2013 Dakar - On 4 wheels

[troy safari carpente]

RG changes to a new one every year...

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by Deadly99

Andy Grider ........

NO! Andy & Robby have parted ways.

Kellon should be the best guess. But like everyone else but Robby, you really don't know what he's going do until he does it.

[HogWild]

We forgot Quinn Cody. He's too hurt to ride a bike, but maybe fit enough to co-drive!

[Deadly99]

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

NO! Andy & Robby have parted ways.

Kellon should be the best guess. But like everyone else but Robby, you really don't know what he's going do until he does it.

"The “rebel” will be flanked by his co-pilot in 2011, Kellon Walch"


Is this the year Robby takes the top of the podium....I hope so

[DruncleWill]

Charlotte, N.C. (December 4, 2012) – With no desert too large and no mountain too tall, the SPEED Energy HUMMER on victory proven Toyo Tires will once again attempt to conquer the world’s most famous off-road event. The custom-built Dakar HUMMER driven by Robby Gordon and navigator Kellon Walch will tackle more than 8000 Km / 4970 Mi from Peru through Argentina and ending in Santiago, Chile making it the ultimate off-road adventure; the 35th Annual Dakar Rally.


Registration discussions between A.S.O and Team Gordon began back in the early summer months in preparation for the 2013 Dakar Rally, and on December 2 registration for the SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires / MAPEI HUMMER became official. The A.S.O and the team agreed on a pre-check inspection of the Dakar HUMMER prior to being approved to race. Once the detailed inspection of the Dakar HUMMER and its air-inflation system by A.S.O. officials, the team was approved to officially race the 2013 Dakar Rally.


“I am excited to go back to race the prestigious Dakar Rally and show the world that we are ready to give it our best shot once again at an overall victory. Obviously our cars are good enough to compete for the win. Last year we had the fastest cars at the rally and led the most check points with the fastest times, with five wins as a team, two wins with the second HUMMER (which was also approved and is available to compete) and three wins for myself. It is now time for us to go back and capitalize on what we developed and worked on over the last seven years to put ourselves in position to compete for the overall win. “


For the first time in its history, the Dakar Rally will begin in Lima, Peru, sending upwards of 460 vehicles from 53 countries on a two-week, 14-stage endurance race through 3 Western South American countries, ultimately finishing in the Chilean capital of Santiago. This year’s Dakar will begin on January 5 and will travel on a new course featuring sections not seen to racing since the moving of the Dakar to South America in 2009, marking the most difficult course to date.


Gordon will be joined in the cockpit by his navigator, Kellon Walch, who served as team navigator for B.J. Baldwin in 2010 and for Gordon in 2011. Walch looks to bring back the experience and chemistry gained as the team’s navigator in previous rally races along with the focus and drive needed to guide the vehicle through the challenging navigation obstacles that Gordon will face.


The various aspects of Peru’s natural features will put a real test to the SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires / MAPEI Dakar HUMMER in the early stages of the rally as Gordon will face gigantic dunes and rugged terrain requiring precise focus and skill to gain an early advantage. Entering Chile will set the stage for a fast pace duel through the desert before crossing the Andes Mountains into Argentina where record altitude and temperature will become a crucial factor for driver and navigator.


After a much needed day of rest on the eighth day, the SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires team will set out for the longest and most technical stage of the Rally navigating through the narrow twists and turns of the forest. The rapid assistance vehicles will not have access to this stage, requiring precise driving to be a must. Entering Chile for the final stages of the Rally will once again bring dunes into the equation, testing the driver’s fatigue and equipment to the finish in Santiago.


Once reaching the Chilean capital, the small percent of the drivers who finish the 2013 Dakar Rally will partake in a short show course offering spectators and fans the chance to cheer on the new heroes who have successfully conquered the 2013 Dakar Rally. The following day the accomplishment of each of the drivers will be recognized with an elaborate ceremony planned on the Plaza de la Constituciόn.

[troy safari carpente]

Wonder how Giniel and the Saffer Tojo team are positioning themselves... they've been almost silent on the PR front... maybe they are just going to let their new wide track, alloy block V8 4WD pick-up Hilux do the job quietly in january and let the monster/redbull/SPEED teams do all the trash talking for them...?

[izom]

...preinspected!??- haha im pretty sure someone will wine around the hummers so unfair FAST...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ohlIfuFg4

...SCARY fast!!

[Aquatic]

Originally Posted by troy safari carpente

Wonder how Giniel and the Saffer Tojo team are positioning themselves... they've been almost silent on the PR front... maybe they are just going to let their new wide track, alloy block V8 4WD pick-up Hilux do the job quietly in january and let the monster/redbull/SPEED teams do all the trash talking for them...?

