Few races test the limits of endurance, skill, and determination like King of the Hammers, and Amber Slawson has once again proven she is up for the challenge. In the 2025 Every Man Challenge, she tackled the brutal desert terrain of Johnson Valley with unwavering resolve, crossing the finish line first before a post-race penalty placed her in second. But rankings aside, her performance left no doubt—Amber is a force to be reckoned with.

With a history of perseverance in off-road racing, Amber has evolved from a determined competitor in a Suzuki to a fierce driver capable of taking on the sport’s toughest challengers. Yet, her impact goes beyond racing. As an advocate for the Jessi Combs Foundation, she inspires the next generation of women in motorsports, proving that the off-road world is for everyone with the heart to fight for it.

In this exclusive interview, Amber reflects on her journey, the challenges of the Every Man Challenge, and her mission to pave the way for future female racers.

Photography and Story by Paolo Baraldi

From the thrill of crossing the finish line first to the bittersweet reality of post-race penalties, Amber Slawson’s journey at the 2025 Every Man Challenge was nothing short of extraordinary. Battling through the punishing desert terrain and technical rock sections of Johnson Valley, she proved once again that she belongs among the best in off-road racing. Her relentless determination and skill pushed her to the limit, allowing her to be the first to complete the grueling course. Though a post-race penalty moved her to second place, her performance left no doubt—Amber is a force to be reckoned with.

Amber’s history at King of the Hammers is built on years of passion and perseverance. Having previously competed in the Every Man Challenge with a Suzuki, she knows what it takes to fight through adversity and make the most of every opportunity. Each race, each challenge, and each lesson has shaped her into the racer she is today. Her experience behind the wheel, combined with her deep understanding of off-road racing, has allowed her to evolve into a fierce competitor capable of taking on some of the toughest drivers in the sport.

But Amber’s impact extends far beyond the driver’s seat. As a proud member of the Jessi Combs Foundation, she carries forward the legacy of one of the most influential women in motorsports. At the finish line, she was met with cheers and admiration from a group of young women inspired by her journey—future racers and trailblazers who see in her the same pioneering spirit that Jessi embodied. Amber’s success isn’t just about podiums and trophies; it’s about breaking barriers and showing that women have a rightful place in off-road racing.

In this exclusive interview, Amber shares her thoughts on the highs and lows of this year’s race, the lessons she’s learned from her previous experiences with a Suzuki, and the importance of inspiring the next generation of female racers.

1. First of all, congratulations on your incredible second-place finish at the Every Man Challenge! How does it feel to stand on the podium at one of the toughest off-road races in the world? 

Coming off of 5 years racing my Samurai and just trying to finish the race, to standing on the podium, is a huge accomplishment. It’s something I’ve dreamed about since my first king of hammers in 2014. Also knowing that almost 85% of people don’t finish the race at all makes this even more special. I’ve put so much time and effort towards this race and it’s really paid off.

2. You were the first to cross the finish line, but after penalties, you moved to second place. Can you tell us what happened and how you felt about the final result?

I missed 3 Rock Check Points (RCP’s) with 15 minute penalties per missed check point, totaling 45 minutes of penalties. These penalties could’ve been avoided if I’d done more thorough prerunning, which is my biggest take-away and my new goal for next year. While I’m disappointed that I couldn’t take home 1st place officially, I’m definitely satisfied with standing on the podium of my first race in 4800. The thrill of running in first place and coming in physically first was worth it.

3. When you crossed the finish line first, before the penalties were applied, what was going through your mind? Did you already suspect there might be adjustments, or were you fully celebrating the victory at that moment?

I always hold my breath until that first place trophy is in my hands, and official standings are released. Coming into the short course, the excitement of winning king of the hammers was heavy, but I never anticipate the best outcome before it happens. Honestly, the most exciting part of the race was hearing that we were running in 6th place after starting 30th. To know that we actually had a chance at doing well, coming in top 10, or even finishing on the podium was so far from anything I had expected.

4. Can you tell us about the vehicle you raced this year? What makes it special, and how did it perform in such extreme conditions?

