Our Justin Banner made sure to bring you plenty of pictures of the conditions that racers have to conquer to win the challenging endurance race known as the King of the Hammers. Then he brought you more.
Although many competitors don’t end up finishing the event because of how taxing it is on vehicles, a little sportsmanship is bound to make the race at least feel somewhat easier. For an example of that, just take a look at the video below.
Members of the BroadSword Racing team, which primarily consists of active-duty Marines, came upon a pair of CYGS Motorsports rivals who had somehow flipped their rig onto its side. Instead of passing them up, the BroadSword guys decided to back up to accept a tow strap and right the sideways desert runner. It cost the BroadSword boys a few seconds, but there’s no doubt it won them tons of respect from CYGS Motorsports and their other opponents. If only BroadSword Racing’s hardware had as much reverence; one of the team’s front upper suspension joints blew out and ended its participation in the King of the Hammers early.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
