Ultra4 American Rock Sports Challenge Returns to Miller Motorsports Park This Weekend

UTV Weekly | July 6, 2013

Unique event combines high-speed off-road racing with rock-crawling

TOOELE VALLEY, UTAH (July 9, 2013) — The Ultra4 American Rock Sports Challenge returns to Miller Motorsports Park this Friday and Saturday, July 12-13, bringing their unique style of off-road racing back to Utah for a third consecutive year.

Ultra4 Racing grew out of a now-legendary off-road race called King of the Hammers, which was the result of a bet six years ago that culminated in a race for bragging rights and a case of beer among 13 friends. The King of the Hammers, held annually in Johnson Valley, California, combines two of the most popular forms of off-roading – rock-crawling and high-speed off-road racing. That one epic race has now resulted in the Ultra4 Nitto Tire National Championship Series, an eight-race championship that includes the Ultra4 American Rock Sports Challenge at Miller Motorsports Park.

Grown purely from the demands of the racers and fans, no other form of racing in this decade has seen the magnitude of growth and grassroots commitment as Ultra4 Racing. The rulebook is very thin: vehicles must be capable of running four-wheel-drive, and everything else is unlimited. They must be capable of extreme rock-crawling, yet able to reach speeds over 100 mph. The result is an amazing variety of Jeeps, trucks and buggies ranging from 2,800-5,000 pounds with horsepower ranging from 150 to over 600. The winning team will combine innovative engineering, brilliant driving skills and unbridled bravery.

The third annual Ultra4 American Rock Sports Challenge is the final west coast race in the Trail-Gear Western Regional Championship and the second-to-last race for the Nitto Tire National Championship. Previous events this year have been the seventh annual King of the Hammers in Johnson Valley, California, in February, the 4 Wheel Parts Glen Helen Grand Prix in San Bernardino, California, and the MetalCloak Stampede in Sacramento, California.

The American Rock Sports Challenge will encompass both the MMP Off Road Short Course and the MMP Rock Crawling Course in one timed race. Saturday, the morning prelim races will feature 40-plus teams competing in two prelim races. The top half of each of the prelim races will move on to the main event. The bottom half will be entered into a Last Chance Qualifier race, where the top four drivers will also advance to the main event. Last year’s American Rock Sports Challenge winner entered the main event via the LCQ, so it’s a race where anything can happen! The races will get longer as the day progresses, with lots of exciting action between the fastest vehicles. Friday’s practice and qualifying will run from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., and Saturday’s prelim races start at 9:00 a.m. with the LCQ race at 1:15 p.m. and the main event scheduled for 4:00 p.m.

The Miller Kart Track will have kart rentals available to the public from 10:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Friday and from 10:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. In addition the popular MMP Zip Line will also be open for rides.

Admission for the Ultra4 American Rock Sports Challenge is $20/weekend for adults and $10/weekend for kids aged 6-12, while kids 5 and under are admitted free of charge.

Tickets for the Ultra4 American Rock Sports Challenge will be available at the Miller Motorsports Park box office. For information about Miller Motorsports Park, call 435-277-RACE (7223) or visit the track’s website at www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com. For more information about Ultra4 Racing, visit their website at www.Ultra4Racing.com.

Photo Caption: The Ultra4 American Rock Sports Challenge, a unique evening combing rock-crawling and high-speed off-road racing, returns to Miller Motorsports Park for the third consecutive year this Friday and Saturday, July 12-13, 2013. (Photo courtesy Miller Motorsports Park / Jeremy Henrie)