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  • BFGoodrich Tire Designed and Built in the U.S. to Take Center Stage at Dakar Rally

    Off-road-racing data and engineering drove development 
    of Alabama-manufactured BFGoodrich    ® All-Terrain T/A KDR2+ tire

    GREENVILLE, S.C., Jan. 3, 2019 – Seeking a 15th overall win in the legendary Dakar Rally, BFGoodrich® Tires will be supporting two official partners that will race on a bespoke tire built for the challenges of the course.

    As the official tire of Toyota and Mini X-raid, BFGoodrich will provide tires and support for the teams as they compete in the grueling off-road race that covers more than 3,000 miles in Peru. They will race on the BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A KDR2+ tire, conceived, engineered and manufactured with one goal in mind: win the Dakar with versatility and reliability.

    The KDR2+ tire has completed a journey from concept to production featuring the BFGoodrich manufacturing facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala., which also produces BFGoodrich racing tires for a variety of disciplines, including North American desert and short-course racing. 

    BFGoodrich engineers spent more than a year studying the demands of the Dakar Rally and collected data from past rallies to develop the KDR2+ tire, introduced in 2018. The tire also incorporates tire technologies found in aviation, agriculture, civil engineering, mining and circuit racing.

    The Dakar course is as varied as the continent of South America. It runs through hard-packed dirt, sandy flats, towering dunes, water crossings and loose rock. Drivers go from extreme heat to extreme cold and climb from low to high altitude. A one-dimensional tire won’t survive.

    The KDR2+ tire features enhanced grip and improved steering response and traction – especially on muddy ground – with no detriment to overall performance. The improvements also include a more open tread pattern and reinforced casing. Another notable achievement with the KDR2+ tire is its ability to run on both two- and four-wheel drive vehicles with the same level of performance, regardless of vehicle type.

    This year there will be a new twist to the KDR2+ tire. BFGoodrich is offering the tire in two different compounds. The first option is the medium-compound version, the original compound for the tire. The second is the softer compound, ideal for performance in sand. With long stretches of sand dunes in this year’s course, racers will be able to fine-tune their strategies to select the ideal fitment for each leg of the race.

    “The lessons we’ve learned from decades in off-road racing have led to incremental improvements on our racing tires each year,” said Peter Calhoun, BFGoodrich motorsports manager. “The KDR2+ is the culmination of this experience, and we’re honored to have some of the biggest teams in the Dakar Rally relying on this tire.”

    The 2018 Dakar Rally begins Jan. 6 in Lima, Peru. To learn more about the rally, visit https://www.dakar.com/en. 

    BFGoodrich Dakar History

    BFGoodrich began its history with Dakar in 1993 with Jean-Louis Schlesser, who earned a first-place rally-class finish in the Cross-Country Rally 2WD World Cup. From 1999 to 2018, BFGoodrich Tires claimed 14 more first-place wins as an official tire supplier.

    1993 1st, FIA Cross-Country Rally 2WD World Cup with Jean-Louis Schlesser

    1999 to 2000 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Jean-Louis Schlesser

    2002 to 2003 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi Pajero)

    2004 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi Pajero)

    2005 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi Pajero)

    2006 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Luc Alphand (Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evo)

    2007 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evo)

    2009 1st, Dakar Rally with Giniel de Villiers (Volkswagen Touareg)

    2010 1st, Dakar Rally with Carlos Sainz (Volkswagen Touareg)

    2011 1st, Dakar Rally with Nasser Al-Attiyah (Volkswagen Touareg)

    2012 1st, Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mini Cooper)

    2017 1st, Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Peugeot Sport). Sébastien Loeb and Cyril Despres made it a one-two-three finish for Peugeot Sport/ BFGoodrich®

    2018 1st,the 2018 Dakar produced an all-BFGoodrich podium thanks to Carlos

    Sainz (Peugeot 3008 DKR) and Toyota Hilux drivers Nasser Al-Attiyah and

    Giniel de Villiers

    About BFGoodrich® Tires

    With more than 100 years of heritage, BFGoodrich® Tires is dedicated to providing high performance tires for those who have a passion for driving in virtually any environment. Combining technical expertise with 45 years of motorsports experience, BFGoodrich delivers tires for a full range of driving experiences from ultra-high performance street to off-road terrain with one common theme – extreme performance. Come upgrade your performance with BFGoodrich and see where our tires can take you at www.BFGoodrichTires.com, www.BFGoodrichRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BFGoodrichTires or on Twitteror Instagram at @BFGoodrichTires.

