CAN-AM WIN KING OF THE HAMMERS! | News
Two generations of Can-Am Maverick win at the 2024 Can-Am UTV King of the Hammers Championship in the USA. It would be awesome to see something like this Down Under.
Can-Am, stayed on the gas at the 2024 Ultra 4 King of the Hammers out in Johnson Valley, CA. The Can-Am Factory Racing Team proved to be the most successful force in UTV racing once again. Kyle Chaney convincingly won the UTV Hammers Championship overall and UTV Pro Mod class in his all-new Can-Am Maverick R, qualifying fastest and leading the race from wire-to-wire. The victory marks Chaney’s fourth time winning the overall and the fifth consecutive year Can-Am has led the race. Phil Blurton was close in tow, piloting his Can-Am Maverick X3 to second place in the UTV Pro Mod Class, while also finishing third in the UTV overall. Paul Wolff brought home third place in the Open UTV class, ninth in the UTV overall.
The 170-mile race covers what many believe to be the roughest, technical rock and desert terrain in the world and is the most challenging single day race of the year. Can-Am Factory Racers contested both the UTV Pro Mod and UTV Pro Open classes to showcase the capability and versatility of both the new Maverick R platform and legendary Maverick X3 platform, each proving their racing prowess on the course.
“We are very proud to see what Kyle Chaney was able to achieve in the all-new Can-Am Maverick R. Our teams spent thousands of hours developing what we believe is the most effective and performant side-by-side in the world, and to see the Maverick R beat vehicles with twice the displacement is very gratifying and validates our efforts,” said Thomas Uhr, Chief Technology Officer at BRP. “We are also incredibly impressed by what Phil Blurton and Paul Wolff were able to achieve in their Maverick X3’s, they embody the challenger spirit of our brand.”
The qualifying race was action packed, living up to its reputation for creating viral moments, with a challenging loop course that included the infamous ‘Backdoor’ section. Chaney, himself, “broke the internet” with his top qualifying run, as video footage of him jumping a large portion of the descent has amassed nearly 5 million views to date on social channels. Chaney was the top qualifier, followed by Phil Blurton in fifth, and Paul Wolff in 97th which determined race day starting order.
“This year was a challenge. We knew the pressure was on when we made the late decision to run the new Maverick R. I’m proud to show everyone what the Maverick R is capable of and put it on top of the podium, even with two flat tires on lap two,” said Kyle Chaney, of the Can-Am Factory Racing Team. “It was cool to see Phil Blurton, in the proven Maverick X3, finish on the podium right behind me too.”
Off the line, Chaney took the lead right off the line and began checking out. Paul Wolff started 97th off the line, but he never gave up and fought hard throughout the race. The battle behind Chaney heated up quickly, with Phil Blurton quickly fighting his way to the front during the first lap, battling up to third as the rain began to fall and he came into the pits.
Chaney’s methodical driving allowed him to open up a sizable gap on the field at the start of the second lap. Blurton’s precision driving and race management allowed him to have one of the faster first lap pit stops, which helped him gain extra time on the field. Wolff put on a passing clinic throughout the race, passing more than 80 vehicles over the course of the day to fight his way up to the front.
After strategically managing his race, Chaney would secure his fourth King of the Hammers UTV Championship, bringing home the UTV overall win and UTV Pro Mod Class and beating the rest of the field by nearly six minutes, even with two flat tires. Blurton would finish second in the UTV Pro Mod class, while also securing third place for the UTV overall finish despite having his own challenges throughout the race with slower competitors in front of him. Taking third in the Open UTV class against competitors with twice the displacement of Woff’s Maverick X3, his performance was truly astonishing.
- UTV Race Overall:
- Kyle Chaney, 3:57:28 – UTV Pro Mod
- Phil Blurton, 4:05:57 – UTV Pro Mod
- Paul Wolff, 4:38:50 – Open UTV
- UTV Pro Mod Class
- Kyle Chaney, 3:57:28
- Phil Blurton, 4:05:57
- Open UTV Class
- Paul Wolff, 4:38:50