At 55 miles in, there’s still 80 miles of open desert, twisting canyons and grueling rock passes ahead of the competitors of the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers. Charlie Melchner in the 69 buggy is attempting to pick his way through a gauntlet of differential-busting stones – some the size of suitcases, others as big as a VW Beetle. Melchner’s trying to make up time after getting held up behind David Schneider, and a line of at least seven buggies is impatiently waiting its turn to tackle the pass. There is no orderly, pre-ordained que out here – there’s an all out brawl as buggies clamor over each other in an attempt to make up time. As Melchner gets bogged down in deep sand, Carl Nielson in the 83 buggy sees an opportunity to make a pass and goes for it. The sound of Nielson’s truck washes down the canyon as the rig pops over a large boulder and teeters on two wheels. In an instant, he’s on his side – effectively wedging Melchner right where he sits. The crowd erupts in an explosion of carnage-induced glee.

We’re standing at Aftershock – a convoluted maze of 20 ton boulders and loose stone that forces the fraction of the 100 racers lucky enough to make it this far into a bottleneck. If you think you’ve got road rage, you’re sorely mistaken. Hundreds of spectators line the canyon walls, most shouting their own brand of advice to drivers and codrivers. Those lucky enough to have been able to spend some time prerunning the course ignore the bedlam in favor of their own lines, but more than a few rely on the eyes and ears of the crowd to navigate them through the ever changing course.

The 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers is a race unlike any other. This year’s course featured 135 miles of abusive desert terrain designed to bash both drivers and machine into submission. Last year, 60 percent of the guys and girls who crossed the start line never made it to the finish – and that was when there were only 100 miles to cover. The race course is a devilish mix of open desert racing, rock scrambles and rock crawls that require a concoction of skill, luck and preparation to be successful. Even then, there are no guarantees in Johnson Valley.

There are no classes at the King of the Hammers, either – every single vehicle is piled into the same run-what-you-brung category where the only limitation is how much abuse your rig can withstand. Engine choices range from the standard crate LS-series GM small block to junkyard 5.0-liter Fords and even Pontiac V6s. The lumps could go up front, in the middle or out back, and teams use every imaginable chassis, tire, transmission and transfer case combination to try to get an edge over the rest of the field. With the Frankensteined behemoths lined up in a row, the starting grid looks like a post-apocalyptic parking lot.

The King of the Hammers has grown in notoriety since its inception three years ago. What started as the ultimate weekend challenge for the local boys has grown into an international affair. Last year saw three times the spectators and would-be participants descend on a dry-lake bed in the middle of Johnson Valley, California, and when the final figures for the 2010 race trickle in, odds are we’ll see similar growth. From a distance, the mass of campers, trailers and rigs that make up “Downtown Hammertown” looks like a shimmering city of white, population 20,000.

Teams came from every corner of the United States – some from as far away as North Carolina, New York and Michigan – and from at least six countries to take on the Hammers. Car number 51 driven by Naozumi Tsuda, was built and tested in Japan before getting shipped across the Pacific just for the chance to run the ultimate off road race. And while there were nearly $60,000 worth of prizes on the table, the winner only walked away with a cool $15,000 – a fraction of what it costs to build and transport a competitive buggy. Still, ask anyone out here why they bother with the King of the Hammers and they’ll all say the same thing.

As Kim Sears, driver of the number 42 buggy from Knoxville, Tennessee said, “It’s just a real good time.”

Back at Aftershock, a real good time is probably the last phrase Melchner and Nielson would use to describe the Hammers. With Nielson’s buggy on its side in front of him, Melchner’s line is completely blocked off. He can either help push the 83 buggy back on its four wheels or back up and find a new line, leaving Nielson to stew in the mess he’s made for himself. A fan leans down to Melchner’s cockpit and starts playing devil’s advocate.

“Fuck that guy, man! Leave his ass!”

Melchner agrees and starts working his way backwards from the overturned 83, but the tight spot, deep sand and sizeable tires combine to snap his right rear axle like a twig. On hearing the pop, the crowd cheers in gladiatorial blood lust. Even with only three wheels pulling, the 69 buggie is able to inch its way from the wreck of the 83, and it’s not long before a group of fans descend to right Nielson’s upturned rig. Within minutes, Nielson is scrambling through the remaining obstacles in Aftershock, leaving Melchner’s limping truck to struggle through. Neither will cross the finish line.

At the end of the day, only 43 of the 100 trucks that started the race managed to finish. Loren Healy and his copilot in car 667 managed to carry the gold away from the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers with a time of 6:57:53. Healy started 53rd, but managed to make up time over the entire course and survive what the desert threw at him. The last finisher, Barry Beadle, would cross the line in a little over 13 hours. Despite the wide variation in engine, axle and chassis choices, the first few finishers all attributed part of their success to a major sponsor of the race – BFGoodrich.

The company brought out a full semi, complete with race tires and service just for the Hammers, and operated a number of pits throughout the length of the competition. By the end of the race, the first five eleven guys across the line were all rolling on BFG rubber, as were a total of 32 of the 43 finishers.

Next year will likely see an even more competitive field of racers, as every team out there in 2010 learned a little something extra to apply in 2011. We know we’ll be there to see the carnage first hand and watch some of the world’s most hardcore drivers and codrivers fight through the worst Johnson Valley has to offer. Until then, you can check out our mega gallery of the 2010 King of the Hammers action, and stay tuned for a few videos throughout the week.