  • 2019 KOH Week Competitor Updates

    Happy Holidays! 
    2019 KOH Week will be one for the record books!  We have nearly 345 teams committed to participate. This email is full of important updates for teams, including last call for Hammertown addresses, KOH Pre-Show info, and reminders about qualifying for the UTV and EMC classes! Please read through this email carefully to make sure you are staying on top of important info!

    The 4 Wheel Parts KOH Pre-Show at AMADA will be LIVE from Orange County on 1/9! 
    Everyone is welcome to attend! Starting at 4PM we will be doing tours of Amada. At 5PM they will be serving food and at 6PM we will go live for those who aren’t able to join us on site. We will discuss starting order for qualifying, details of the race, and what new things can be expected during this year’s KOH Week. 

    Last Call for Hammertown Garage Requests: 
    Dave plans on assigning Hammertown garage requests this weekend. If you already requested a Hammertown spot when you registered, you’re all set, but if you have yet to do so, Friday’s the last day before most spots are assigned! Click here to request your spot. If you’re not sure you paid for a spot, already, you can always check your receipt which was emailed from orders@ultra4racing.com OR you can login and check under your account and order history to see what you’ve already paid for!  

    Renegade Fuel — Official Fuel of UTRA4 and KOHRenegade Race Fuel — The Official Race Fuel of ULTRA4 will be delivering fuel on site on the Lakebed, and will be on site for every ULTRA4 race for the 2019 season. They have access to all types of fuel. Teams can pre-order fuel and it will be waiting on-site for them at any given race. Call Jody Morris at 270-467-4219 or email at: jmorris@valoroil.com to order your fuel.

    RCV Offers Support for 2019 Season to ULTRA4 Teams As the Official UTV Axle of Ultra4 Racing, RCV is offering three levels of support for Ultra4 UTV drivers for the 2019 season. The program is open to any new and existing RCV UTV driver. The various levels of support allow product to be obtained at discounts not available to the public.  These racer accounts include many additional benefits such as access to the Race Prep/Rebuild program. Drivers may schedule to send race axles in to be inspected and race-prepped at any time throughout the season.

    Click below to submit your Race Program request form:
    https://www.rcvperformance.com/rcv-racer-program

    RCV Performance offers proven race products for Polaris, CanAm, & Yamaha.  Axles are available in OEM length and most long travel applications.  Prop Shafts are available in Chromoly or Carbon Fiber.  Please allow 2-4 weeks for custom-length axles or CV prop shafts to be made.

    New!  All RCV UTV components are backed by a 1 year warranty against breakage.

    To set up an account:  Complete the RCV Sponsorship Form and submit your racer proposal via email to ricky@rcvperformance.com.  You must register an account and log in to access the Sponsorship form.


    ShareMyCoach Returns as Official RV Partner of King of The Hammers and ULTRA4 Racing

    With more than $50 Million in inventory and 7 locations currently on the west coast, the privately held ShareMyCoach, is an ideal partner to help meet the increasing demand for RV and travel-trailer rentals as Nitto King of The Hammers powered by Optima continues to grow exponentially in both teams and spectators each year. Some of the amenities ShareMyCoach is able to offer include; pre-purchasing groceries, shipping personal items in advance to be delivered to the lake bed along with the rental RVs, hotel quality linens and bedding, and the rental of high-end electrical bicycles. All rentals include standard housewares and the amenities needed to operate the vehicle.  Please click here to see what options are available. 

