THE DAKAR SPOT

Robby Gordon Press Release that didn't make the cut

2008-03-29T21:03:00.000-07:00

Response to Vanguard press release:

"Ronn is a wealthy gentlemen who was someone buying a full ride with a stage winning Dakar team. Ronn Bailey merely used his company to as a resource for his own private endeavor." (Via pre-tax funds) Similar to what many wealthy adventures do as their assumed right.

However, when the The Dakar rally for 2008 got cancelled/rescheduled due to terrorist threats after 4 tourist were killed in Africa, he did not take the adventurer stance and accept the risks involved from the outset.Then, a month later, Ronn (Just For Men) Bailey wanted the money back.

For goodness sake he even bought bullet proof vests for the rally/adventure. I wonder if he has he requested a refund for those because no one shot at him?

Well this is the big boys and even Disneyland doesn't give refunds when The Big Boys Roller Coaster is shut down for the day. Robby Gordon Motorsports is a business and we don't build million dollar race cars for free.

As a consolation to the January race, Robby Gordon Motorsports was going out of our way to let him drive in the 7 day Dakar Series next month as a freebee. He should have taken that offer as for it would have been fun for Ronn, he would have some adventure and he would have gained some seat time to help his basic driving abilities.

"Robby Gordon Motorsports builds the best off road race cars in the World and also gains the largest exposure for American companies in the Dakar Rally Series. We stand buy our product. Ronn Bailey and more importantly Vanguard will continue to gain exposure for the next 3 years and we expect all parties involved to honor their commitments as gentleman.

IT's BEEN AWESOME!!!

2007-12-26T22:15:00.000-08:00

The Dakar Spot is now met it's time. For the last two years I've had great fun letting Dakar and Robby fans feed on some of of Fly's thoughts and inside information. But... like all media capabilities the path of The Dakar Spot, YouTube, Robby Gordon.com and Twitter are now becoming intermingled into one cornucopia known as...

Robby's Uprising is just that. The Punk has set up the wave of the future for this year's Dakar Dally. Like every year RGM brings it to the table and shows the news media and industrial moguls what time it is. Last year RGM/YouTube/Micron brought the heat providing same day in-car video and proved that a small US company can maintain YouTube's top 20 for 2 weeks strait. This year's Baja 1000 brought Twitter to the motor sport forefront with live updates from the bowels of Mexico to your PC and your Cell Phone.

This year RGM has a dedicated Media Hummer chasing the Dakar Rally for the entire 10,000 Kilometer rally from Europe to the end of Africa. Fully equipped it's $50,000.00 full auto tracking live Satilite and on-board media editing station Robby Gordon Motor sports will provide the best coverage yet.

So for the latest updates from Fly's relocated blog, RGM crew members, RGM engineers, RGM Partners, Latest Video and what will be the largest assembled group of Robby Gordon fans in the nation Join Up by clicking : www.robbysuprising.com

DAKAR OR BUST!

2007-01-19T23:44:00.000-08:00

Stage 14 is the last true competitve stage in the 2007 Dakar Rally. Stage 14 is another great stage for The Monster. Robby is in a great starting position to catch yesterday's winner and 9th place car overall, Carlos Sainz. Carlos sits just 25 minutes behind Robby in the standings. Expect Robby catch Carlos at KM175 and bird dog him to the finish. With only 12 miles of tricky navigation at the end RG should come out of here with a stage win do to his 20 minute start gap and lock up 8th place or better in the overall standings.

Positions 3rd through 6th face a delima of being blanketed by only on hour. There is a 70% chance one of these racers will snap under the pressure be delt a fatal blow and allow the rest of the field to move up one position in the overall standings and into Fly's mid race report prediction of a 7th place finish overall.

Everybody in the city of Dakar tomorrow will really enjoy seeing The Monster and the powerful big inch V-8 show it's stuff on the on the beach sands of Dakar. They will be witness to the greatest team from the USA ever to participate in the Rally's almost 30 year history.

Turbo Tom's Trio!

Wow! Turbo and his boys are on track to break another USA Dakar Rally Record! If they finish this stage today, tomorrow will go down in the record books as they will be cruising the beach sands of Dakar knowing they are the only team from the USA to finish the race ever in a T-4 support truck.

Team Dakar USA is doing it their way and have left an impression the Europeans will find hard to forget.

Team Dakar USA is doing it their way and have left an impression the United States will find hard to forget.

GAS ON! Fly

9 SECONDS OF PURE BLISS!

2007-01-18T19:56:00.000-08:00

No Prerunning here; CLICK HERE

Yeah that will give a taste of V-8 Americana to them Euros...

I like how they yell HUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMER!!!
Before it's even in view...

Then start yelling in Spanish,

"bla bla Hummer yeah! bla bla awesome bla bla!"

The Monster Drifting! What a site, not too many people on this planet that can do that on a road they have never seen with a two wheel drive.

Gas On! Fly

THE TIDE OF BATTLE CHANGES!

2007-01-15T20:02:00.000-08:00

Robby and Team Dakar USA in the top ten overall! After two strait days and almost 1000 Kilometers of Special, Robby and Andy Grider finished both days in the top ten. As Fly stated in his last post three days ago, Fly predicted that history would repeat it's self and 2 of the top ten would have major blows to their effort.

Robby's bad luck came early in the rally and it seems to have turned the tide to the other competitors. Two of the top five got kicked in the nuts today.

