It was a fast Can-Am UTV race for King of the Hammers, and the off-road community’s fast family, the Campbells, all finished in the top 10, with father Shannon Campbell earning first place, and son Wayland Campbell finishing in second. After leading the race earlier in the day, Bailey Campbell was able to post a top ten finish. History was made with all three Campbell’s finishing in the top 10, which no other racing family can claim.
This was the first UTV King of the Hammers race for the Campbell family, who will also race in the 4400 Class on Friday’s main event. Bailey was the first female driver to finish out of the three female UTV drivers to finish the race.
MORE: 2017 King of the Hammers Live Feed & More
“This was a fun race!” exclaimed Bailey Campbell after her race. “We had an issue around pit 2B. I had already broken a CV, [and] then I broke a shock and a radius rod so Terry fixed it with a hose clamp so we could make it to the finish.”
Fast and steady in the rocks won the Can-Am UTV Race, as the desert was not where Shannon and Wayland passed everyone.
“We just stayed steady, I never went over 68 mph because the car was hot and would go into limp mode,” Shannon said. “Then I lost something in the front end and did most the race in two-wheel drive. There were people stopped and out of the race the entire course, and we passed a lot of people in the rock trails.”
Jon Crowely picked his way through the pack to finish third overall, though a mistake in Chocolate Thunder caused him to drop back to fifth place on the last lap. “My codriver told me to go right, I went left and got hung up and had to winch myself off the rock,” he said. “I managed to pass Bailey when she was broken, and chased Erik Miller to the finish.”
Breakage and rolls took out several competitors throughout the day. CV Shafts, transmissions, and gear issues led to multiple DNFs in the field of 76 that started. Anthony Yount of Macon, MO, took a tumble after race mile 55 when the black Can-Am of Cody Currie clipped their right rear, resulting in what they counted was at least three end-over-end rolls. The driver and co-driver walked away from the incident.
Racing action will continue all week at the 11th Nitto King of the Hammers presented by Optima Batteries. Thursday is the Smittybilt Every Man Challenge, and Friday is the Ultra4 Nitto King of the Hammers race. Stay tuned.
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2017 King of the Hammers Live Feed and Race Recap
Erik Miller Leads King of the Hammers Qualifying on Tuesday
