Very good post. It is realy that way. Dakar 2010 I was at the start and have some simpel chats with a lot of southamerican drivers, and it is true everyone stating they were to start calm and try to reach the end. I was at El nihuil (day 8) and everybody at the Bivouac looking for results to be published, looking for information on rivals or how did them performed compared to them.
In the emerging UTV/SSV/SXS class in T3 Light, these guys will be the ones to watch, 3 cars for 2013 from Xtreme Plus, the only SXS out of 6 to survive Dakar 2012 and with the highest level of Dakar focussed development to the cars out of any SXS on the planet to date. Will be interesting to see the entry list as SXS is a rapidly growing class at most rallies world wide now. http://www.xtremeplus.fr/ The 3 Xtreme Plus team XP900's bound for Dakar 2013 ready for loading on the ASO ship at Le Havre.
No Rbby Gordon in dakar.com entry lists.......................... he may have a late entry anyway, but it is an indicato that he may not run this year
Here is the video - http://www.marathonrally.com/news/d...nting_buggy.22074.0.html#.UKzjdvjDMQ8.twitter
Hot damn, the Qatar Redbull team looks like a force to be reckoned with...lot's of potential there Also nice not to see a vechicle that looks bad ass unlike those gay looking minis
Did you watch the vid ? Even El Matador mentions this Dakar being a first step in a program. To me the vechicle looks sorted and capable...time will tell
I can't spell "frontal under carriage protection" in arabic or spanish... ... but I reckon we'll know what "front wheel torn off..." in both languages is come January...
Yeah... I watched the vid... lot's of good rhetoric and the usual cliches for the sponsors... A few more quick knee jerk reactions from the little we saw of the car in action... 1. Rear engine clearance/overhang - very close to ground/exposed. 2. Spare tyre on side/low... exposed with no under protection... perfect for getting a stone/stick puncture... ideal if you want a flat before you need to change tyres. 3. The couple of airborne high spee shots... flies very tail heavy...? :huh Yeah... no doubt it will be fast (like a lot of the SCORE Class 1 buggies it borrows much of it's technology from)... but for how long/how far? I would not bet against the prediction that Strong Bad made earlier in this thread in any case. But it IS nice to see Red Bull and Qatar get behind two of the biggest names in the DAKAR from recent years and give the two past champions a shot at the race in 2013... maybe it can be developed in years to come to be a contender (like RG's Speed/Hummer outfit)... but four months is too short to deliver a winner for 2103 I believe.
That body can't be the final product? :huh It looks flex-y and weak. Judging by that video, Gordon's hamm-buggy would eat eat it for breakfast. It has a mighty roar, though. If they're setting it up for the dunes how are they going to survive the first few days ... In other gossip/speculation, Nasser doesn't look very healthy.
Both Nasser and Sainz have tested almost all real good Dakar machines in the last years: VW Touareg (Both Nasser and Sainz) BMW X3 (Nasser) Toyota Hilux Overdrive (both of them) Hummer (Nasser) SMG buggy (Sainz), a concept similar to the Qatar red bull SAM mercedes (Nasser) Both have a name on them, as well as Red Bull. I really doubt they would get in something so bad so easily. They know how they will sit against competition,. No other team has so much knoledge of competition as they have. There must be a lot of things to develop, as it has been the case with Mitsubishi, them with X raid, or even the endless wallet of VW Dakar project. I can not see them fighting for overall win in 2013. But I really doubt this thing could be awfully designed or constructed, and have Nasser, Carlos and Red Bull exposing themselves to it. The logistics, assitance and all what is beneath the special stage itself is really important in Dakar
Not, Robby is not in the list. Some numbers are "reserved" though: <TABLE style="WIDTH: 60pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=80 x:str><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 60pt" width=80><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 20.25pt; mso-height-source: userset" height=27><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #e0dfe3; BORDER-LEFT: #e0dfe3; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 60pt; HEIGHT: 20.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #e0dfe3; BORDER-RIGHT: #e0dfe3" height=27 width=80 align=right x:num>315</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 20.25pt; mso-height-source: userset" height=27><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #e0dfe3; BORDER-LEFT: #e0dfe3; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 20.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #e0dfe3; BORDER-RIGHT: #e0dfe3" height=27 align=right x:num>329</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 20.25pt; mso-height-source: userset" height=27><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #e0dfe3; BORDER-LEFT: #e0dfe3; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 20.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #e0dfe3; BORDER-RIGHT: #e0dfe3" height=27 align=right x:num>333</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 20.25pt; mso-height-source: userset" height=27><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #e0dfe3; BORDER-LEFT: #e0dfe3; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 20.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #e0dfe3; BORDER-RIGHT: #e0dfe3" height=27 align=right x:num>334</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 20.25pt; mso-height-source: userset" height=27><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #e0dfe3; BORDER-LEFT: #e0dfe3; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 20.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #e0dfe3; BORDER-RIGHT: #e0dfe3" height=27 align=right x:num>422</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 20.25pt; mso-height-source: userset" height=27><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #e0dfe3; BORDER-LEFT: #e0dfe3; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 20.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #e0dfe3; BORDER-RIGHT: #e0dfe3" height=27 align=right x:num>454</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> In the past Dakar,s there have been cases of late entries (E.g. BJ Baldwin, 2nd Hummer in 2011, De Garvardo 3rd Hummer in 2010, or even Nasser Hummer in 2012), so it may be once again a Hummer have a late entry. Nassrr had his "300" reserved. I doubt "315" is for Robby, he must have something like "304" or lower number, but it is not that important. He may have 456 and later be seeded in top ten for first superspecial. the question is: has he all sorted out for Dakar?
The Auto entry list for Dakar 2013 is out......... 8 x Polaris XP900's 3 x Can-Am 1000's 1 x Arctic Cat Widlcat 1000 Double the number of SXS's than 2012 Dakar.... the class is growing rapidly and is set to grow even more over the next few years http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2013/us/rider/rider-list-cars.html#ancre
I will be very surprised if Rubby Gordon races this next El Dakaro. First there are recent developments with his latest "benefactor" Clyde Stacy, which most likely will prevent Clyde's involvement (and may possibly even prevent future funding). Second, Rubby is up to his armpits in getting the Stadium Super Trucks off the ground, in fact one of the "demo" events for the SST is to be held while the El Dakaro is being raced. Rubby has contracts already with NBC for TV, and he wanted to be the next Micky Thompson. El Matador and Nasser have both shared major testing time in developing past Dakar race cars. However, there simply isn't anytime to develop the current car prior to this next event. Looks are one thing, bling, bling bodies and graphics are window dressing, races are won with prep, development, and more prep. They have barely enough time to get the shocks set up, let alone figure out what the week links are that will need to be addressed in the bivy every night.
