Dakar Rally

[Isuzumu]

It's sad that Bruce Garland could not do it this year (health reasons) I wish they could have put Craig Lowndes in his Isuzu D.Max, he would have given them a run for his money 

On the Toyota, why do they have to go to another manufacturer for a motor? Garland just uses the old Isuzu motor and does a few mods and gets 190 KWs and 620 NMs out of his rig.

[Bird]

It's sad that Bruce Garland could not do it this year (health reasons) I wish they could have put Craig Lowndes in his Isuzu D.Max, he would have given them a run for his money 

On the Toyota, why do they have to go to another manufacturer for a motor? Garland just uses the old Isuzu motor and does a few mods and gets 190 KWs and 620 NMs out of his rig.

cause they are in it to win it at all costs.. their chq books are almost endless compared to garland.

[yogie]

Absolutely,

I love rallying, especially the WRC, but the Dakar is the pinnacle.

So dissapointed, even on the net they only show 30 min.

Baz

the quads only get about 2 minutes every other day... 

[Rumpig]

the quads only get about 2 minutes every other day... 

would be interesting to hear exactly why the 5 quads never met thier scrutineering criteria.
i haven't watched tonights coverage yet (it's been recorded though), but watching lastnights as they mentioned the bikes doing over 160 kph along the dirt...they are just crazy.

[cruza driver]

would be interesting to hear exactly why the 5 quads never met thier scrutineering criteria.
i haven't watched tonights coverage yet (it's been recorded though), but watching lastnights as they mentioned the bikes doing over 160 kph along the dirt...they are just crazy.

You can watch it online too before it is aired on SBS, thats what I do 

[Garry H]

would be interesting to hear exactly why the 5 quads never met thier scrutineering criteria.

"borrowed" from another forum   http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=17652822

The quick version...

In the past years, some of the quads were complete proto-tytpes (special one of chassis, A-arms suspension, different motors etc.), The class was more or less an "open" formula... as long as it had 4 ATV type wheels, a set of handlebars, and you sat astride it... you were in.

Then - as official bodies are prone - the ASO decided to "limit" the reg's to a more production based formula... presumeably for parity of competition and budgetary reasons... Okay, so they changed the rule book and all the european competitors turned up to "preliminary scrutineering" at LeHavre, France on November (prior to everything shipped to South America on the ASO boat).

apparently at this point, the officials (under advice of some competitors) find out there are a few loopholes and anomalies in the rules... so no worries; re-write some rules etc.

Everyone gets to tech/administration in Mar del plata... and suddenly there are some bikes that don't meet the rules (many quads came from sth america and other places where they were not present at the "pre-scrutineering" in LeHavre,

Apparently there were several riders/team that were without homologation/Identification papers from the manufacturers, which confirm the production origins of their bikes etc. so in a last minute fail-safe, the ASO created a "non-homologated" category, for those that did not comply... in order for them to participate. One of these was in fact multiple Dakar (and Safari) Quad winner Macachek (spelling?). The catch here was that they would NOT be eligible for a placing in the gen classification... basically they were just there for the ride.

The entire quad group started the race (both the eligible and ineligible entries) under a question mark. There were protests made, meanwhile some "found" homoligation papers at the 13th hour... others resigned to running in the "non classified" group.

By the end of day two - having not being able to produce the documentation to satisfy elegibility... and faced with the prospect of just riding for practice for the next 10 days... Macachzek decided to withdraw... Most of the other quads (I understand) are continuing.
__________________

[yogie]

would be interesting to hear exactly why the 5 quads never met thier scrutineering criteria.
i haven't watched tonights coverage yet (it's been recorded though), but watching lastnights as they mentioned the bikes doing over 160 kph along the dirt...they are just crazy.

this is from the quad forum

http://www.ozatv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19036&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[Rumpig]

this is from the quad forum

http://www.ozatv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19036&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

nice link on that forum...lol 

Dakar 2006 Frits Hessing dont listen to co-driver Stevenson	Small | Large

maybe next year they'll have the quads sorted out properly, seems to be some confusion and alot of trying to bend the rules to suit themselves to me. was a nasty stack by the yank bike rider lastnight when he broke his shoulder, bet he ain't feeling real well today.