    Qualifying Option for Limited and UTV Drivers Click here to pay for qualifying if you haven’t already done so. Anyone in the 4500, 4600, 4800, 4900/UTV Classes that wanted to qualify MUST pay for qualifying by 1/4/2019.  With the live show in two weeks, you must be signed up by 1/4 if you wish to qualify! If you have yet to pay for qualifying, you must do so immediately!  
    Qualifying is not a requirement. The cost to qualify will be $250. This covers all the expenses involved with qualifying which include: permit fees for racing, on-site medical, and live coverage. UTVs will qualify on Saturday 2/2. PLEASE NOTE IF YOU ARE RACING PARKER ON SATURDAY AND NEED TO QUALIFY ON FRIDAY, please contact Shannon@ultra4racing.com. All EMC Classes 4500s, 4600s and 4800s will qualify on Monday, 2/4.
    As was the case in 2018, 4500s and 4800s will start in the order they qualify regardless of class. Those that do not wish to qualify will be randomized, and start behind those that qualified. Non-Qualifying 4500s and 4800s will be randomized together and will start behind qualified drivers from both classes. 4600s will start behind 4500s and 4800s in the order they qualified followed by randomized starts. You cannot pay to qualify on site.
    We will be randomizing the names of those that did not pay to qualify and drawing them at the 4WP KOH Live Pre-Show in January. 4400s and Trophy Trucks already pay for qualifying in their entry fees and do not need to pay additionally for this option. 

    USAC for Drivers USAC Insurance is available at the following link: ULTRA4license.comWhen drivers sign up for USAC insurance online they will receive scannable tickets (QR Codes) for their competitor entry which includes their Hammertown parking stickers redeemable at the front gate on Boone Rd. Please save these tickets! Those registering will receive an email, but can also print or text tickets. 

    Annual Vs. Single Event
    Drivers racing only KOH may sign up for single-event USAC insurance. Those paying for single-event insurance, must pay their tech fee separately on ultra4racing.com  Drivers racing multiple ULTRA4 races should sign up for annual USAC insurance, which also covers the cost of the annual tech fee. 

    No Parking stickers are comped for Camper Passes. Everyone must pay the $20 per camping vehicle either at the gate or online and present proof of purchase at the gate. Camper passes are also available at ultra4license.com Please note: Co-drivers and Pit Crew are also eligible to purchase additional parking stickers when they purchase their USAC Bands. Only the person whose name is on the ticket can pick up the parking stickers at the front gate.If more parking stickers are needed after all team members register, they will be available for purchase on-site with cash. Supplies are limited to keep traffic in Hammertown reasonable. Parking stickers are non-refundable, so please do not purchase more than necessary. 

    USAC Insurance for Co-Drivers and Pit Crew
    Pit Crew and Co-drivers can sign up for either single use USAC insurance or an annual USAC insurance pass at this link: ULTRA4License.com. When registering, Co-drivers and pit crew will receive a ticket/QR Code. Please retain this code either via email, text or print. You will need to present it at the front gate to receive your wrist band. 

    Annual vs. Single Event: 
    If Co-drivers are racing more than one race in a season, the annual license is the way to go. For pit crew, the annual license makes sense if crew are planning to attend at least 4 ULTRA4 races in a season, or they would like the hard card for benefits such as the Jeep Discount Program. Pit passes will be available for sale on the lake bed as well, but this process allows pit crew members to sign their waiver and pick up their own bands when entering Hammertown and streamlines the process at the front gate. 

    Co-drivers and Pit Crew are eligible to purchase additional parking stickers when purchasing their USAC for KOH. Only stickered vehicles will be able to drive, park and camp in the Hammertown Garage areas. Only the person whose name is on the ticket can pick up the parking stickers. If more parking stickers are needed after registration, they can be purchased at the front gate with cash.

    New for 2019: Everyone with a camping vehicle MUST purchase a camper pass, also available at www.ultra4license.com

    2 Ways to Qualify for Friday KOH Race on the Lake Bed1. Those who register and pay for LCQ are automatically signed up for Monday’s Shootout. The Shootout returns to Backdoor on Monday Night. The Top 10 drivers in the shootout are automatically qualified for Friday’s KOH Race. Please note: the driver is pre-qualified, but the car must still pass ULTRA4 tech to race.  