Robby's two top ten finishes in stage 8 and 9 coupled with his top 15 finish in stage 7 and his stage 6 win, plus other car's troubles thrusted Robby into the 8th position overall. What does this mean? With 5 big stages left in the rally, Robby currently leads what is now being called the "open class".

Although Robby's car is fully designed to met the regulations of T-1 it seems some big dawg somewhere was looking to discredit Robby's type of effort with some "Open Class". The fact is, he came playing by their rules, and sits in the 8th position overall. Sure Hummer and Toyo Tires could do an ad stating a victory. They could and should... However, this by no means satisfies Robby's needs. If it be 20 Baja 1000s, 10 Indy 500s, a half a dozen Daytona 500s and 24 hours races, Robby isn't there for the Championship or second place. He is there to run with the very best and WIN the race. To Robby an "Open Class" win could be likened to taking your sister to the Prom. It just is not going to suffice.

Barring an act of God, Robby will not win The 2007 Dakar Rally. Barring an act of God, Robby will be back in 2008 looking to serve up some more roast rabbit.

Turbo and The Boys?

The #556 hit something big a couple days ago on Stage 7 and they worked on it all night and all day with the porta-power pulling the bent front frame apart. They had to replace leaf springs, coil buckets and a ton of stuff. Of course, Robby has a deal with the MAN Service crew who was there working on all the MAN stuff, John Marking (FOX) flew into the bivouvac for the rest day to drop off some Tommy's Burger but instead of pigging out on the best chile burgers in the world, He and the MAN service crew helped Turbo work on the T-4 beast until 3:30 AM…

Turbo completed Check 2 in 22 hours today(Stage 9) and appears to be at the finish line but without a time for finishing. I can only imagine the weakest link has broke apart on the MAN truck again… Time for Team Dakar USA to get some good Ol'American Oshkosh Iron for next year.

Gas On! Fly

STAGE 7 HALFWAY POINT

2007-01-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

It was a long day for all competitors. Today's stage was cut short due to visibility issues for ASO aircraft. The stage was cut by almost 150KM. The day started out with Robby and a band of 5 other cars breaking away from the rest of the field. In the end Robby had a few minor setbacks. Such as changing his first ever Toyo Tire during a race, getting caught in a zero visibility dust storm and The Monster got a bit Hungry and decided to eat some more camel grass to seek retribution for this stage last year. Robby and Andy finished in 13th place for the stage. This moved Robby up to 16th overall and only 1 hour and 5 minutes out of 10th place.

Tomorrow is a rest day for everyone. Today was the end of the first half. 7 stages down and 7 specials to go. So, with 7 special stages and over 2000 kilometers left to go, history has proven from here to the end at least 2 of the current top 12 will find a fatal blow to their goal of finishing The Dakar Rally.

Click Here for Kewl Video of Stage 7

The Monster is running at top level and will continue to extend Team Dakar USA's record streak. After tomorrow's rest day, Robby will be in the same starting scenario as his stage 6 win. Robby will have a 22 minute Gap at the start to another long stage suitable for The Monster's demeanor.

Turbo Tom and his T-4 team are running a smooth race and currently sit in the 22nd spot out of almost 60 Trucks still able to continue.

Fly says: Expect Robby and Andy to win stage 9 by 16 minutes.

Gas On! Fly

Stage 6- A shot over the bow

2007-01-11T18:21:00.000-08:00

Robby Gordon and Andy Grider break and extend records for the USA.

Along with today's win in stage 6 (The longest stage ever in Dakar Rally history), several US records in the Dakar rally were set today. Robby Gordon, driver of the Team Dakar USA - Monster Energy - Toyo Tire - Micron - ProComp - Mac Tools - DeWalt - Hella Lighting - King Shocks - KarTek - Pilo.ti - Hummer H3 along with navigator Andy Grider, left their names in the record books forever!

USA Dakar Car Records Set:
1.First American Born and Raised Driver/Nav Team to win a Dakar Stage.
2.Co-Pilot Andy Grider became the first American Navigator to provide direction to a stage win.
3. Hummer was the first US manufacture to win a Dakar Stage.
4. In 2005 Robby was and still is the only American to win a stage... multiple stages and today Robby extended that to 3.
5. First and only Dakar racer ever to design and win on his own brand wheels. (LOL)
6. First and only American to Design and win with his own Brand Shocks. Put that in your pipe and smoke it Chase.
7. First American Based racing team to build, prepare, support and win a stage in the Dakar Rally.
8. First Team to give Toyo Tires a stage win in the Dakar Rally.
9. First American to drive his own car to a stage win in Dakar.
10.First team to film and produce in the field thier own YouTube.Com Web Site (Ranked top 20 on the 6th most viewed site in the world).

All of these records will be extended tomorrow. Petrol On! Fly

Side Note: Turbo Tom and his T-4 Beast decided to stop and have a Tommy's Burger 5KM from the finish line and finished the stage in 50th place.

TEAM AMERICA!

STAGE 5 "A Thing of Beauty"

2007-01-10T20:23:00.000-08:00

RG Hauls Ass in stage 5, Passes 50+ cars and finishes stage 5 in 15th place!

Robby Gordon's Quote after Stage Five
"The tires that Toyo brought to Dakar have been spectacular and litreally showed today in the very rocky track. We passed quite a few cars today by leaving the track and we punished the tires and they survived extremely well. Our finish today will get us a much better start tomorrow so we are looking at getting the Hummer closer to the front so we can contend for stage wins. Much has happened so far but you have to realize that this race is just five days old and there is a lot of racing left. Our team is working hard and since we solved our fuel problem the Hummer is running exceptionally well. We are going to push hard and make something happen!"