The 4800 Bomber car that we built in 2023 has the following specs:

Motor: GM factory built LT1

Transmission: Maximum Transmissions built TH400

Transfer Case: Atlas 2 speed

Axles: Spidertrax

Shocks: King Shocks

Tires: 37” BF Goodrich Krawlers

Built by the team at Bomber Fabrication. Randy first raced this car in the EMC in 2024 and took the overall win. The next day I raced the same car in the Race of Kings and finished 21st, which was my first official finish at KOH. Our Bomber cars are all purpose built for racing King of the Hammers. They’re solid axle, light weight, nimble machines that have the suspension and power to maintain high speeds in the desert, but also dominate in the rocks.

5. Can you take us through your race? What were the most challenging moments, and how did you overcome them?

Going fast in the desert has always been my weak point, and this year I got too carried away and almost crashed us. It was hard to reel myself in after passing so many cars in the first few miles, but after a major tumble around race mile 48, I turned it down and let myself run a reasonably pace that was focused on keeping the car together. We got stuck a few times in the rocks from small mistakes, but we were able to successfully recover each time. Moving forward I’m going to focus more on being smooth and precise in the rocks so that I can ultimately be faster. 

6. King of the Hammers is known for its brutal terrain, combining high-speed desert sections with extreme rock crawling. Which part of the race played to your strengths, and where did you have to push yourself the most?

I’m a rock crawler through and through, that’s always been my strong suit. I’d never had any real experience driving fast in the desert until last year, so that was where I focused most of my practice. I never expected to actually be ‘fast’ in the desert compared to the other racers in the field, but my practice paid off. After I passed 4 cars in the first few miles, I lost focus and drove above my skill level. This wasn’t a problem in the rocks, as I was able to maintain a highly competitive pace on the rock trails, without ever exceeding my comfort zone. 

7. Mechanical failures and unexpected challenges are part of the game at KOH. Did you encounter any major issues with your vehicle, and how did you manage them?

I blew my front drivers tire coming down from Winners Choice. At that point I had passed all the cars that were in the lead and still moving. I was carrying a hurried pace in order to stay in front on our way to Jack Hammer. I knew that Jack would become a bottleneck very quickly and wanted to get there first. We got passed back when we stopped to change the tire, but we were still able to make it through Jack before traffic became a problem. Other than the flat tire, the car preformed flawlessly all day.  

8. You were up against some fierce competition. Was there a moment during the race when you realized a podium finish was within reach?

Yes, and I’ll never forget it! Around race mile 120, we radioed into the pit to ask what position we were running in. When they told us 6th, I couldn’t believe it, and asked if they meant 16th. Nope, the crew confirmed that Tom and I were in physical 6th place going into the rock trails. Later we found out that we had passed 21 cars on our first lap, and picked off 3 more before finding out our position. That was the single most exciting moment for me, to know that we actually had a chance to win this thing.

9. Before this year’s impressive result and last year debut in the Legend class, you competed in the Every Man Challenge with a Suzuki. What made you choose such a unique vehicle for one of the toughest races in the world?

Actually, last year I didn’t race in legends class, I raced the same legends class car in the race of kings.

I started racing my samurai because it’s what I had at the time! Racing KOH was a long-term dream of mine, and when Jessi Combs passed away in 2019 setting a land speed record, I was inspired to start racing KOH. I always thought I’d build something else, but ultimately my trusty Samurai rose to the occasion. I was the first person to ever race a Suzuki Samurai in stock class, so there was a lot of doubt as to weather or not Hammerking would even allow it. During the build process in October of 2019, I brought my Samurai to Nationals in Reno and the race director JT Taylor gave me the green light. Since my first year racing in 2020, we’ve had 5 other Samurais take the green flag at King of the Hammers. 

10. How did the Suzuki perform in past editions of the race? What were its biggest strengths and limitations on the KOH terrain?

Looking back, I think I could’ve finished every year that I raced, the knowledge that I’ve gained from those years will help me be successful for years to come. Years 1-3 I didn’t finish at all, but by year 4 I had completed all the course miles and came in about 2 hours past the cutoff time. The 5th and final year that I raced the Samurai (2024), we finished about 30 minutes past the cutoff time. Its biggest pitfall was that it wasn’t fast in the desert. I’d spend too much time completing lap 1 and would run out of time to do lap 2. It was a perfect Little Rock crawling machine, not the most comfortable one, but extremely capable nonetheless.