[yogie]

the biggest problem with the quad teams is there own inability to work together as a class, if that makes sense. but it looks like fun though, I do a 300k endro every year, (more like 200k  ) and it dam near kills me.

[UTE 701]

Motos (after day four)
1 Cyril Depres (FRA) KTM
2 Marc Coma (ESP) KTM   
3 Helder Rodrigues (PRT) Yamaha
4 Francisco Lopez (CHI) Aprilia
5 David Casteu (FRA) Yamaha
6 Paulo Goncalves (PRT) Husqvrna
7 Frans Verhoeven (NLD) Sherco
8 Juan Pedrero Garcia (ESP) KTM
9 Jordi Villadoms (ESP) KTM
10 Gerard Farres Guell (ESP) KTM

25 Rodney Faggotter, (AUS) Hsbrg
47 Dean Nuttal, (AUS) KTM
54 David Schwarz, (AUS) Husaberg
60 Jamie Chittick, (AUS) Honda
125 Craig Tarlington, (AUS) KTM
134 Mark Davidson, (AUS) KTM
***
Cars (after day four)
1 Stephane Peterhansel (FRA), Mini  # 302.
2 Giniel De Villiers (RSA), Toyota
3 Nani Roma (ESP), Mini
4 Krzysztof Holowczyc (POL), Mini
5 Robby Gordon (USA), Hummer
6 Leonid Novitzkiy (RUS) Mini
7 N. Al-Attiyah (QAT), Hummer
8 Carlos Sousa (PRT), Great Wall
9 Lucio Alvarez (ARG), Toyota
10 Erik Wevers (NLD), Mitsubishi

ytf  Geoff Olholm (AUS) Desert Warrior

quote  " .......But that setback was nothing compared with that of Geoff Olholm and co-driver Jon Aston. The BMW-powered Desert Warrior blew a turbo before the first way point of the stage, and the duo has slipped from 25th overall to 100th as they limp home. "

[UTE 701]

I was just about to say how tough this black HiLux looks , and I hope we see more of it .....

I now read that it is out .
What a weird situation to withdraw .
Toyota driver Orlando Terranova's co-driver Andy Grider has quit the Dakar Rally in frustration after an argument on day four. Team Overdrive manager Jean-Marc Fortin confirmed the truth on Thursday, telling Dakar television that the duo had begun arguing on day four.
"They started seriously arguing yesterday," Fortin said.
"Andy Grider the co-driver decided to quit and not start this morning."
Argentinian Terranova is popular in his home nation and was seeded eighth for the 2012 event.
Under Dakar Rally rules co-drivers can not be replaced mid-race.

Also news just in ....
Heavy snowfall in a mountain pass has forced Dakar Rally organisers to abandon the sixth stage from Fiambala in Argentina's north to Copiapo in Chile.
The Dakar statement explains that advance vehicles were unable to cross the Andes into Chile overnight.
"Due to the bad weather continuing over the Andes Cordillera (rain and snow), the Chilean authorities were forced to close, for the night, the border at Paso de San Francisco, situated at 4700m," Dakar officials said in a statement.

And :
In the cars section, Geoff Olholm had clutch issues just one day after blowing both his original and spare turbo on stage four.
"Yesterday they blew a turbo - changed it - did another 40 km and blew the second one," the post said.
"They were at the bivouac only four hours. The boys did a great job on the car to get them started again but they started late. Due to their late stage start they started amongst the trucks which was fun!
"Today's stage was done with a slipping clutch so they nursed it through. Boys will need to change gear box and clutch before stage six."

[Bird]

spare wheel comes loose?? Someone will get an arse kick!

that hummer wont ever do well in the event I dont think

Qatar's defending champion Nasser al-Attiyah suffered another disastrous drive on Thursday's fifth stage of the Dakar Rally, losing more than 20 minutes after his Hummer overheated.
 
Poland's Krzysztof Holowczyc, in a Mini, won the stage between Chilecito and Fiambala ahead of American Robby Gordon, with Stephane Peterhansel coming in third to maintain his lead atop the overall standings.
 
Holowczyc finished the 153km special in 2hr 10min 51sec, 1:01 in front of Gordon, with Peterhansel, a six-time Dakar motorcycling champion and three-time car winner, at 3:52.
 
"It was so easy because of the rain in the evening yesterday and overnight the sand was not too soft and it was easy to drive," said Holowczyc.
 