So what does this mean to the Robby fan? Sit back and watch RG clean house on Stage 6. Robbys starts stage 6 in 15th place. The starting times work like this; Cars 1-10 start 2 minutes apart, Then cars start 1 minute apart. This will put a 23 minute gap between Robby and the front runner. Robby will suck that gap up. This gap will close by 150KM and hold a 20 minute lead to the front runner. ... The rest of the stage RG will just have to keep the second place car within eyesight.

Fly says RG wins stage 6 by 10 minutes+. Gas On!

STAGE 4... WHAT A BITCH!

2007-01-10T00:47:00.000-08:00

Entering Africa 2 days ago was a time to say... "Let's get it on" Going into stage 5? Let's get it on already!

During stage 3 Robby noticed a dip in The Monster's powerband. After a night in the service area and trying in vane to locate the power drop no specific issues could be found. During today's stage 4 the problem became so obvious Robby could only muster a piss poor finish outside the top 50. After today and two lost stages for which the Monster was designed, Robby is relegated to 49th in the overall standings.

The fuel issue, weather it be a poorly maintained and neglected year old fuel system or strait up sabotage; Caused 4 of the 8 fuel injectors to be clogged thus leaning out the LS7 power plant and cooking a few spark plug wires. After this, the problem was clearly identified and resolved. Hey, didn't Fly suggest a 9th injector last year?

10 stages remain... Will the luck run out for other teams too? Yes. Is a top 5 finish this year still doable? Yes. Can Robby and The Monster extend Robby’s USA Dakar Driver Record? Yes.

The 4 first stages are gone forever. In this time of mild despair, Fly must quote a top disciple from the book of "Baha Robba Haul Assah”: The top disciple - Rory Artistico VonAirbruch said;
"I like the idea that Robby is having problems, that means he's gonna drive the piss out of The Monster because he is down so far, no team orders, no following the team car, no pulling over to wait for a team car, just good ol' fashioned RG driving like a mad man. Anybody ever see RG drive right after a couple flats trying to make up time.....a thing of beauty."

And the word is spoken. Let's get it on!

Another interesting side note: Prior to the stage 4 start Bobby "The Punk" Chuck, told Turbo Tom there was a Tommy's Burger drive thru at the end of the stage. Turbo Tom and his Team Dakar USA T-4 crew sit 18th overall in the truck class now. (First among the "true support" T-4s).

Gas On! Fly

STAGE 3 THE LAST WORD

2007-01-08T22:56:00.000-08:00

Today’s special began with a very technical aspect including numerous elevation changes and a winding course which tested the navigation skills of the competitors. The course consisted of rocky trails and several perils, with longer stretches that allowed the competitors to push their vehicles to more aggressive speeds. A course very well suited to Team Gordons race Hummer H3.

“The terrain of the special was quite rocky and ideal for the H3.” said Gordon “If there was anything I would have changed it would have been the length of the special. A longer course would have given me more time to pass more of the competitors that are just ahead of our team.” Gordon said with a smile

“We started the day in some what of a catch up mode,” explained Gordon. “Any problems from the previous day will follow you to the start of the proceeding day.” A finish of 41st from the day before will mean you start from that same position the next day.”
Team Gordon’s Monster Energy Toyo Tire Hummer made the most of the day and finished the special in 21st place. This will place the H3 in the 21st starting postion for stage four.

An extra side adventure: The Monster energy In-Race T-4, needed a police escort after it got lost in the Spanish city of Seville.The three-man team blamed their Global Positioning System,or GPS, for the mishap yesterday on day two of the race characterized by desert racing in north Africa, said Diego Gimenez, a spokesman for Seville city hall.``Two police officers got them on the right road and told them: watch out when you get to the desert because we won't be around to help,'' Gimenez said by telephone.Competitors started out in Lisbon and caught a ferry last night from Malaga, Spain, to Morocco before today's 648-kilometer (402-mile) stretch into the desert. The only all-American team in the truck race comprises Thomas Geviss, Paul Mischel and William Higman.

"The Punk", a spokesman for Gordon, didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment. But, it was thought the crew was lured away from their path by a mirage that looked similar to a Tommy's Burger drive thru...

Lasty: Can't have a race without Robby getting in some trouble with the powers that be: Robby was docked 13 minutes today for a speed violation during the stage 1 liason.

Tomorrow is Stage 4 and wide open Africa! Gas On, Fly

Stage 2 update.

2007-01-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

Robby finished out stage 2, 11 minutes and 3 seconds back of stage winner Carlos Sainz (59min-26sec). Robby suffered a minor setback after putting The Monster Hummer in a ditch. Thanks to a fellow competitor Team Gauloises' Raphael Sperrer; Robby was pulled out of the situation that happened 5 KM from the finish. Robby was able to move on and now sits in 18th place overall 18 minutes and 8 seconds back. Tonight they ferry across to Africa and the over 4000 mile battle still left in Africa. Things are looking great for Team Dakar USA.

Stage 3 is a long one, and should open the door for Robby to make up some serious time in the dunes. Expect Stage 3 to swallow up some fellow racers. Also, expect Robby to start 18 minutes behind the first car and make that time up and zero in on the Rabbit.

GET READY FOR WAR!

2007-01-05T22:38:00.000-08:00

STAGE 1: LISBONNE - PORTIMAO
Today’s stage: 492 km total, 117 km of specials. The competitors will already put their wheels on the sand! Then the race will continue on a WRC type of track. This is where the rally drivers will show all their skills! Be sure to keep a close eye on Carlos Sainz (Volkswagen) who won the first two specials last year in Portugal. And of course, Robby Gordon who can wheel a car in any conditions. Race for the cars should start at about 12:39 AM PST

The Monster is T-1 Approved!

