Any Dakar Rally fans out there?

[bullwinkle428]

I've been watching for years, with coverage on Speedvision going back to the mid-90s (now Speed Channel), and in the last couple of years, coverage has since gone over to OLN (Outdoor Life Network). Coverage times suck, with the 30 minute daily stage review show on at 4:00 P.M. EST each day, and no rebroadcasts at any other time. I guess they're planning on doing review shows on Saturday 1/14 and 1/21, but I'm just recording the daily shows and watching them at night. Here's the official event website for those wanting to learn more:

http://www.dakar.com/

[Lugnut]

1. Yes!

I'm a Robby Gordon fan. I've been getting the daily e-mail updates from his website.

I don't have OLN on my cable channels but my daughter does. She's been recording the daily updates on her Moxi so I can watch them at her place.

[bullwinkle428]

3. Gordon was doing very well for himself with the new

Hummer team, but ran into wheel hub problems a couple of days back which made him lose around 4 hours. It's such a long race, though; he can easily finish in the top 10 overall if he keeps his head and gets a little racing luck. It's nice to see an American presence in the race, with Gordon and Mark Miller in the cars, and an increasing number of bikers each year.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. Hummer team? I hope they lose.

What's the competition? Or is that a category? (I don't follow rallying)

[bullwinkle428]

9. Yeah, after thinking about for a few minutes, I realized the possibility

that if the team by some chance experienced tremendous success in this event, it might actually increase the number of Hummers on the road...there's already too many out there, in my opinion! :evilgrin:

[bullwinkle428]

10. Here's a good overview/history of the Dakar Rally:

http://www.robbygordon.com/cms/publish/cat_index_66.shtml

[Lugnut]

6. Very bad day today.

Here's the e-mail report I received this afternoon.

"Earlier reports from Africa indicated that Robby Gordon and his Hummer H3 Dakar effort had "crashed heavily" while competing in the seventh stage of the famed Dakar Rally. There was no crash, and communication directly from Gordon and his navigator Darren Skilton indicate, that while the car is down for repairs, it is for a broken radiator and clutch problem. While night has arrived in Mauritania, and repairs are obviously difficult, every effort is being made to return the Hummer to competition when the race resumes Saturday. An overall victory is clearly impossible, however, should Gordon and Skilton make the necessary and expected repairs to the vehicle, the tandem will have eight more race days in which to secure stage victories. More information will be provided regarding the status of the repairs as they are made available."

[Coventina]

2. I am. But I don't have cable, so that makes it hard to follow.

:-(

Is Colin McRae racing this year?

[bullwinkle428]

4. Colin McRae not in this year's race -

I guess it had to do with Nissan's decision to not have a factory team race this year. They are providing support for Nissan privateers, though.

http://www.eurosport.com/home/pages/v4/l0/s239/e6746/sport_lng0_spo239_evt6746_sto693680.shtml

[Lugnut]

7. It may be over for the Gordon/Skilton team

I've been following the accounts posted on this blog since Robby's website isn't being updated very well. They aren't yet "officially" out but it's not looking good.

http://www.flyhiflylo.blogspot.com/



The fat lady sings... The war is over for Team Dakar USA? The start time had been extended until 1pm and they missed that by 1 hour.

Inside the Hummer H3, Darren and Robby slept out in the desert all night as the chase truck couldn't find them until daylight. The support crew arrived and fixed the radiator. Robby and team headed to the start choosing not to repair the clutch. Robby limped the H3 to the starting line in first gear and are at the start line in Atar right now waiting for two additional support cars to get back from the repair location. The Team Dakar USA H3 is sitting at the start of stage 8 and the officials would not let them begin stage 8. The clutch would not have made it through stage 8. They planned to take the green then skip the stage, fix the clutch and continue after the rest day. They plan to drive to tonight's bivuac and try to convince the ASO to let them back in the rally. They will spend the night there and then head to Nouakchott tomorrow. They are still fighting to stay in the race, but the chances are incredibly slim. If Robby and Darren are not allowed to continue, Team Dakar USA plans to head straight to Dakar where the ship for the car and support trucks waits for the trip home.

[Lugnut]

8. It is over

The Team Dakar USA of Gordn and Skilton has withdrawn.

[bullwinkle428]

11. Very sad news from just a short time ago...R.I.P. Andy Caldecott

Death of Andy Caldecott
The organisers of the 28th edition of the Dakar have learnt today, Monday the 9th of January 2006, the death of KTM rider n°10 Andy Caldecott.

At km 250 of stage 9 between Nouakchott and Kiffa, on a fast portion, the Australian biker suffered a bad crash. and died.

Aware of the accident at 11:31AM, the rally headquarters immediately sent a medical helicopter that landed at 11:55 AM on the scene of the accident. The doctors unfortunately could only note the death of the biker that according to them struck immediately.

Andy Caldecott, 41 years of age, was competing in his third Dakar. He had finished 6th of the 2005 edition and was currently 10th overall of this edition after having won stage 5 between Nador and Er-Rachidia in Morocco.

To his family that was immediately contacted, the Dakar wishes to express its sincere condolences.

from www.dakar.com

[Lugnut]

12. Oh no!

This is the part of racing I hate. :(