Our latest work with Polaris RZR® brought us to Johnson Valley California to profile two of the biggest names in UTV Racing. Joining forces to produce a four-part documentary on Mitch Guthrie and his son Mitch Guthrie Jr. as they prepared to battle it out at one of the toughest single day off-road races in the world; King of The Hammers (KOH).
Since KOH’s inception, a Guthrie has been crowned UTV Champion 7 out of 10 times. The rivalry heated up last year as Mitch Guthrie Jr. overtook his father to claim the title for the first time. There was a lot of buzz about the father son duo and which Guthrie would take the crown at KOH this year. We set out to tell the story in a way that highlighted the relationship between them throughout their careers and gave people an idea of what it is like to race at KOH. Over a four day period on location in California, we used high-speed drones and premium sound design to bring the story to people all around the world.
Since it’s inception, one of the Guthrie’s has been crowned UTV champion of King of the Hammers 7 out of 10 times. Follow Mitch Guthrie Sr. and Mitch Guthrie Jr. as they prepare for King of the Hammers, the world’s toughest one-day off-road race, and to face their greatest competition…each other. Not only does this race require the technical skill to tackle both the desert and unimaginable rock terrain but a machine that is as relentless as their driver.
The success of Mitch Guthrie Sr. at King of the Hammers helped to transform both the race and the racer into one of the greatest of all time. Nowhere does the phrase “slow down to go fast” take on greater meaning than King of the Hammers; and Guthrie’s past rock crawling experience and pure wisdom come together to form the perfect Hammer mindset.
Mitch Guthrie Jr has been exposed to a constant flow of unconscious assimilation of off-road racing ideas and knowledge from his father. When others were crawling across the kitchen floor and taking their first steps towards the outstretched arms of their mother, the earthen floor of the desert served as his playground. A student of one of the greatest off-road racers ever, there was little doubt the student would eventually become the teacher.
When Mitch Guthrie Jr. won the 2018 King of the Hammers, standing atop the podium with his father joining him on the third-place box; it marked a significant moment in the perpetual progression of off-road racing. And while both father and son were overcome by feelings of mutual happiness, respect, and pride; they also recognized the stakes had risen. After years of teamwork and countless victories, they are now each other’s greatest competitor.
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