2007-01-05T22:24:00.000-08:00

Team Dakar USA Clears First Hurdle: ScrutineeringRobby Gordon's Team Dakar USA arrived at the Belém Cultural Centre in Lisbon for scrutineering in an impressive all black convey that consisted of six off-road vehicles that included the H3 race Hummer, a T4 4x4 race entry, a 4x4 support truck, a 6x6 support truck, and two assistance Hummer H1's. After almost a year of preparation for the most challenging off-road race in the world, the Monster Hummer team was given the green light to race in the 2007 Dakar Rally. The day of scrutineering included almost five hours of activities that included GPS training, document processing, photos, Iritrack installation and finally technical inspection. Gordon's Toyo Hummer which caused a sensation last year was equally well received. The all black race truck was the last vehicle to complete the technical inspection process but the crowd was still thick with anticipation to see what has quickly become a fan favorite. Billboards throughout the Lisbon area feature the H3 Hummer - including a 40ft high billboard cascading the side of the Cultural Centre. "It's very exciting to be here," said Gordon, "The reception for the Hummer has been unbelievable. Our guys have worked so hard to get everything ready and I feel we are very well prepared. After last year we identified our weaknesses and went to work. The Hummer has been in the wind tunnel and we have put almost 10,000 miles of testing on it. We are ready and have one shot and we are hoping to make it count." The first of 15 stages in the Dakar Rally begin tomorrow in Lisbon and travels to Portimão. The rally can be seen in the United States on the Versus Network. In addition Team Dakar USA has combined forces with Micron to provide daily video updates that can be seen on RobbyGordon.com.

ROBBY AND MICRON DELIVER THE GOODS!

2007-01-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

Racer Robby Gordon and Micron Technology to digitally capture video of legendary Dakar Rally

Micron Equips Gordon Dakar Vehicle with Image Sensors and Flash Memory

To Capture Race, Video To Be Shown on Robby Gordon Motorsports and Micron Websites

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C., and BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 4, 2007 – Robby Gordon, one of the racing world’s most versatile drivers, is teaming with Micron Technology to digitally capture video of Gordon in action at the 29th Dakar Rally that begins Jan. 6 in Lisbon, Portugal, and ends 15 stages and 7,915 kilometers later in Dakar, Senegal.

Video of the legendary competition will be captured using innovative Micron image sensors and NAND flash memory technology specially outfitted on Gordon’s Monster Energy, Toyo Tires-HUMMER H3 Dakar racer. Video from the in-car cameras, which are programmed to record at set intervals or can be activated by Gordon at the push of a button while driving, will be available at http://www.micron.com/dakar with regular race updates on the Robby Gordon Motorsports website at http://www.robbygordon.com.

Gordon first met Micron officials and learned of the company’s technology when both he and Micron competed and won their respective race classes — Gordon in the Trophy-Truck division and Micron in the Wide Open Baja Challenge division — at the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 race in Mexico in November. Micron equipped four vehicles operated by its executives with Micron’s imaging and flash memory products to capture video of the grueling off-road contest and test the durability of those products.

“We want to bring our fans closer to the real Dakar experience, and working with Micron to capture video of this legendary rally is a great fit,” said Gordon, who is competing in his third Dakar Rally as the driver of Team Dakar USA. “By using Micron’s technology and broadcasting video updates of the race on YouTube, the world gets a chance to see firsthand how intense this race is and we’re looking forward to every minute of it.”

The Micron/Robby Gordon Motorsports new media project hopes to complement the already impressive media offerings from the rally organizers. The Versus channel will provide more than 29 hours of Dakar Rally coverage throughout the month of January. In addition, rally fans can follow their favorite drivers via Iritrack – a GPS tracking solution available on Dakar.com once the rally begins.

For Micron, the Dakar Rally offers another harsh environment to test the durability of its DigitalClarity™ image sensors and Lexar Professional CompactFlash™ memory cards. Additionally, Micron welcomes the opportunity to help deliver regular updates to Robby Gordon Motorsports fans using its innovative technology platform.

“At Micron, we’re a company that captures, moves and stores digital data,” said Steve Appleton, Micron Chairman, CEO and President. “Collaborating with Robby and his team provides us with a unique forum to showcase our products and our culture of innovation.”

With its superior image quality, Micron is the leading supplier of CMOS image sensors in the technology industry today. The company’s imaging technology can be found in a variety of applications from mobile phones and PC cameras to security and healthcare products. Micron also provides best-in-class image sensors to the automotive industry, with its image chips designed into backup cameras and parking, lane departure warning and several other safety navigation systems in various makes and models of automobiles worldwide. Micron image sensor technology being used to capture images in Gordon’s H3 at Dakar can be found in the rear-vision system offered in the 2007 HUMMER H2.

Additionally, the three NAND flash memory video recorders installed in Gordon’s vehicle contain an 8 gigabyte Lexar Professional CompactFlash memory card. Trusted by professional photographers, the memory cards provide a high-speed, high-capacity removable storage solution that facilitates the ultimate performance in digital still and video recording equipment.

