21 replies to this topic

[Thornado]

Anyone else glued to this?

Disaster so far for team USA. Jonah Street's bike failed today and he's both out of the race and retiring from rally racing. That's a real bummer because he's our local hero and we've thrown him send off and welcome back parties for the last few years.

Quinn Cody crashed and is now out due to injuries sustained.

It's strange to see the cars without the VWs out front, and my wife was bummed to find out Chagin retired. We're still rooting for Kamaz though.

[JPT#5]

We get the 26' highlight package daily. Go Gniel!!!!

These guys are absolutely from another planet.

What a frikkin' race! Would love to do it one day, in a helicopter...

[Thornado]

I was really impressed with Al-Attiyah's stage win in that Hummer.

[JPT#5]

I was really impressed with Al-Attiyah's stage win in that Hummer.

Brilliant, he is closing in at a rapid rate. Pity about the stage being cancelled, my man slipped from 2nd to 5th & sits there for now (Gniel de Villiers). It's a long race, these guys are incredible!

[MotoMac]

Brilliant, he is closing in at a rapid rate. Pity about the stage being cancelled, my man slipped from 2nd to 5th & sits there for now (Gniel de Villiers). It's a long race, these guys are incredible!

When Alfie Cox retired from bikes a few years ago, he started running the Dakar in a car. Is he still doing that or has he retired from that also?

For some reason I can't get into the rally any more since they moved to South America. I thoroughly enjoyed it when it was in Africa because had spent a couple of years riding around Mali and Senegal while I was posted to Bamako, so the latter stages of the event would sometimes be through areas I was familiar with.

[JPT#5]

When Alfie Cox retired from bikes a few years ago, he started running the Dakar in a car. Is he still doing that or has he retired from that also?

For some reason I can't get into the rally any more since they moved to South America. I thoroughly enjoyed it when it was in Africa because had spent a couple of years riding around Mali and Senegal while I was posted to Bamako, so the latter stages of the event would sometimes be through areas I was familiar with.

Mac, it's still one heck of a race!

Africa has a way of chasing away good things...

Alfie Cox started for Volvo this year but did not complete the first stage, it seems his power steering fluid leaked onto a hot bit and the vehicle burnt out.

[Thornado]

For some reason I can't get into the rally any more since they moved to South America. I thoroughly enjoyed it when it was in Africa because had spent a couple of years riding around Mali and Senegal while I was posted to Bamako, so the latter stages of the event would sometimes be through areas I was familiar with.

Funny, I am the mirror image case of this - I only got interested in the Dakar after it moved to South America. I've ridden through many of the areas they're racing through and it always brings back the great memories to see it on TV.

I'm impressed with the Hummers after having spent the last few years mocking them. I feel for Nasser, he's done some incredible driving making up time after mechanical issues. Two stage wins isn't so shabby. I'm bummed we got robbed of some of the dunes near Copiapo and the big run down the hill when the stage was cancelled. Really looking forward to Peru as there are some epic dunes in that region.

de Villiers is running a good race - impressive considering they keep saying this is a development year for the Toyota.

[Thornado]

Nice. Despres gets stuck in a mud bog, Goncalves gets stuck too, helps Despres out, and then Despsres rides off leaving Goncalves stuck. What a dick.

Despres in mud bog

[Jordan L.]

Cox's Volvo burnt up much in the way Henri Toivonen and Sergio Cresto's Lancia Delta S4 roasted...a simple design flaw that could have prevented the accident...but fortunately Cox and his co-driver escaped before they were BBQ.

[JPT#5]

Nice. Despres gets stuck in a mud bog, Goncalves gets stuck too, helps Despres out, and then Despsres rides off leaving Goncalves stuck. What a dick.

Despres in mud bog

Also so much for working together as a team as Coma takes off into the sunset while these two are around an hour ahead of everyone else at that stage.

[Gary]

Really makes you hope Despres gets stuck again so that Goncalves can give him the finger as he rides by.

[JPT#5]

OK, so they 'neutralized' the stuck in the mud thing...

Coma now just 2 minutes ahead.

Nasser out - engine - That's sad. Says he'll be back, but not in a Hummer, can't blame him for that!

[Thornado]

Amazing that you can get time back for getting stuck in the mud in an off road rally raid. What's next? Uncharted fesh fesh ?

I'm pretty bummed Nasser's out. I was really enjoying seeing him overdrive that Hummer, but I guess that's what happens when you push it too hard. Credit to Gordon to closing the gap to the lead to 5 minutes in it.

I still enjoy watching the bikes but now it's cheater vs douche, not much to choose from for the win.

[Hugo]

Well, it could have been worse...

[JPT#5]

Perhaps it is time to have 3 separate routes, Bikes/quads, cars, trucks, since there have been quite a few incidents as the leaders come up to the backmarkers of the classes ahead and bully their way through.

[Thornado]

It's nice how Peterhansel doesn't get penalized for hitting a competitor or for failing to yield to the sentinel. Nice race to be French in.

Edited by Thornado, 12 January 2012 - 05:27 PM.

[MotoMac]

Mac, it's still one heck of a race!

Africa has a way of chasing away good things...

Alfie Cox started for Volvo this year but did not complete the first stage, it seems his power steering fluid leaked onto a hot bit and the vehicle burnt out.

Man, Alfie has just had bad luck after bad luck in the Dakar for what, 15 years now? But, I'll bet he's still got that big smile and is saying how he'll be back again next year! Good guy....

[JPT#5]

It's nice how Peterhansel doesn't get penalized for hitting a competitor or for failing to yield to the sentinel. Nice race to be French in.

Nail on the head... PING!

Not so nice to be American this year...

[JPT#5]

Man, Alfie has just had bad luck after bad luck in the Dakar for what, 15 years now? But, I'll bet he's still got that big smile and is saying how he'll be back again next year! Good guy....

Yup, quite a character.
It would not surprise me to see him in the Dakar next year.
The cars field is a bit thin with VW, BMW & Mitsubishi out.

[Jordan L.]

Miki Biasion dicking around in one of the Iveco's...kool.



And Robby Gordon throwing egg on the faces of Peterhansel's team.