King of the Hammers, the ultimate desert race

Ever wanted to go fast in a rock crawler?  Ever wanted to crawl a trophy truck?  Well that is what King of the Hammers is all about!  February 27th marks the 2nd running of the King of the Hammers race in Johnson Valley, CA.  It is a race, between 50-100 miles long, that blends rock crawling, rock racing and high speed desert racing into one 10 hours thrill ride.  The race is invitation only and Blackstar Motorsports will be there in full force!

So what does Blackstar have up its sleeve for this race?  Well we were hoping to keep it a secret but we are building an all new, Pro Modified based, race car.  We are taking some of the larger components off of Murphy but other then that, it’s a whole new beast.  Built by Joey Archuleta of Hazardous Concepts, we believe it will be the perfect blend of go fast agility and rugged rock crawling prowess.

This event is blurring the line between rock sports and desert racing.  I don’t think we can call rock crawlers, rock crawlers anymore.  So what do you call these new rigs?  Rock racers?  No, rock racers are designed to be quick on short courses.  Mini trophy trucks?  I don’t think that is fair, when was the last time you saw a TT drive over huge boulders?  Time will bring a name for what we (the KOH teams) are building.  Never before have we had to consider fuel cell sizes.  Or design a way to carry a full size spare, along with parts, tools and fluids.  GPS units would never find their way into a competitive rock machine.  Just the other day I ordered triple bypass shocks.  This race brings many new problems too.  Rock crawlers have huge fans on their radiators to cool them at low speeds but when we hit 100 mph (or even more) cooling is going to be a nightmare!  Why?  We have those huge winches hanging off the front of them.  Yes, it is not fair to call a 100+ mph rig a “crawler”.

Is this race the next big thing?  Maybe.  It is the only race of its kind that is bringing in many different drivers from different forms of racing.  Desert racers, rock racers, crawlers, motocross drivers, even a few rally drivers will be putting themselves and their machines up against the rigors of Johnson Valley.  Where else can such a diverse group of talent come to compete?  The well known and the unknown all have a chance at glory in the desert, all it takes is some skill, preparation and probably a little bit of luck.

But for us, its not about winning, its about finishing.  Last year we were taken out early, about 25 miles in, with a blown transmission.  This year things will be different.  We are more prepared, mentally, mechanically and physically.  We are going to set our pace in the desert, get passed by faster drivers but will probably pass just as many slower drivers.  Its all about thinking about the children’s tale of the tortoise and the hare.  Slow and steady might not win this race but it will get you to the finish line.

Our new buggy is coming along quite nicely and in the process we have gained a new ally, Hazardous Concepts.  Our race frequency will be tuned to his, this way we can stay in contact with each other in case either vehicle needs some support.  Alliances like these prove that these long distance races, like the Baja 1000 or Paris-Dakar rally, are not about the race itself, but instead, they are about THE race, the human race.  Racers, big and small, all have an alliance.  I will never forget last year as I sat on the hood of my dead race car.  All the teams that I had passed were stopping to make sure I was ok.  I appreciated the gesture but told all of them to get back in the race.  These races can be very stressful but its always calming to know that we are all looking out for each other, out there in the unknown.

I could go on and on about this race and probably get to the point of boring you but races like these are few and far between.  There is a magic though, something about driving across the desert, not a soul for miles except you, your co-driver (I have the best by the way) and your race car (if you believe these machines have souls).  If you break down, it could be hours, nay many hours before someone finds you or you get back to base camp.  Its scary but there is a bit of calmness that comes out of the fear.  A calmness of being able to leave the cluttered cites, the suburban developments and your claustrophobic office.  Trade in your three piece suit for a fire suit and sunglasses for some race goggles.  Go out in the desert and drive for miles, with the wind in your ears and dirt in teeth.

Hopefully we will see all of your at the lakebed.  Until then, keep the rubber side down.