Gordon is the first and only American to win a stage in the Dakar Rally. He shocked the racing world in 2005 by winning his first-ever stage of the famed rally, and he also won the third stage. Last month, he teamed with rookie Andy McMillin to win the SCORE Baja 1000, after also winning the race in 1987 and 1989. He has 11 top-five finishes in 18 Baja 1000 starts, is a three-time winner of the Baja 500 and has three SCORE International Series Championships to his credit. Additionally, he is a four-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race winner and has also won in the NASCAR Busch Series, Indy cars, IMSA sports cars and virtually every other type of racecar in which he has competed.

Gordon’s HUMMER H3 Dakar racer consists of an H3-shaped body paired with a specially developed chassis featuring a suspension designed by Gordon and his Off-Road team. The Gordon H3 will be a tube-chassis vehicle similar to Trophy Trucks racing in the famed SCORE Baja 1000, except that it will have a fully enclosed air-conditioned cockpit, including windshield and side windows. It will be powered by a production-based General Motors V8 engine.

Micron Technology, Inc., is one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron manufactures and markets DRAMs, NAND flash memory, CMOS image sensors, other semiconductor components, and memory modules for use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, and mobile products. Micron's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit www.micron.com.

# # #

Micron, the Micron orbit logo and DigitalClarity are trademarks of Micron Technology, Inc. Lexar and the Lexar logo are trademarks of Lexar Media, Inc. Micron Technology, Inc. is an authorized licensee of the CompactFlash™ and CF logo™ trademarks. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

MONSTER 2.0

2006-12-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

It's a Monster!

Team Dakar USA has a new beast! Many upgrades have tailored The Monster to the unique high speed and low speed demands of Dakar:

Massive aerodynamic modifications such as a whole new rear section that significantly reduces turbulence, relocates engine breathing to rear (rather than the side like last year), removal of the heavy and turbulent rear spare tire, and increased side venting to evacuate air trapped under the rear bodywork. Up top above the greenhouse aero changes include a ram air intake for interior positive pressure to reduce dust from entering the cab area. Forward of the A pillar the windscreen angle has been reduced the hood has been raised at the A pillar for smoother air flow over the top of the wind screen header. The front bumper has a new facade that directs air away from turbulent tube structure located just behind it. Also, aero upgrades of the subtle but equally significant type include smooth Lexan treatments over the previously turbulent headlight and marker lamp openings and several key underbelly treatments reducing turbulence beneath The Monster. The changes above have been rigorously tested in the GM windtunnel and also at the Mesa Proving Grounds these upgrades are proven to be just what the Doctor ordered when it comes to drag coefficient in relation to increased range and speed.

Drivetrain upgrades are also significant; One of the key upgrades to the drivetrain is the exchange of last year's 5 speed Albins transmission to a 6 speed version. Also, the 427 cubic inch all aluminum powerplant has been squeezed for every last ounce of power GM can find in a year's time. Unofficial reports have The Monster at a top speed of over 140MPH.

Suspension and Chassis upgrades: Up front Team Dakar USA Robby has replaced the heavy coilover/bypass shocks with a single massive Robby Gordon internal bypass/coilover setup. The rear still has the highly modified King Set. This year he has also added sway bars and an on board inflation/deflation system for the rear tire to help grip in the soft dunes.

The results: This new top speed with a better range of gearing choices give The Monster a broader power range from 0 to 140 MPH. The 37 inch Toyo tires will get the low-end torque they desired in last year's Dakar and a GM insider reported a zero to 100 mph and back to zero time of 6 seconds better than last year's weapon. Last year on paper, The Monster H3 was a superior vehicle it showed great potential during the race running in the top 10 in all the stages it competed in only to have a 115MPH top speed and new car bugs preventing the World's Best Driver from showing what American Technology and out of the box thinking can to traditional plans of attack.

This Year... The Monster with Robby Gordon behind the wheel will show no remorse on the battlefield!

No Hype, No Excuses, Expect Total Domination.

Updates for 2007

2006-12-26T11:55:00.000-08:00

originally posted 1-10-2006

After completing the 9th Stage the Hummer was driven directly to Dakar for shipment home. Once back at the team’s headquarters in Anaheim, Calif., Gordon’s off-road crew will completely disassemble the H3 and begin preparations for the Baja 500 in June.

The Hummer was taken out of the race by circumstances that are truly encouraging. I say encouraging because, no suspension failure, not a horrific crash with parts all over the desert, not driver injury, not a massive engine explosion any of what you may expect would take the Hummer out. The Hummer could still have won stages.

The beginning of the end was a bolt. Then a slight impact at the Achilles heel, the radiator. However, these slight mechanical failures are not what sent Team Dakar USA home at the end of stage 7. A series of circumstances is what ended the race after stage 7. One circumstance being the in race T-4 support also faced issues in the sand at a critical time, leaving the H-3 and crew marooned. In the end logistics what it takes to beat Africa. Africa will beat everyone down, every time at some point. Every car up till this point in the race has faced set backs by the halfway point. Set backs such as being stuck in the sand, wheel hubs failing, roll overs, engine management glitches, multiple tire failures, getting lost and more.

Robby never got stuck, Never had a flat, never ran out of gas. He just never had the support it takes to address small issues in the middle of nowhere in a timely fashion.

What's the fix for next year? Logistics, this can not be under estimated, mainly in the area of on track support. Maybe, another H-3 entered in the race as a T-2, several T-4 trucks, a convoy of H-1s entered in the 4x4 Open class, a convoy of H-3s entered in the T-1 class. All of the above? A phone call to Hummer compatriots Rod and Chad Hall?

