Jeff Martin Wins the Can-Am UTV Hammers Championship
The Can-Am UTV Hammers Championship delivered one of the most chaotic races in King of the Hammers history, with constant lead changes, heavy attrition, and a dramatic late-race shakeup that ultimately crowned Jeff Martin the winner.
More than 120 UTVs took on the 155.5-mile, two-lap course in Johnson Valley. The race opened with a desert-heavy first lap before transitioning into brutal rock trails on Lap 2, followed by an unusually long 50-mile desert sprint to the finish. Heavy dust and limited visibility added to the challenge throughout the day.
Early race favorites fell victim to mechanical issues and crashes, while Brock Heger — last year’s winner — controlled much of the opening lap. The turning point came in the rocks, where Jack Hammer created a massive bottleneck. Heger broke two rear axles and was delayed winching, Ronnie Anderson was later disqualified for traveling backwards on the course, and Hunter Miller suffered a broken steering rack while running near the front.
As the leaders faltered, Jeff Martin steadily moved forward, keeping his older-generation Can-Am Maverick X3 intact through the rocks and into the final desert section. Martin took the lead late after Cole Clark encountered issues, then pushed to the finish to secure a hard-earned victory.
Martin’s win marked a standout underdog story, a non-factory driver with limited sponsorship defeating a stacked field by driving smart and surviving one of the toughest UTV courses in the world.
Cole Clark finished second, with Brock Heger recovering to claim third after significant delays in the rocks.
Results – Can-Am UTV Hammers Championship
- Jeff Martin
- Cole Clark
- Brock Heger
- Dustin Robbins
