Last September this author was invited to UMI’s King of the Mountain 5.0, presented by Airflow Research. Arriving in our pro-touring 1970 Dodge Super Bee, we quickly realized that this was no ordinary autocross event. We found ourselves surrounded by some of the best cars and drivers in the sport.

Sizing up the field, we quickly realized that this was definitely going to be the ultimate test for the recent modifications that we made to the Super Bee this year – including upgrading to a Moser Engineering center section and axles, and a full QA1 coil-over suspension system.

Thankfully, we weren’t the only Mopar racers: Kurt Chenoweth was behind the wheel of his classic 1970 Dodge Challenger, and Eric Peachey in his 2008 Viper, which finished 2nd in the Super Late class, were among the standout competitors. If you been to Holley’s MoParty, you’ve probably witnessed their incredible skills.

It’s important to understand that this was no ordinary race; this was UMI’s King of the Mountain 5.0, and it promised to be a night to remember. KOTM is an invitation-only event. Each driver has earned their spot, either by winning their way in from other events at UMI Motorsports Park throughout the season or made it into past year’s shootout.

But this event isn’t just about fast cars and fierce competition; UMI’s King of the Mountain has a heartwarming side too. It supports two important charities: the Emily Whitehead Foundation, which fights pediatric cancer, and Sophia Rayne’s Racing for a Reason. There was a bake sale and auction alone raised a staggering $10,000 for these charitable causes.

It’s not all about racing, either. Competitors were treated to three square meals a day, live music, cornhole tournaments, and cozy campfires, creating a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Also unlike any other autocross, there’s the substantial purse. A total of $25,000 was up for grabs, with the top eight shootout racers getting to share in the prize money. The ultimate title of King of the Mountain goes home with $15,000.

For those who couldn’t make it to the event in person, the livestream was announced by BangShift’s Chad Reynolds and UMI’s Ramey Womer, attracting up to 5,700 views, with roughly 300 viewers tuning in at any given moment. Fans and those competitors who did not make the shootout, lined the hillside and cheered their fellow competitors on. And if you missed it, will include UMI’s recap video below:

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