    2. LCQ – 25% of the drivers signed up for LCQ will qualify for the main race via LCQ,  regardless of Shootout results. That means if 20 drivers sign up for LCQ, 5 Drivers will receive LCQ spots for the main race via the traditional LCQ held on Tuesday Afternoon.  Please note, Drivers entering via LCQ only need to pay for the LCQ entry. Should a driver qualify into the main race, they will then owe the balance of the entry fee on the Lakebed and will be charged at the pre 12/1 costs. 


    KOH Week Media Credential Applications Available.  Click here register for Media credentialsEvery year the number of media requesting credentials at KOH increases. Because of this demand, media wishing to receive credentials for KOH Week 2019 should be careful to fill out their media credentials in full. Team Media is limited to 2 media members per team. Please choose your media credential applicants wisely as we will not grant additional media if two media credentials have already been issued for your team. 

    Daddy’s Famous Foods Offers Catering For TeamsDaddy’s Famous Foods is back again and better than ever, offering their outstanding catering services! They will be ready to serve starting January 21st until February 9th, with a larger dining area and more food options, including vegetarian/vegan and Gluten Free options. To-go meals are available if you are unable to make it to the catering tent. Private catering orders can be placed for special events at your vending area or camp site. For more information, please contact Brad Young (949).533.4331 or daddysfamousfoods@gmail.com

    REGISTRATION:Prices go up again on 1/2/19 If this is your first time racing KOH Week, please start here. How To Register:All drivers must login to register. If you’ve raced with us in the past, you already have a driver profile. Please do not make a new profile, as your race history is associated with your existing account. You must login with your username (or email address) and password. If you don’t remember your password, simply click on “request new password” with the username or email address you used.  

    • Once logged in, select 2019 KOH Week from the schedule
    • Select the “racer” tab
    • Select your class
    • Select the the “season commitment” button if you wish to receive a discounted entry fee at KOH for committing to race at least 3 regional races next season. 

    For those signing up for KOH Week, you have two options: you can select either the single race price (more expensive), or the series committed price (less expensive). Drivers that commit to racing at LEAST 3 races in either the Eastern or Western Regional Series receive a significant discount on their KOH Week entry fee, as well as their series entry fees. You DO NOT need to pay for the whole series until after KOH. Series committed drivers must pay for the season by April 1st.  PLEASE NOTE: Drivers that select the series price and do not race 3 races will be charged the KOH price difference plus a handling fee. 

    Reminder! When emailing Tech Inspector at Tech@ultra4racing.com

    Drivers emailing tech with questions must cite the rule in the rulebook they have a question about when emailing tech. If you do not do so, you will be asked to refer to the rulebook before your question can be answered.

  • Rule Changes Regarding Qualifying for KOH: Effective Immediately.

    This email is being sent out to all ULTRA4 drivers and teams. The following rule changes regarding qualifying are effective immediately. 

    A. The intent of this rule is to recognize and reward competence and loyalty with regards to transitioning from UTV or an EMC Class to the 4400 Class.  If you have finished top 10 in National Points in your class you are eligible for a guaranteed entry to the following years King of the Hammers. Cannot be combined with part B of this rule. 

    B. Effective immediately and retroactive to 2018, a qualified driver may have a one time deferment of their qualified status for King of the Hammers.  If you have qualified but not used that qualified spot in the past, you may use that qualified spot at a KOH of your choosing.  This is a one time opportunity per driver of record.  For example if you qualified in 2013 and didn’t race 2014 KOH, you may use that spot in a future race.

    C. If you sell your car, you may transfer your qualified spot to the new owner of the car.  This forfeits your spot and can not be combined with parts A or B of this rule (Class performance/deferment of qualification).  The intent of this rule is to help drivers maintain value in their vehicles while supporting consistency in the series.  This is a one time opportunity for the driver of record.  You may not use this opportunity and the deferment rule in the same year.

    Also as a reminder, if you plan to race during KOH Week 2019, and you have not yet registered. You must register by December 15th to have your information included in the driver handout given to spectators. 

    See you on the lake bed.

  • California Off-Road Vehicle Association Petitions Department of Agriculture and U.S. Forest Service to Rescind or Revise 2005 Travel Management Rule

    Sacramento, Calif. – On Dec. 12, the Texas Public Policy Foundation filed a petition on behalf of approximately 22,497 individuals represented by organizations in six states to ask the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service to rescind or revise the 2005 Travel Management Rule. The California Off-Road Vehicle Association along with 18 partners played a key role as petitioners.