+1

All the PR money is going into the development of the truck!

Same as last year. At the start of the race if you put money on the Toyota even finishing, people would have laughed at you. Maybe even have had you commited to an asylum.
Giniel came second!
Some might say he was lucky as other, much faster, competitors fell by the way. No! He was consistant and the truck was reliable!

What I find funny is that all the press you read, the Toyotas are not even mentioned as contenders! Yet Nasser and Carlos in brand new unproven buggies are definate possibilities for the podium.


Glynn's cars have never been the fastest. But they always sounded the best!
The banshee Factory Nissan V6s and the V8 Toyotas are crowd favourites!

[Brodovitch]

The stealthy PR of the Toyotas could be attributed to the fact that they don't have a sugary drink for a sponsor as well.

I am certainly rooting for them, it took balls to run the '12 edition under '13 regulations, shows commendable foresight plus they just look awesome.

In fact, I would say Giniel is my dark horse for the top podium place. Much as I dig Robbie, his hotheadedness and burning desire to make a point this year is the exact opposite frame of mind you need to win the Dakar.

I expect many great battles between the X Raid Minis and the Hummer, but steady Giniel might just win the war from under their noses.

About time the Japanese got back in the game in the 4 wheelers

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by Brodovitch

The stealthy PR of the Toyotas could be attributed to the fact that they don't have a sugary drink for a sponsor as well.

I am certainly rooting for them, it took balls to run the '12 edition under '13 regulations, shows commendable foresight plus they just look awesome.

In fact, I would say Giniel is my dark horse for the top podium place. Much as I dig Robbie, his hotheadedness and burning desire to make a point this year is the exact opposite frame of mind you need to win the Dakar.

I expect many great battles between the X Raid Minis and the Hummer, but steady Giniel might just win the war from under their noses.

About time the Japanese got back in the game in the 4 wheelers

... or possibly one of either of two other MINI drivers on the Monster roster (Holowycz or Roma) if General Perfecthansel and Gordon of the Confederate States get into a head to head civil war out on the course. Both Nani and Kristofer are capable of top stage times and keeping their noses clean, while the schoolyard bullies beat up on each other...

Another car that could be real quick (at least sporadically) is the ex-xraid-exiled Guelain Chicherit; who got canned from the MINI gig after the Chit hit tha fan during rest day testing in the 2011 Dakar, and he pretzeled the teams debut of the All4 racing effort amongst a great deal of media/PR hoo-hah...

Chicherit is back for 2013 in a 2WD rear engined V8 buggy (does this formula sound familiar? ) by the French SMG team... From a promo vid that Guelain's "Gravity" rallying team put out... the thing goes pretty well...

But like the debuting Redbull/Carlos/Qatar/Nasser outfit, the question of "how far/how long" they can run "fast" for? Undoubtedly the long travel, big rear end horspower/2WD formula (as pioneered and made popular by Gordons Hummer over the last six or seven years) is undoubtedly very fast over the rougher offroad/off piste/virgin terrain type stages... but tend to looseout on formed road or dune stages (where 2WD is a disadvantage) and so the have to "push" to make an advantage in the terrain that favours their style of vehicle... In the past it has been this extra "velocity" that has been the 2WD vehicles achilles heel... either in terms of accident (pushing the envelope) or material fatigue/failure because of the prolonged abuse over two weeks.

[Brodovitch]

Couldn't resist:

[Flood]

Originally Posted by troy safari carpente

Chicherit is back for 2013 in a 2WD rear engined V8 buggy (does this formula sound familiar? ) by the French SMG team... From a promo vid that Guelain's "Gravity" rallying team put out... the thing goes pretty well...

The Chicherit buggy:

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by troy safari carpente

Wonder how Giniel and the Saffer Tojo team are positioning themselves... they've been almost silent on the PR front... maybe they are just going to let their new wide track, alloy block V8 4WD pick-up Hilux do the job quietly in january and let the monster/redbull/SPEED teams do all the trash talking for them...?

Originally Posted by Aquatic

+1

All the PR money is going into the development of the truck!

Originally Posted by Brodovitch

Couldn't resist:

All the PR money is going into the development of the truck!

eh?


Ummmm...? Maybe not...!

[Brodovitch]

So Giniel wins a stage, heads over to Peterhansel in the bivvy, clucks his tongue, and says "Go make us a sandwich Stefie"



If I were on the Saffers PR team I would be having wet dreams at the thought

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by Brodovitch

So Giniel wins a stage, heads over to Peterhansel in the bivvy, clucks his tongue, and says;

"Go make us a sandwich Stefie...

... oh, and you over there... Speed Gordon...

... fetch me a beer from that big flash 18 wheeler ice chest of your's would ya'..."