11. What were the key differences between racing the Suzuki in previous years and your vehicle this year? How did that change your approach to the race? 

The Bomber is much faster and much more capable. I had to put a lot of hours into learning how to drive fast without crashing, and I feel like I still have a lot to learn. The Samurais stock motor is 60hp and the bomber is 460hp. The Samurais wheelbase is 83” and the bomber is 114”. The Samurai might have 8” of suspension travel and the bomber has 16” of travel in the front and 22” in the rear. The bomber has been purpose built, designed, and fine tuned over almost 20 years to take on this exact race. I built my samurai to race king of the hammers in 6 months with no prior experience. Learning to race in a very incapable vehicle was very advantageous. Most of all it taught me race strategy, which I was able to carry over to the Bomber. 

12. Looking back at your early races with the Suzuki, what were the biggest lessons you learned that helped you succeed this year?

Almost everything that I learned with the samurai involving strategy is still relevant in the bomber. Things like; just keep moving, lessons in maintaining uphill traction with momentum, time management, car prep, and more. I’m very fortunate to have raced arguably the least capable vehicle in the field, because the slow speed of the samurai afforded me some of the best lessons in racing. Jumping into one of the most capable vehicles in the EMC this year and having an established mentality and team behind me was no doubt the key to my success. 

13. Do you miss racing the Suzuki, or are you happy with the evolution of your race program? Would you ever consider bringing a Suzuki back to KOH in the future?

Since I never got my official finish in my Samurai, I still feel like I have some unfinished business. But standing on the podium in my first year racing 4800 puts a much bigger target on my back. I love my samurai and I still use it for rock crawling competitions and recreational wheeling, but my focus will continue to be on honing my skills in the Bomber. 

14. Let’s go back to the beginning—how did you get into off-road racing? Was there a specific moment that made you realize this was your passion?

I’m not sure what came first, my first time attending King of the Hammers in 2014, or the night I watched Dust 2 Glory in theaters when it first came out. It was the same feeling leaving the lakebed as leaving the theater, I had to make this thing my life. I was young and not sure what direction to go in, but those two experiences inspired me to do what I do. The draw and appeal of offroad racing on screen, and an event that embodied everything that I would grow to love so much. I wasn’t raised in off-roading, I actually hadn’t even experienced it until I was probably 16. I was 21 at my first KOH and absolutely fell in love with it. 

15. Every racer has a unique story. Who or what inspired you to pursue this sport?

Above all others, Jessi Combs has inspired every major turn in my life. I saw her in an American welding society video in one of my first welding classes and realized that, “if Jessi can do it, so can I.” So I made welding my first career. When she passed away setting a land speed record in 2019, I was again inspired to start my new career in racing. 

16. Over the years, what has been your biggest learning experience in off-road racing?

How to actually be competitive has been a big learning experience. You’d think that, if the goal is just to finish a race, there’s probably nothing to it. What I found out is that trying to make the least capable vehicle finish the worlds hardest one-day offroad race takes just as much strategy as winning does. I’m still learning new strategy points every year that I race and I’m so grateful for the 5 years in my Samurai that taught me to prioritize what was actually important.

17. Being a woman in a male-dominated sport comes with its own challenges. Have you faced any obstacles along the way, and how have you tackled them?

I’m sure there have been nay-sayers throughout my entire journey, but I don’t remember any of them off the top of my head. I’ve always lived my life with a positive attitude and try to cultivate that positivity into everyone around me. It took a lot of years in welding and wheeling for people to take me seriously, and it’s still a constant struggle. But I keep my chin up and know that I’m capable of whatever I put my mind to. 

18. If you could give one piece of advice to young drivers, especially women looking to enter the off-road world, what would it be?

You are your own worst enemy, so whether you think you can do it, or you think you can’t, you’re 100% right. So just do it! There’s nothing wrong with being new at something, you have to practice SO MUCH to be any good at it, but you’ll get there soon. If you find something that you love, don’t be afraid to put your whole heart into it because it will give back one day. 

19. Now that you’ve proven yourself on the King of the Hammers stage, what’s next for you? Any plans for future races or new challenges?