Ok, so Fly (The eternal optimist) pumped the bad ass H-3 up quite a bit prior to the race. I swear it was going to be a Lay down. It was so close, it was right on the cusp of being the class of the field. The car may not have been as good as the driver too. I can say this, it ran up front. With 5 top fifteens in 7 stages the H-3 really showed this combination could prove to be the right choice. Off road cars are like fine wine, the older they get the better they get.

Hypothetically speaking, what are some of the things I would do with Robby's H-3? (Provided I had the bucks and The Monster)

My virtual Crew Chief technical changes for next year;

Two set ups. (2wd is the only class that allows for different tires at different times)

Flat tighter stages;

*Lower car 7”

*Shorter, single, 3” piggy back coil-over shock package

*Sway bars,

*35x13.50R17 Toyo Tire (60 lbs less)

*14”x1.375 rotors

*6 piston caliper

Longer Rougher Stages;

*2.5”coil-over x 3” By-pass

*No sway bars

*37x14.50R15 Toyo Tires

*12”x 1.25 Rotors

*4 piston caliper

Addition handeling enhancements;

*2 fuel tanks. One 20+Gallon located up front to be used on shorter fast stages to balance car better. 1 60 gallon beneath and behind seat tub.

Drivetrain

*New push rod engine using the 37.2mm restrictor, would need to be a 7500-7800 RPM small bore (3.90) x long stroke (4.30) (6734 CC's or 411 C.I.), 6.30 Rod length this will increase piston speed, intake velocity and static compression. Run a small valve (by NASCAR standards) Canted SB 2.2 head with 2.10 intakes and 1.7 exhausts. Solid roller cam shaft (.375 lift at the tappet) with a 1.8 Jessel shaft rocker total lift (.675). The intake would be multi-port cross runner with a throttle for each runner with a large flow shaped plenum with a ninth injector in the plenum. Optimize the 37.2 restricted intake charges by splitting the one restrictor into the allowed two restrictors of the same area. In a shared volume plenum each restrictor would feed from cylinder 1-4 and the second would feed cylinders 5-8 respectively. I would also run a 4/8/9 injector use setting for fuel mileage.

This combination would put the target wieght at 3417 lbs or 1550 KG.

New Solid CAD model of manifold, FIA restrictor and filter system. (Restrictors in red) Plenum not shown, because it is double secret.

However, if I could change one thing in the engine category; This is what I would do with the unregulated crankshaft rules;

I would run a 4.30 stroke split journal even-fire crankshaft. V-8s have a shared journal/pin. Having a common pin crankshaft two pistons fire every 90 degrees, two cylinders produce maximum demand at the same time. Having a split pin configuration, cylinders fire every 45 degrees, thus only one cylinder is at full vacume at a time. An even-fire crank shaft produces smoother power, higher RPM and increases air-velocity through the restrictors. Outlawed by NASCAR but, Jack Flannery ran these in CORR and they work!

The pics show a forged racing V-6 version and a CAD solid model I did of a 4.30 stroke V-8.

Other Drive Train changes;

*Six Speed Transmission.
*3 disc clutch
*A tick lower final gearing.

Get car closer to 3400 LBS, with a target weight of 3417.

Disassembling the claimed 4500lb car, should be a very methodical process. Since this Hummer is a one off prototype many of the components are purpose built items that have yet to be analyzed other than fit and function. When the car is disassembled EVERY part should be added to a parts list (bill of materials) with a description, quantity, weight and an engineering drawing. Then each item on the list can be evaluated individually. During evaluation items are considered to be made from lighter materials, or a lighter design. When the car is down to the bare chassis it is also weighed and evaluated. Ounces eventually become pounds. Redoing components now doesn’t say they were wrong in the first place; it’s just about optimizing what is there. In the end, a race car that is documented is a race car with spare parts that can be duplicated by multiple sources/vendors.

Having a lighter car helps accomplish many goals of a race car; Increased power to weight, Car becomes more responsive to driver input in the turns and under braking, Better fuel mileage, floats on the dunes better and most importantly is a higher reliability factor. When an Off-road car is light in the desert the car and passengers alike take less of a beating. This is because the overall G-forces incurred on the chassis and drivetrain are reduced too.

As the Hummer stands calculations equate to; removing 1000 pounds would be the same as adding 155 horsepower

Quick reference of a lighter approach (obvious path);

*Move Radiator to the rear above engine. (Saves water weight too)

*Analyze all tube structure and replace all tubing with smaller diameter or thinner wall tube where applicable.

*Carbon Fiber Co2 tank.

*Carbon Fiber Dry Sump tank.

*Remove air conditioning system.

*Incorporate Hydro jacks directly into rear hoop. (convert to air over Hydro)

*Scoot rear spare tire and mount into rear cage structure. (Spares to have spun aluminum wheels)

*Replace all aluminum with Carbon except pan and skid protections.

*All fasteners Titanium.

*Make carbon/aluminum sand ramps located below front body work

*Titanium pedals.

*Titanium steering shaft.

*Change spare rear tire mount to lightened hub snout with spare hub and bearing assembly mounted, then mount spare to hub studs.

* Change secondary spare mount to machined flat studded flange attached to engine cage and no tubing around it.

*Large aluminum front bumper that looks more like H-3 bumper. (Doesn't save wieght but looks cool)

*Precise aerodynamics of external air scoops feeding to a carbon fiber large surface flat filtered funneled ram air box and radiator.

Full interior

*One piece carbon seat tub full width and to top of doors. Between seats integrated compartments for assorted hardware, Tools, required ASO/Score passenger kit. Storage for 4 gallons fresh water, 2 gallons of oil.

