Mega Gallery: Brad Lovell Wins Smittybilt Every Man Challenge

It’s becoming the next biggest race in Johnson Valley, just after the Nitto Tires King of the Hammers powered by Optima Batteries.

The Smittybilt Every Man Challenge had over one-hundred drivers entered for the 2016 running, and in the mix were drivers like Jessi Combs, Casey Currie, and newcomer Vaughn Gittin, Jr. In the end, Rock Crawler experts and brothers Brad and Rodger Lovell would take home the overall and class victory, but it sure wasn’t an easy path.

Brad and Rodger started 72 cars back behind driver Randy Slawson, who was also sharing the drive with his brother, Michael. With luck, skill, and determination, the brothers Lovell made their way up to the lead and never looked back, finishing with a time of 4:30:18.

Randy and Michael, though finishing third physically, would end up taking second place on adjusted time. This car is actually a prototype for a new chassis for the Legends class for new drivers who want to enter but do not have a chassis to compete with. It features a 300-horsepower V6 engine.

Coming in third place overall would be Jessi Combs with navigator Martin Castro. Though this was Castro’s first ever time as a navigator, and they suffered issues with the GPS and drivetrain, he and Combs would still end up on the podium with the Rubicon Express Modified class win. The Pro Comp Stock class only had one finisher again in 2016, which went to Brian Behrend of Cathedral City, California in his Jeep Cherokee XJ.

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