Wes

Introduction – Part II

Yes, it has been awhile.  Anyways, we left off with me contemplating starting a professional rock crawling career but there was one BIG problem, I didn’t have a competitive buggy.  Well that all changed while browsing Pirate4x4.com because I found a Campbell Ent moon buggy for sale in California.  A little background on Campbell Enterprises.  Owned and operated by one of my heroes Shannon Campbell, this shop pumps out some of the most competitive buggies the world has ever seen.  When I saw a CE buggy for sale and for that price, wow, I think I was dialing the number before I was done reading the post.  Days seemed to turn into minutes and all of sudden I am driving to California with an empty trailer, knowing that it won’t be empty on the way back. 

 

This little orange buggy (fyi, you are going to notice that I REALLY like the color orange), was incredible.  LS1 (Corvette) powered, tough chassis, low center of gravity; this buggy made me feel like I was unstoppable.  This buggy and I traveled the country together for two seasons and it never let me down.  It was the car that propelled my rock sports career and put me on the map.  In 2005 it would ever earn me my first check as a driver; a measly $250, just enough to cover the entry fee into the XRRA event.  It might have been only $250.00 but it might as well have been a million to me.  The next year, the buggy (now named Catter) and I would dominate the XRRA series.  Never placing worse then 5^th we would lead the XRRA in points and top 5 finishes for 2006.  Not bad for a college kid going up against his heroes.  Sadly though all good things come to an end.  At the end of the 2006 season I decided to sell the Catter in favor for a new race car, one that would be faster, quicker and more my style. 

 

2007, the year of changes.  With the Catter now with its new owner, I was embarking on a new journey, the joy of building a car from scratch.  I had dumped the single seat buggy in favor of a front engine, two seater car.  I was building this for the up and coming Pro Modified class in WeRock.  Dubbed as the NASCAR class of rock crawling, these vehicles had to resemble an OEM style car; mine was going to look like a Jeep Wrangler.  This car had a whole different attitude and it was appropriately named Murphy, short for Murphy’s Law.  These vehicle would become the thorn in my side for two years but Murphy and I, with all of our disagreements, would go from state to state, event to event, putting on a heck of a show. 

 

2009 is here and Blackstar is back at it!  King of the Hammers and a whole new buggy designed to go fast, crawl and do it all in style.  Be sure to check out my next blog to get the scoop on what we have in store for the 2009 season. 

 

Until then, keep the rubber side down!

Introduction

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog here on the BlackStar website!  My name is Weston Blackie and I am 24 years old and probably, just like you, I have a problem.  I love rock crawling!  I love it so much I decided to turn it into a lifestyle by becoming a professional rock crawler and rock racer.  I started competing in 2005 but my obsession for off road motorsports started a long time ago when I was still in high school.  My family owned a rather large ranch in southeast Texas and naturally we all needed some way to get around the rough terrain.  We had several ATVs and of course my dad drove a Jeep YJ.  Everyday after school (instead of doing my homework) I would be driving around the ranch on the ATVs or, when my dad wasn’t looking, driving his YJ.  So once I turned 16, I bought a Jeep TJ.  It didn’t take long before my TJ was being modified and outfitted to take on the terrain around my home. 

 

Once out of high school I found myself in Boulder, Co to attend the University of Colorado and of course I brought my TJ with me.  I soon found out that there was a great trail just a few miles outside of Boulder.  After class nearly everyday I could be found cruising the trail with my classmates that also enjoyed four wheeling.  As I began to wheel harder and harder trails, my TJ began to morph into a true rock crawler.  Strong axles, tires designed specifically for rock crawling, lockers and hydraulic steering placed the weak, stock parts.  It wasn’t before long that my Jeep wasn’t really a Jeep anymore. 

 

I had always followed professional rock crawling but never had the chance to see one in person until 2004.  I drove to Salt Lake City, UT to watch Super Crawl 2, the first event to be held on a man made course.  Needless to say, I was hooked.  While driving back home, all I could think about was competing against my heroes. 

 

Well folks, my fingers are getting tired and I have to get ready to head to Cedar City, UT for the next WeRock event.  Check back soon for part 2 of my first blog entry!