*One piece carbon floor and center console full width up to door.

*One piece dash with Motec engine management screen and single 15” LCD touch screen integrated.

*Redesign a lighter shifting system

*Single dry cell battery located above transmission close to starter. 7 lb 14VDC NiCad additional located between seats.

*This next one will save well over 50 Lbs and make the car more user friendly (USA STYLE)* Change all electrical switches and gauges to Class 3 solid state circuits with One large color LCD cockpit display/touch screen for co-driver including Nav, GPS, odometer, sat phone, engine management processors built in as one P4 processor unit. All interior and Marker light converted to LED. LED lighting over engine bay, 4 in cockpit at each wheel. All wiring can be switched out to 22ga NANO cable. 4 on board cameras integrated into system with digital recorder.

Well, this pretty much sums up Robby's 2006 Dakar Rally. I’m sure Robby's gears are turning for next year. Let's see what he trumps up for 2007. I can't wait.

I'll be back the next time Robby hits the Dirt in the H-3

LATEST HEADLINES

2006-11-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

Robby Gordon preparing for grueling Dakar Rally
By Associated PressNovember 2, 2006

NASCAR driver Robby Gordon led the 19-member Team Dakar USA through one of its final test sessions last week in preparation for the grueling Dakar Rally, which begins Jan. 6 in Lisbon, Portugal.
The three-day test in the desert of the southwestern United States was run between the Nextel Cup races at Martinsville and Atlanta. Gordon drove his purpose-built H3 in the test that included navigator Andy Grider and provided all team members, including those new to the program this year, with a sample of what the Dakar experience could entail.
Running on terrain similar to what the team will encounter in the early stages of the 16-stage event through Portugal, Spain and Morocco, as well as the latter stages in Mauritania, Mali and Senegal, Gordon said he is confident in the team's ability and its chances of capturing the overall title.

"The mission of this test was to work out the kinks and make our preparations for the rally," said Gordon, a two-time Dakar Rally stage winner, the only American to do so. "We definitely could have been better prepared last year and we definitely didn't want to put ourselves in the same situation this time around.
"The test was structured as a mini-rally. We tried to cover as much terrain possible that would simulate the conditions that we may face in January and really put the H3 and the crew in some compromising situations, not unlike those that you can face in Africa on a daily basis. We intentionally put ourselves in some spots that we may face in the race so the guys could become familiar with each other as well as what they will have available to them during the race."
The rally covers more than 6,000 miles in a 17-day journey from Lisbon to Dakar.

MID-YEAR OUTLOOK FOR DAKAR 2007

2006-09-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to Dakar 2007. I really think with the changes RG has implemented on the Hummer and a year of testing will really show. I know he will be up about 25% on power from last year. He has also done a few things body wise to the Hummer that will increase his top speed by 20+ MPH. They have removed many turbulent areas on the body. Furthermore, he removed some weight.

Also, having two years of experience will make things go smoother in tech and logistically in the beginning stages. Adding a Full Race T-4 will help in the recovery from failures on the course. He has a great navigator, a whole new team. I really feel having plenty of time to get the H-3 tested and preped will be the biggest gain to the team. They won't have a race just to get to the race. The entire team will be much more rested and relaxed.

Official Updates from Team Dakar USA

2006-09-05T13:14:00.000-07:00

Robby Gordon Set To Take On the World Once Again! He will be ready to rock with a year of testing and improvements

While the elite of NASCAR will take January to rest in preparation for the upcoming 2007 season, set to begin a month later, one of racing’s most versatile drivers, Robby Gordon, will be preparing to compete once again in the Dakar Rally, what some consider a mental and physical challenge above all others.
For close to 30 years, adventurers from every corner of the globe have been making the journey to Lisbon, Portugal to take on the challenge of the world’s most grueling race. Beginning on the 6th of January 2007, competitors will spend the next 17 days battling environment and terrain to make the trek south from Lisbon towards the African continent and then to Dakar, Senegal where the 6,000-mile odyssey will end.
Gordon, well respected among his peers as an athlete that can and will take on any challenge set before him, will make his third appearance in the Dakar Rally in as many years. A two-time Dakar stage winner and the only American to do so, Gordon has been competing in off-road endurance races since the early 1980’s. A two-time winner of the esteemed Baja 1000 along with countless other victories within North American borders, Gordon will attempt to be the first American to get the overall win in the race’s history.
Gordon will once again pilot his own vehicle in the 16-stage event operating under the banner of Team Dakar USA. During last year’s Dakar Rally, Gordon was forced to make an early exit from competition when an encounter with the devilish terrain during the seventh stage punctured the radiator and sidelined the team for the remainder of the Rally.
Dakar presents new challenges, far beyond those of just the driver and the car, but a test of man. The race is run on everything from paved roads to sand to terrain covered in jagged rocks. Competitors leave behind all the comforts of home and make the African wilderness their home during the 17-day event. Each stage is a journey in itself.
“Dakar is something that I have always followed and wanted to try, and fortunately thanks to the folks at HUMMER, Toyo Tires and all the others that have come along to help get this endeavor under way, I can go out there and compete,” said the 37-year-old driver from Orange, Calif. who will celebrate his 38th birthday on Jan. 2, just days before departing from Lisbon.
“I had a better idea last year of what the race would be like, but the logistical challenges were still enormous, not just for us but for all competitors.”
Each of the support vehicles, each with a specific purpose to help Gordon in his quest, will also participate and compete in the Dakar Rally.
“I drove for Volkswagen two years ago and they had been running the Dakar for so long that they had it down to a science. Last year was our first attempt to make it on our own and we were competitive until the camel grass punctured our radiator and were not able to clear the stage in enough time to continue.
“We’ll come back this year with more test miles on the truck and all that knowledge gained from last year, and hopefully able to secure our goal of winning overall.”
Gordon’s participation in the last two Dakar events has brought the race to the forefront in the United States and Canada. However, as its popularity grows in the United States, its mass appeal in Europe and Africa is already beyond compare. For 2007, more than 580 hours of programming is expected in more than 180 countries. The sanctioning body of the race, the ASO – which also promotes and organizes the famed Tour de France bicycle race – produces a daily 26-minute television show that is distributed via satellite.
While many will consider just finishing a victory, Gordon’s goals are clearly stated: “I will be disappointed with anything other than a win. Our people give so much and our sole focus is to become the first American’s to win Dakar.”

