Ford Performance has confirmed it will return to this year's King of the Hammers grueling off-road racing event this month with a motorsport-spec Bronco to defend its 1-2-3 podium sweep last year. The 17th annual King of the Hammers Ultra4 off-road race is currently taking place, beginning on February 2 and will conclude on February 11 in Johnson Valley, California.

Like last year, the Blue Oval will specifically compete in the Ultra4 Every Man Challenge 4600 stock racing class and aims to win in the 4400 Unlimited Class. For those who don't already know, the King of the Hammers is the toughest one-day off-road racing series in the US.

"From the Baja 1000 to Best In The Desert, off-road racing is just as much part of Ford's DNA as track, endurance and rally competition," said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports. "King of the Hammers inspires us to ensure every Bronco delivers the capability, durability and high-speed off-road experience our customers expect on the trail, and it led directly to Bronco Raptor, the world's first Ultra4-inspired SUV."

The King of the Hammers consists of 90-mile courses at high-speed and intense desert terrains that include obstacles such as intense sands and rock crawling spread out across already challenging terrain. The Every Man Challenge will feature modified Bronco 4600s, which initially rolled off the line at the Michigan Assembly Plant as stock Broncos. Drivers Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Loren Healy, Bailey Cole, and Jason Scherer are returning for the 2023 event, as are last year's winning drivers Brad and Roger Lovell. Ford Performance has confirmed that Scherer, Healy, and Gittin Jr. will be handling double-duty, also competing in the Race of the Kings in Bronco 4400s.

Obviously, these Broncos are a far cry from their stock counterparts. They've received a long list of modifications, such as a tubular chassis, more powerful engines, and much larger tires. They'll also have something directly from the stock Bronco Raptor in the form of its Fox Live Valve shock technology.

Ford Performance will have some additional "hero vehicles" on display for event attendees to see in person, specifically the 2019 Bronco R race prototype, the 2022 Baja 1000-winning Ranger Raptor, the three-in-a-row Rebelle Rally-winning Bronco Sport, and the Bronco DR.

And because this is the Bronco, perhaps Ford's most popular new vehicle over the past couple of years, the Blue Oval is setting up the Bronco Nation Basecamp in Hammertown as a place for enthusiasts to hang out.