"We decided to attack properly, though we went off the road and couldn't see the road at times. For sure, it was a good stage and we are back in the game."
 
Peterhansel added: "Fiambala is always a very difficult stage. This morning we started first, so opening the road was not good, but we took our time to navigate well.
 
"We never lost the track. Sometimes we lost a little time, but we never took the wrong turn. In the end, we didn't do the best time, but a decent time I think."
 
The Pole stands second behind Peterhansel in the overall standings at 4:18, but al-Attiyah's radiator woes, which hit when he was well set for a possible victory after notching up the best intermediate times on the stage, left him in eighth place, a huge 50:47 off the pace.
 
"The spare wheel was loose and it hit the engine water pipe, breaking it and after the temperature was very high, so we stopped to repair it again and lost a lot of time," he said.
 
"But what can I do? I was really having a good run. I was doing my maximum but I don't know what's wrong.
 
"My plan today was to take at least 10 minutes from everybody and that's what was happening because I was really fast until control point 2.


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/motorsport/alattiyah-in-dakar-rally-trouble-20120106-1pnwe.html#ixzz1ie3uq6Fs

[UTE 701]

Cairns Coconut Resort Car Racing team driver Geoff Olholm has scored an impressive 24th-placed finish on stage 10 of the Dakar Rally in Chile despite stopping to aid other racers.
On the final stage before the Dakar Rally heads to Peru for the first time Olholm was able to demonstrate the pace of his X-Rabe Desert Warrior to score 24th, but it wasn't all plain sailing.

Olholm encountered an upside-down buggie during the stage and stopped to assist the crew. The driver and co-driver of the crashed car were unhurt, and Olholm was able to right the vehicle and tow it out of danger before resuming his rally.

A holed radiator hose and a slipping clutch prevented the Aussie from maintaining his pace for the entire stage, and a punctured tyre also held Olholm back.

Olholm moved to 58th overall after stage 10.

[UTE 701]

American Robby Gordon's hopes of winning took a major hit on Wednesday when stewards ruled he should be thrown out of the event because his Hummer's engine did not conform to race regulations.

It is believed the stewards noticed the problem with his engine in checking it over after the stage - during which his Hummer team-mate and defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah was forced to retire after another technical problem.
The stewards believe Gordon's modifying of the ventilation system and tyre-reinflation system linked to his engine improved its performance level - he denies that his tinkering had an impact on improving its speed and is basing his appeal on that.

The practice of feeding air into the induction system using either the tyre inflation or ventilation system has been branded "redneck supercharging" by Dakar Rally Officials.

[Bird]

.... during which his Hummer team-mate and defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah was forced to retire after another technical problem.

I was right couple of posts back LMAO!

[whitey1]

Seems Nasser Al-Attiyah and Robbie Gordon must have had a bit of a falling out after Nasser went out. I got the feeling he wasn't too happy with the car or the team. should do better next year if Citroen enters the Dakar.
Found this on the web

   SA-Dakar Rally: Al Attiyah rumours - good WRC start instead of bad Dakar?

The "love" between the Qatari and Dakar title holder Nasser Al Attiyah and Robby Gordon seems to has gone - told different stories in the last camp before Peru. Al Attiyah, who had to withdrew from the Rally on Tuesday due to technical problems, said that he "would never race again with this car".

Yesterday the Dakar-organiser ASO reported about Gordon´s eventually disqualification because of eventual false or manipulated air-intakes. Gordon made a official protest, so he could finish the rally. What happened behind the scenes? A reason for Al Attiyah?

For Robby Gordon the situation is different. "The problem is not the Hummer's, but al-Attiyah's," he said to the news agengy DPA. He also told, that the Qatari had pushed the car too far - and had been waiting to leave the competition for days.

Other speculations are harder. 2012 Nasser Al Attiyah is to start in the WRC World Rally Championship as factory driver for Citroen - and the debut is the "Rally Monte Carlo" on January 18th.

"There is speculation that he was upset about missing the first stage of that event, in Monte Carlo, and that he only planned to stay in the Dakar Rally until the end if he had a chance to defend the title he won last year" the news agency DPA reported.

