The Ford Bronco is already one of the most hyped vehicles of 2021 and we had a chance to see it embrace its racing pedigree with the Bronco recently taking part in the 2020 running of the Baja 1000 race. But Ford is always up for a challenge and has its eyes set on an even bigger prize, winning the 2021 King of The Hammers off-road race.
Ultra4 Bronco Aims To Slay The Trails
The Dearborn auto giant is hoping to cement its place in history by entering three Bronco based entries which will compete in the Ultra4 4400 Unlimited Class. Unlike the Baja 1000 Bronco R or even a stock Bronco for that matter, these beasts offer several unique upgrades that aim to help them survive the harsh tests that the King of The Hammers track has for them. A custom tubular chassis for example is lurking underneath the minimalist bodywork, while a custom 4×4 system is built around the same G.O.A.T mode system that sees duty in production Broncos.
Long travel shocks and meaty off-road tires round out the transformation and help give all three Broncos a distinct look and feel. The interior is quite spartan but Ford did equip each one with Recaro sourced ORV racing seats as well as a whole host of other features to help them endure the race while also keeping the three drivers comfortable at high speeds or when traversing the Bronco’s over rocky obstacles during the rock crawling portions of the race.
All-Star Cast Will Pilot Trio Of Broncos At King of The Hammers
All three Broncos bring plenty of off-road capability and performance to the table but the most important piece of the equation is the driver behind the wheel and Ford is not taking any chances in this regard, with the company enlisting the services of three highly talented drivers for the task. Vaughn Gitten Jr, two-time King of The Hammers winner Loren Healey, and three-time race winner Jason Scherer will pilot all three Broncos in the event.
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.
Ford is also confident that the King of The Hammers will serve as a very juicy opportunity for the Bronco to show the full extent of its off-road capabilities while also helping to plant the seeds for a very solid foundation in 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.”
When Will The 2021 King of The Hammers Take Place?
While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has certainly thrown its fair share of hurdles at the event, organizers are still pushing ahead with the race scheduled to take place this coming Wednesday. More information including a livestream of the event can be found here. As for the production Bronco that model will be rolling out to showrooms this summer. While it will not have the wild upgrades that will define these particular racers, buyers can at least indulge in some of their off-road fantasies with the Sasquatch package which adds a slight suspension lift and meatier off-road tires to the Bronco.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.