Ford is welcoming three all-new Bronco ULTRA4 4400 unlimited class race trucks to the Ford family! The trio will be debuting at the 2021 King of the Hammers off-road event in Johnson Valley, California, which begins with qualifying on February 2^nd. Each custom-built SUV will compete in the grueling race, running through February 6^th. Ford says the Bronco 4400 is designed in the theme of the Bronco R Race Prototype, celebrating the Bronco 4×4’s return to sanctioned off-road racing.

“King of the Hammers inspired us to ensure every production Bronco model delivers the capability, durability, and high-speed off-road experience this growing off-road enthusiast community has been trying to create on their own,” said Mark Grueber, Bronco marketing manager. “These Bronco 4400 race trucks underscore our commitment to the Bronco Built Wild capability and innovation in the red-hot off-road racing scene.”

The Broncos were built to represent the original unlimited class that helped to launch the iconic King of the Hammers race, with fully custom tubular chassis, massive off-road tires, and long-travel shocks. High-powered engines sit under each hood, paired to custom 4×4 driveline systems, designed to deliver on the “goes over all terrain” (G.O.A.T.) promise.

The interior of each Bronco has been race-prepped and equipped with the first-ever FIA off-road certified Pro Pacer XL ORV race shells from Recaro.

“With the Bronco R Race Prototype at the Baja 1000 and the Bronco Sport victory at the Rebelle Rally, the debut of the three Bronco 4400 race teams shows Ford Performance’s growing commitment to Bronco in off-road competition,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “These 4×4 vehicles are modeled after the all-new Bronco two- and four-door production SUVs with their combination of high-speed desert running and rock crawling agility.”

Behind the Wheel

In an effort to push each Bronco to its absolute limits, Ford has hand-picked an all-star lineup of off-road racing veterans to pilot them. Vaughn Gittin Jr. will compete alongside his teammate and two-time King of the Hammers champion Loren Healy and Jason Scherer, who has three King of the Hammers championships of his own.

“This is a killer opportunity to bring a new flavor of Bronco to the Hammers and push the Bronco brand deeper into the competitive off-road scene, while also building the foundation for future Bronco off-road racing vehicles,” said Gittin Jr.

Also at the race, Ford will display the Bronco R Race Prototype, the Bronco that served as a test bed for two- and four-door Bronco SUVS and also recently finished the Baja 1000. It will be joined by the Bronco Sport that brought home a class win at the 2020 Rebelle Rally. Finally, a never-before-seen Bronco model will debut live at the event on February 3^rd.

If you’re thinking about adding a new Bronco to your herd, Ford will have all-new 2021 Bronco two-door, four-door, and Sport models on-site so you can get up-close and personal with them. Media drives of the Bronco Sport and ride-alongs in the Bronco will be offered throughout event week.

Official Truck and SUV of ULTRA4

If you know “off-road” at all, you know that the King of the Hammers race is regarded as one of the most intense and grueling of them all. It consists of 90-mile courses featuring high-speed desert sands and low-speed rock crawling. The race results in a pop-up city (Hammertown), which converges on Johnson Valley each year, but if you can’t make it there in-person, you can join the millions of viewers who watch the race online. The official race takes place on Saturday, February 6^th, with 450 teams from around the world competing in modified stock and extreme off-road vehicles.

Recently, Ford made the decision to serve as official truck and SUV of SCORE-International Off-Road Racing, which is responsible for the Baja 500, Baja 1000, and San Felipe 250 championships in Mexico. Ford is also the official vehicle of the Best in the Desert Race series.

“It’s great to see the growing Ford support for ULTRA4 racing, first as our official vehicle partner and now the addition of the Bronco 4400 series race trucks,” said David Cole, president, Hammerking Productions/ULTRA4 Racing. “Their expanded involvement will help build interest in the series and raise the level of competition.”

You can watch the 2021 King of the Hammers race live by clicking here!