[Bird]

that time of year again

http://www.mcnews.com.au/MotorcycleRacing2013/Dakar/Day2.htm

Results Stage Two - Pisco to Pisco– total distance 327 km: 85 km liaison and 242 km special
 1, Joan Barreda Bort, Spain, Husqvarna 2 hours 42.31
 2, Joan Pedrero, Spain, KTM, 2:45.47
 3, Mathew Fish, Australia Husqvarna 2:48.24
4, Ruben Faria, Portugal, KTM 2:48.57
 5, Kurt Caselli, USA, KTM 2:49.41
 6, Darryl Curtis, South Africa, KTM 2:50.20
 7, David Casteu, France, Yamaha 2:50.39
 8, Jordi Villadoms, Spain, Husqvarna 2:50.46
 9, Israel Esquerre, Chile, Honda, 2:50.50
 10, Pal-Anders Ullevalseter, Norway, KTM 2:52.13
 11, Olivier Pain, France, Yamaha 2:52.41
 12, Cyril Despres, France, KTM 2:52.41
 14, Ben Grabham, Australia, KTM 2:52.47

Overall standings after two stages
 1, Barreda, 3 hours 24.11
 2, Faria, KTM, 3:29.47
 3, Pedrero, KTM, 3:30.47
 4, Casteu, 3:31.09
 5, Despres KTM, 3:33.01
 6, Fish, 3:33.29
 7, Curtis, KTM 3:33.30
 8, Ullevalseter KTM, 3:33.38
 9, Villadoms, 3:33.46
 10, Esquerre, 3:33.50
 19, Grabham KTM 3:38.17

[BigJules]

Droool!

[Bird]

Droool!

Please say your not drooling over Simon... Its the worst pimp beard in history


heres a few more to drool over
http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=20140383&postcount=1419
http://www.desertpistons.com/4strokesd/4strokesindex.htm

[Bird]

Overall Aussie's
 Pos. Name N° Make Time variation Penalty
 1 PAIN (FRA) 9 YAMAHA 15:35:23 - -
 17 FAGGOTTER (AUS) 123 YAMAHA 16:13:28 0:38:05 -
 22 GRABHAM (AUS) 57 KTM 16:43:12 1:07:49 -
 30 STRANGE (AUS) 131 HONDA 17:23:46 1:48:23 -
 49 SMITH (AUS) 156 HONDA 19:15:27 3:40:04 0:15:00
71 PAVEY (AUS) 51 HUSQVARNA 20:42:48 5:07:25 - Go Simon!


Doesn't sound good for Matt Fish now
http://www.racing.speedbrain.de/

Two people were killed and seven others were injured in a head-on collision between a Dakar Rally support vehicle and a taxi near Peru's border with Chile, race organisers said on Thursday.

The incident happened at 9:30pm local time on Wednesday, 10km from the frontier, a statement on the race website dakar.com said.

One of two taxis hit the support vehicle head-on while a second cab overturned as its driver tried to avoid the collision.

Two people in the first taxi, including the driver, were killed and seven people, four of them Peruvian, were injured.

Three of the injured, who were travelling in a Land Rover support vehicle, were British members of the Race2Recovery team which is made up of British and US servicemen who have been severely injured and lost limbs in foreign conflicts.


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/motorsport/two-dead-seven-injured-in-dakar-rally-20130111-2cjpa.html#ixzz2HdmnyzVg

[Dogsbreakfast]

After doing a few enduros mostly in sth east asia, so much respect has to be given to the riders in the dakar. Unless you ride, people just dont understand how physically and mentally demanding it is!

[DannyG]

Hows Grabbo going, after a serious injury and never done the whole Dakar....navigation thing before is still nudging the top 20! Not wanting to take anything away from the other competitors but look out for him next year......and just quietly keep an eye on him this year

[jeeps]

Ok so... i'm not rooting for any aussie's.   


I've always followed Laia Sanz's moto trial career. She's amazing to watch ride.






She posted up that she's currently ranked 33rd place or thereabouts. Here she is on her Gas Gas a few days ago:





and here she is as i know her on her Honda (Montessa to be exact)...






GO LAIA!!!!!!


cheers

[Dogsbreakfast]

I have a new favorite rider! 

[Bird]

desert racing at its best 

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/motorsport/deluge-swamps-dakar-rally-hopefuls-20130113-2cn9f.html