Seconds Count: Jason Scherer’s KOH Recap
Winning the King of the Hammers race is something every Ultra4 driver longs for. Since the first race in 2007, only a small group of individuals have managed to secure the throne. While so much well-deserved focus goes to those who capture the crown, the driver hot on the heels of the victor is equally deserving of an honorable mention. For the 2016 Nitto King of the Hammers powered by OPTIMA, the driver taking home second was Jason Scherer.
As one of the most consistent top finishers of the KOH race, and the 2009 KOH winner, Scherer knows what it takes to not only survive the brutal contest, but win. Laying down the fastest time in qualifying, Scherer was able to secure his place at the start of the pack alongside two-time KOH champ Loren Healy. While the first lap went great and allowed him to battle back and forth with Healy, Scherer ran into a little trouble soon into lap 2. With Healy taking off to Backdoor, Scherer decided to make the most of the clean air in front of him and head for the desert. Turning up the pace, Scherer quickly found himself in a bit of trouble when his cooling fan motor burnt out.
Radioing to his Rubicon Express team, he was able to get a new fan assembly to the next pit. With the entire team doing their best to stay in the hunt, they went all-hands-on deck and replaced the assembly, which ultimately only cost Scherer 40 minutes. Given Scherer came in with a time less than 30 minutes behind this year’s champ Erik Miller, it’s hard to say how his day could have played out without the small mechanical mishap.
At the finish line, Scherer was all smiles and had no complaints about this year’s race and his team’s tremendous effort. He was especially glad that he, along with the KOH winner Miller, were able to finish the entire race without changing out a single one of the 40-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers. Currently, Scherer is now prepping the #76 car for the Ultra4 season. He’s excited to start out well in the points and is looking forward to seeing what this season has in store.
