MetalCloak Stampede Kicks Off 2019 Ultra4 Racing Season

It may feel like the dust is still settling from last month’s King Of The Hammers, the grand finale of the Ultra4 Racing season, whose popularity seems to double with each passing year. But the road to Hammertown runs through a full year’s worth of qualifying events, and it’s already time for drivers to strap their helmets back on and get down to the business of earning a spot in next year’s race.

The way to do that starts this weekend, March 22, at Prairie City SVRA in Rancho Cordova, California for the MetalCloak Stampede, the first regional race and the official kickoff of the 2019 Ultra4 season. It is also the first race in the three-part Lasernut Western Series, a trio of grueling races on courses with every obstacle imaginable.

Ultra4 Racing is not-so-quietly becoming a really big deal.

It has an insanely passionate fanbase and pool of competitors that is only getting bigger. Hammertown, the tent city that pops up to take in the King Of The Hammers each February, has ballooned to a population well over 60,000 in recent years, bringing its own electricity, WiFi, and a slew of vendors directly to the middle-of-nowhere for days of racing and entertainment. (Deep in the Mojave Desert, to be exact.)

There is an Everyman quality that appeals to both fans and racers. Wanna give it a go? Great! Put your rig together, pay a little entrance fee, and get out there!

The 2019 Ultra4 Racing season is expanding its reach throughout North America. New for this year is a Northern Series run by Canadian Ultra4 partners, including races in Montana and Alberta, Canada. And south of the border, Mexico will host a qualifying race in the Western Series for the first time in San Filipe, on the Baja Peninsula. Ultra4’s constant expansion into new territory is a testament to just how fan-friendly this sport truly is, and how passionate its competitors are.

But if you want to run with the big dogs at King Of The Hammers, you’re gonna have to get off the porch and prove your worth in a qualifying event.

There are six official regional qualifiers for KOH: the three races of the 4WP Eastern Series and the three Lasernut Western Series runs. And this weekend is the first chance for drivers to punch their tickets to Hammertown. The top 10 finishers in this weekend’s MetalCloak Stampede (who aren’t already qualified) will earn their invitation to the 2020 King Of The Hammers.

Now that’s something worth riding for.

And make no bones about it, scores of drivers will show up this weekend to chase those spots.

Over 100 drivers are expected to compete in the MetalCloak Stampede. The course consists of a two-mile lap, the entirety of which is visible to spectators at the Prairie City SVRA. And like any Ultra4 race worth its salt, there will be all manner of terrains and obstacles. Tight turns, fast sprints, and rock crawls are all on the docket, with speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour, and crawl ratios up to 100:1.

It will most certainly be a race to remember.

Of course, the list of competitors is a Who’s Who of Ultra4 stardom. Loren Healy, a rising star in the sport and always a threat to top the leader board, will be looking to punch his ticket to the 2020 King Of The Hammers with a solid run. JP Gomez, of the young-and-hungry Gomez brother racing team, looks to scrub a “Did Not Finish” at the 2019 KOH from his memory with a strong showing in the start to the Lasernut Western Series. Conversely, his brother Marcos Gomez looks to build on his success in February’s big run, in which he placed fourth, carrying that momentum into the brand new season. And Vaughn Gittin, Jr., coming into Rancho Cordova off of a strong 7th place KOH finish, will also look to keep the momentum rolling.

Regardless of who comes out on top, the 2019 Ultra4 Racing MetalCloak Stampede is guaranteed to be two full days of off-road action and family-friendly entertainment.

The competitors’ passion for their craft is positively infectious. With entrance to the event just $20 per day (or $30 for a weekend pass) it’s a great way for fans of all ages to get up-close-and-personal with a sport that grows more popular every day.

We’re positive it’s going to be another great season, and more fans will join the movement by the thousands. So get in on the ground floor while you can, and go check these guys out it person. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to say that you knew all about Ultra4… before they got too famous.