Breaking news Kurt Caselli will substitute for Marc Coma in 2013 Dakar?!

[El Cucuy]

Originally Posted by too old

A question Will, or anyone with local knowledge - how much real dune riding is there on Hare and Hounds?

Not much...depending on the location of the race. There are several dune areas in Southern California to ride, they just don't typically hold NHHA rounds there.

Doesn't really matter--he knows how to ride anything. Throwback-type rider in that he rides at a elite level in X-Country races (NHHA), SCORE (Baja) races, short-course GP style WORCS stuff, ISDE (multi-time class champ), AMA MX (qualifies for mains at AMA Nationals Outdoors), WEC, GNCC, etc.

Navigation is where he needs work...but he is a total class act, can ride the wheels off the bike, has the factory backing and has the right temperament for rally imho.

[B1KSOLO]

Originally Posted by El Cucuy

but he is a total class act, can ride the wheels off the bike,

Yes, Class Act is 100% correct, a true humble Champion

[VxZeroKnots]

Stage 11 crushed! From Breauxman on FB

[VxZeroKnots]

Again, from BreauxmanLive on FB

Will Kurt Caselli become the Aaron Gwin of Dakar?



KURT CASELLI LEADS STAGE 13!!!
By 00:00:11 over Despres
Lets put this into context here: 127 bikes started this morning and a well rounded rider w literally zero road book navigation experience is perhaps going for a hat trick as a rookie. Caselli is making history here and bringing the sport of rally raid to North America
Will Kurt Make It a Hat Trick Today?
1 029 CASELLI (USA) KTM 02:10:24
2 001 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 02:10:35 00:00:11
3 007 LOPEZ CONTARDO (CHL) KTM 02:10:36 00:00:12
4 012 PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP) KTM 02:11:11 00:00:47
5 020 GONÇALVES (PRT) HUSQV 02:11:50 00:01:26
6 003 RODRIGUES (PRT) HONDA 02:12:13 00:01:49
7 008 ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM02:13:23 00:02:59
8 018 PRZYGONSKI (POL) KTM 02:13:34 00:03:10
9 032 JAKES (SVK) KTM 02:13:47 00:03:23
10 009 PAIN (FRA) YAMAHA 02:14:13 00:03:49

[MKJ]

Kurt has shown what he's made of. I misjudged him. He will be a force to be reckoned with in the future at Dakar.

[Cycleman4]

Two stage wins and a lot of heart shown. Nice job and way to represent Kurt!

[brent tex]

Great job Kurt, you did amazingly well cosidering the limited rally training or experience you had before the event.
Thank you for keeping us thoroughly entertained.

[TacocaT]

Really enjoyed having Kurt out there and winning a few stages to boot. Little work on navigation and I think America has a contender. Hoping for big things in the future.

[400 KTM Pilot]

Does anyone know what happened to Kurt's engine or what the problems were when he was leading stage 13 (I think that's the stage)and then broke down for quite some time and finished late?

[Baja Dad]

Originally Posted by 400 KTM Pilot

Does anyone know what happened to Kurt's engine or what the problems were when he was leading stage 13 (I think that's the stage)and then broke down for quite some time and finished late?

My guess is the FRENCH set him up with bag gas !!!
Did not want him to WIN a third stage as a Rookie !!!!!!!!!!!!

JK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

[too old]

Originally Posted by El Cucuy

Not much...depending on the location of the race. There are several dune areas in Southern California to ride, they just don't typically hold NHHA rounds there.

Doesn't really matter--he knows how to ride anything. Throwback-type rider in that he rides at a elite level in X-Country races (NHHA), SCORE (Baja) races, short-course GP style WORCS stuff, ISDE (multi-time class champ), AMA MX (qualifies for mains at AMA Nationals Outdoors), WEC, GNCC, etc.

Navigation is where he needs work...but he is a total class act, can ride the wheels off the bike, has the factory backing and has the right temperament for rally imho.

Thanks for this, and yes I have had his abilities confirmed closer to home by Sam Sunderland - it will be interesting to see them head to head next year, hopefully that is, but we need to see what KTM will do also.

Ideally a KTM US team with Kurt and Quinn would set the stage pretty well .

Sam has bags of potential since his switch to Rally nearly 2 years ago, but he has had enough bad luck one way of another to last a lifetime, so hopefully 2013 and on will now be his time.

[zenjen]

Originally Posted by too old

Ideally a KTM US team with Kurt and Quinn would set the stage pretty well .

I don't think that is happening.

http://www.quinncody.com/quinn-signs...ies-2013-2014/

.

[Pantah]

Originally Posted by zenjen

I don't think that is happening.

http://www.quinncody.com/quinn-signs...ies-2013-2014/

.

That is great! He'll be a real threat the next Dakar. BMW is being a lot smarter in their motorcycle racing the last couple years. Top riders backed by top teams.

[too old]

Originally Posted by zenjen

I don't think that is happening.

http://www.quinncody.com/quinn-signs...ies-2013-2014/

.

Well I knew he was on for sppedbrain for the Dakar but not that he was with them for the duration, will be great to see him in the WRC cross country and here in the UAE in April.

So his gig with KTM after he left JCR was pretty short lived, was it because he broke too many bikes

Will be interesting to see the Speedbrain lineup for 2013/14 as it will the other teams

[Brodovitch]

Originally Posted by too old

Well I knew he was on for sppedbrain for the Dakar but not that he was with them for the duration, will be great to see him in the WRC cross country and here in the UAE in April.

So his gig with KTM after he left JCR was pretty short lived, was it because he broke too many bikes

Will be interesting to see the Speedbrain lineup for 2013/14 as it will the other teams

Apparently it's been all over the intrawebz today that KTM are buying Husqvarna off BMW.

I wonder where that will leave the SpeedBrain effort.. ?

Great post-race interview with Caselli over here, plus some very important words form KTM head honcho Heinz Kinigadner