DAKAR 2011

[Oldtony]

The DAKAR kicks off tonight from Beunos Airies with the usual huge field of Bikes, Quads, Cars and Trucks to make the circuit over the Andes, through the Chilean deserts, back across the Andes and finish in Buenos Airies in a couple of weeks time.
The VW Taureg team looks like the stringest bet with Sianz, de Villiers, Miller and Ali Ashtar heading up the entry list. BMW have beefed up their entry and Robby Gordon has gone foe $x$ in the massive and powerfull Hummer.
Reading the Press release entry List I can't find the Garland/Suzuki Isuzu entry. Don't know what happened to that one as they would certainly be Australia's best chance, and I understood that they had factory backing.
The only car entry I can find is Onholm/Riley in the #413 Desert Warrior Buggy.
There are a fair number of McRae Buggys, which may or may not have some Australian Herritage.
In the Bikes for Australia, the Honda GHR team looks to be a pretty solid effort with young Jocob Smith the Aussie Safari winner on #113, backed by Mark Davidson on #117 and Simon Harslet on #181. If they are riding as a tem and backup the very tallented Smith they could be very interesting in spite of Smiths lack of Dakar experience and being new to GPS navigation.
Simon Pavey on a BMW #51 has previous Dakar form and could do well.
Also on the list is Andrew Scott on a Viva Oz Mexicana entered Honda #135
A safe trip and a huge adventure to them all on what is undoubtedly the toughes motoring challenge on the planet.

[Oldtony]

Garland/Suzuki were not on the pre event press handout, but are on the Website list of entrants.
Dont get it 
They are in the new Lightwieght ISUZU DMax and folowing their great showing last year are very much worth supporting.

[bradk12fan]

Let's go Robby Gordon! When was the last time an American won the Dakar rally?

[bradk12fan]

Robby Gordon jumps at the podium...multiple times... don't know why, and I don't understand Spanish very well,

[kevrulezz]

Garland/Suzuki were not on the pre event press handout, but are on the Website list of entrants.
Dont get it

According to foxsports' website it was because of 'administration difficulties'...whatever that means

[bradk12fan]

Not sure if, or how it will affect the race, but there was a major 7.2 earthquake in Chile earlier today, I'll update you if I find out where, and if it will affect the race.

[bradk12fan]

Robby Gordon was disqualified from the rally after having mechanical issues before the start of the 4th stage, which cost him 5 hours, and made him late for the Special

[Mothers Worry]

I really don't see why they don't run a Dakar in outback Australia. We have as much hostile terrain here as there is just about anywhere in the world........... and there is a diversity of it.

If you have to shift your kit all the way to south America to race is there really that much more involved in sending cargo down under?

[Ian G.]

Yeah,the idea bobs up regulary but for one reason or another falls over before gathering steam,the blanket speed limit/traditional owners thing and Insurance costs(after Moffats debacle)in the NT apparently stopped a lot of proposals,how a closed section in the middle of the desert is subject to all this regulation is baffling.

[bradk12fan]

Yeah,the idea bobs up regulary but for one reason or another falls over before gathering steam,the blanket speed limit/traditional owners thing and Insurance costs(after Moffats debacle)in the NT apparently stopped a lot of proposals,how a closed section in the middle of the desert is subject to all this regulation is baffling.

Not to mention the fact that the Dakar was South America's 1st in a series of major event grabs including the World Cup and the Olympics.....