The Off-Road Race That Transforms A California Desert Into A Hidden Mad Max Oasis

For around 10 days each year, motorsport fans descend on Johnson Valley in such numbers that this little corner of the California desert gains its own zip code. Its residents set up camp in roughshod campers and tents, build enclaves with names like Lasertown or Hammertown, and traverse the sand behind the wheel of their … Read more

King of the Hammers Is Stupid Fun, Stupid Grueling, And Stupid Cool

King of the Hammers is touted as the toughest off-road race on Earth, a multi-week event in the Southern California desert that’s open to anyone with a car or motorcycle and a healthy amount of chutzpah. From sections that include high speed stretches of open desert to ultra-technical rock crawling, sometimes racers even have to … Read more

Audi Q8 E-Tron Edition Dakar Has Decent Off-Road Upgrades

Photo: Audi Audi made its return to the Dakar Rally in 2022 with the awesome RS Q E-Tron, a wild-looking dedicated race rig that uses a two electric motors powered by a gasoline four-cylinder engine. While the RS Q E-Tron has yet to see major success in the rally — in its first year the … Read more