I’ve wanted to learn CAD (computer aided design) for about 8 years now, so I’m finally putting in the time and getting it done. I’ve known for a long time that this would be a logical next step to my career in fabrication. Right now I’m working on drawing up small parts for our Bomber cars, to make our build process more efficient. I’m really thankful that Randy’s been very patient with my learning process, and I’m so excited to finally explore this skill set. I hope that this will allow us to build the Bomber into an even more competitive car for the future. 

20. The off-road community is like a big family. Who has been your biggest supporter throughout this journey?

My family, of course! My whole family has attended KOH every year since 2014, and volunteered or raced with me too! My mom is actually a volunteer lead these days and does a lot for the small community of volunteers that help put on KOH, she’s busier than I am during hammers week! My brother Stuart was my codriver in the samurai every year that we raced it. My sister Sara and other brother Gavin have always been there to support me at KOH too. My dad was the one who got me into 4 wheeling and is my best wheeling buddy, we came up in it together and learned off of eachother in the early years. He also shared codriving duties with Stuart in the samurai the first year we raced. And most importantly, my husband Randy. He was the one who suggested all the suspension upgrades to the Samurai that ultimately led to my two near-finishes. It was his idea to put me in the 4800 car to compete in the Race of Kings in 2024. And it was his love, support, and guidance that got me across the finish line in physical first place this year. 

21. If you had to describe your racing style in three words, what would they be?

No holds barred. Although it pains me to drive so aggressively sometimes, there’s nothing I won’t do to win, within the rules of the race of course. 

22. What’s your ultimate dream in motorsport? 

Win King of the Hammers. August 27th 2019 was the day that Jessi died, and on August 28th I said that I’d race King of the Hammers. I had a little black notebook in the glovebox of my Samurai where I’d occasionally jot down trips and experiences that I had in that drivers seat. That night, I wrote “I’m going to race King of the Hammers. And one day, I’m gonna win it.” This year I feel like I’ve achieved that goal in monumental fashion, going from my Samurai to the Bomber and finishing physical first in my very first legends class race. I’m the first female to cross the finish line in physical first place, and my official 2nd place finish is the highest finish of any female in the history of the Every Man Challenge. While I’ll undoubtedly be back next year to secure that official first place trophy, I’ve achieved my goals faster than I ever imagined.

23. You are part of the Jessi Combs Foundation, which supports and empowers women in motorsports and skilled trades. How has being involved with this foundation influenced your journey as a racer?

Meeting Jessi’s friends who run the foundation, and all the scholarship recipients and other women who are involved has inspired me to keep going. In 2023, the foundation invited me to help restore Jessi’s legendary race jeep GoldiRocks so that it could be used to inspire the next generation of female trailblazers. Jessi was the one person who inspired me the most, and I believe that it’s important to give back to a community that helped bring me up in the early days. 

24. Jessi Combs was a true pioneer and an inspiration for many in the off-road and racing community. How has her legacy impacted your career and mindset?

The thing that Jessi said that’s always stuck with me is, “be the light that you want to see in the world.” And I’ve found that the world isn’t always nice, but it’s my duty to make it a little bit brighter instead of darker. I want the world to change in so many ways, but I have to set that example in order to make any kind of difference. 

25. At the finish line, you were celebrated by many young women from the Jessi Combs Foundation. What did that moment mean to you?

I’d been holding back tears until Dana from JCF came up to give me a hug, and I realized the impact that my achievement would have on women everywhere. I couldn’t help but cry knowing that we did it for Jessi. It was really special to get to stand with the other women of the JCF around a purple car that had just beat all the boys in the field. As Dana says, the throttle doesn’t care who’s twisting (or pushing) it, male or female. We all have the capability to push that thing to its limits, it’s just a matter of finding it within ourselves.

26. What message would you like to share with the next generation of female racers who look up to you, just as you looked up to Jessi?

Don’t let anything stop you, no matter what, just keep going and eventually you’ll get to that finish line first.

Thank you so much Amber for this beautiful and interesting interview!

Seeing you competing in the Every Man Challenge was amazing but what will remain forever in my memory are those fantastic moments and emotions that I had the honor of sharing with you and your family on the finish podium.