    On Nov. 9, 2005, the Forest Service published the Travel Management Rule that “requires designation of those roads, trails, and areas that are open to motor vehicle use” and “prohibit[s] the use of motor vehicles off the designated system, as well as use of motor vehicles on routes and in areas that is not consistent with the designations.”

    Before the rule, motorized access in national forests was permitted unless specifically prohibited due to evidence that restricting motorized use was necessary to avoid significant damage to the environment.

    “The 2005 rule essentially flipped the previous standard and now only permits motorized use on designated routes,” said Managing Director of CORVA Amy Granat. “In some national forests, as much as 90 percent of traditional motorized access routes were eliminated.”

    In the Plumas National Forest, the application of the 2005 Travel Management Rule resulted in the closure of over 3,000 routes, comprising approximately 94 percent of the historically available motorized access routes in the forest.

    In that case, the Forest Service inventoried 1,107 non-system, unclassified, historically used and lawful miles of trails, which comprise 3,236 individual routes. Only 410 of the unclassified miles (or 200 routes) received any on-site environmental impacts review, while 697 miles (or 3,036 routes) were summarily rejected from inclusion in the Plumas National Forest Travel Management Plan based upon decisions made in the office by Forest Service employees without the site-specific information required by the 2005 Travel Management Rule and the Route Designation Handbook.

    The national parks and forests are designed to be accessed by the public. For many disabled and handicapped individuals, motorized access is the only way that those areas can be accessed and enjoyed.

    And while national land also serves the purpose of conservation, this purpose is equal to, not greater than access rights.

    The petitioners requested that the administration return to a general presumption that user-created routes and trails for access to national forests are open for motorized use, while providing a mechanism by which the Forest Service or members of the public could take action to have specific routes or trails closed for conservation purposes.

    The full petition may be viewed at http://bit.ly/2LgX9Ql. The letter accompanying it can be read at http://bit.ly/2EtVHts.

    Those interested in helping contribute to CORVA’s efforts may donate at corva.org/donate.

    The Petitioners

    The petitioners include Amy Granat, Corky Lazzarino, Houston Gem and Mineral Society, American Lands Access Association, Great Western Trail–Wyoming Council, New Mexico Off Highway Vehicle Alliance, San Diego Mineral and Gem Society, Friend of Independence Lake, Inc., Butte Meadows Hillsliders, Magic Valley ATV Riders, Lake Tahoe Hi-Lo’s, Stewards of the Sequoia, Recreation Outdoors Coalition, Bucks Lake Snowdrifters Snowmobile Club, High Mountain Riders Equestrians, Sierra Access Coalition, California Off-Road Vehicle Association, La Porte Service and Repair, and Lazzarino Machine Works.

    About CORVA

    Working for off-road interests at all levels of government since 1970, the California Off-Road Vehicle Association is based in Sacramento, Calif. CORVA is solely supported by members, donations and sponsors. The organization’s primary focus includes working with federal and state agencies to promote off-road recreation and prevent trail closures, while protecting motorized access in California for the people, not from the people. CORVA ensures that the voices of off-road recreationalists are heard and that off-road trail users retain the right to enjoy public land. For more information, visit CORVA.org.

  • BFGoodrich Tires Takes Overall Victory in SCORE Baja 1000

    GREENVILLE, S.C., Nov. 26, 2018 — BFGoodrich® Tires took first place in the Trophy Truck class for the recent 51st SCORE Baja 1000, as the fastest four-wheel vehicle driven by Cameron Steele won the grueling contest on BFGoodrich® Baja T/A® KR3 tires. (more…)

  • BFGoodrich Tires Collaborates with Tire Stickers for Exclusive Tire Customization Technology

    GREENVILLE, S.C., Nov. 7, 2018 — BFGoodrich® Tires and Tire Stickers, a specialist in tire customization, have teamed up to launch exclusive tire decal technology on five BFGoodrich tire lines. (more…)