KOH. He drove the 4400 class for two years before switching to the Every Man Challenge.

“The EMC is so special because fans can relate to the guys wheeling out here a little bit better,” said Gilbert. “They can relate their cars to yours and the fan base is cool. They hoot and holler when you go by. That’s important to me, that’s why we do it. It’s what makes it fun.”

Rounding out the podium in third place and winning the stock class was Jessi Combs, one of four female drivers in the competition. Combs is no stranger to KOH and has two previous class wins in other classes. She started the race in 59th place and fought her way to third by the end of the day.

“Racing in the stock class is a totally different animal. You’re really taking it back to the roots,” said Combs. “It’s a driver’s class; you have to be able to make your car go through and not break, that’s the hardest part.”

Defending champion Brad Lovell was hoping to make it three wins in a row but suffered mechanical problems.

“We broke the front link leaving the main pit area,” said Lovell, “We had to remove it and run to the pit to weld it, and grab a new driveshaft. We put a hole in the oil pan that we patched with a zip tie and some JB Weld. It cost us about an hour and a half.”

Despite his setbacks, Lovell still finished the race in fourth place in 4800, and seventh place overall.

The race was brutal, as you might expect, with only 12 out of 137 starters finishing the course in the allotted time.

There’s more brutality still to come with the final event, the King of the Hammers. Stay tuned.

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