Additional Q&A:

YOU SAID YOU WERE OFF-ROAD TESTING THIS WEEK. WHAT ARE YOUR OFF-ROAD PLANS THIS YEAR? "I am excited to say that we will do Dakar again next year with Chevrolet and Hummer. I think I recognize and they recognize as partners what that race does for us and what that race does for Hummer. No matter what we do for a manufacture. It will start before the Daytona 500. It is more of a worldwide event than just here in the United States. You guys would be really surprised if you actually saw what that event is in Europe. Basically it is like the Tour de France here. It is live on there channels everyday. There updates two, three, four hours a day. It is on in 140 countries or something like that. So it is a very popular race on the other side of the water. Here it is getting more popular. Obviously, the last two years with us being competitive and putting on good shows. I think next year we will be even more competitive with the engineering support we have received from Chevrolet. The Hummer is, today, at the doing straight-line testing. They are working on new engine packages. We will be better than we were last year just like my Cup team is better this year than I was last year. There is whole group of guys that actually run that program for me out of Anaheim. They also run the Red Bull Trophy Truck, which is the Chevy 1500. We tested it on Monday in Vegas. We won the race two weeks ago in Vegas, so we are still having fun with that program, as well."

This year will prove to be a different outcome. Last year Robby started the Dakar with only minumum test time. The Boys at GM are surly putting The Monster H-3 through it paces at the Mesa Proving Grounds . Click the link to see all the test tracks.

Team Dakar USA Driver Line Up for 2007

2006-08-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

Robby Gordon and former Red Bull/KTM rider Andy Grider will team up as Driver and Navigator in the T-2 class Monster Hummer H-3. This combo will surly deliver the one two punch required to take the Monster H-3 into battle and to the top of the score board in 2007

Andy Grider

Team Dakar USA has prepared a specially designed Full Race Assistance T-5 (on course) SCORE racer Billy Gasper and Top SCORE co-driver Tom "Turbo Tom" Geviss will be the Driver and Co-driver for the Mammoth Sized Mercedes on course support truck.

*Last year, a leased space T-5 left Team Dakar USA stranded on stage 8 ending their hopes of finishing the rally. In an attempt to keep this from happening again, Robby Gordon has taken the matter into his own hands. Billy and Tom are sure to put forth a solid effort

DAKAR 2007 THE BATTLEFIELD IS SET

2006-05-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

The organisers of the Dakar have unveiled the main lines of the 29th edition that will be held between the 6th and the 21st of January 2007. After the succes both on a sporting and media point of view of the start in Portugal last year, they have chosen to once again launch the rally in Lisbon before heading to Africa. The technical and administrative scrutineering will take place on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of January in the Cultural Center of Belem, with on the following day one real rally stage on Portuguese soil. After crossing the Mediterranean sea, the caravan will head for Dakar after going through Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, and Senegal. The course, currently being prepared, will promise to be very sandy. The rally that has become a raid last year thanks to new sporting regulations favouring navigation will carry on in a way that has last year delighted the competitors and race fans.

The increase in sandy conditions should play into Team Dakar USA's hands. With Dakar half a year away, Team Dakar USA will announce their goals and organization in the coming month. Team Dakar USA will return to Dakar with a vastly improved Hummer H3 and a team with much added logistical knowledge. The attack on Dakar 2007 for Team Dakar USA is assured to be whole different result from last year.

CHECK THIS OUT!

2006-02-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

JIM BEAM

CLICK HERE

MUST BE 21

HUMMBUGGY or "THE MONSTER"? You decide!

2006-02-07T18:57:00.000-08:00

"THE MONSTER H-3"

The Birth of a Monster CLICK HERE

requires quicktime

Learn more about "The Monster's" Parents.
Click Here

The making of "MONSTER"
Click Here

Visit Hummer.com for more of "THE MONSTER" as seen during the Superbowl halftime show.

ROBBY WINS!

2006-02-04T15:09:00.000-08:00

ROBBY WINS PARKER!

1st place in Unlimited Trick Truck

**************************************

Robby does a Bonsai test run for the win. He filled up the H-3s 100 gallon tank and raced non-stop for the win. Zero flats again! Go Toyo Tires! And a test session results in a win.
"Perhaps even more important than the win, was the fact that there were absolutely no issues with the performance of the Hummer H3 and at the end of the day Gordon drove to a local gas station, fueled up and drove the street legal truck home."

Update 2:08 PST : Robby in his Hummer H-3 leads all Trophy Trucks with 20 miles to go!

As stated in the last post. Fly will post updates on the Dakar Spot when ever Robby races the Hummer or we get major news about the Hummer.

So here is the latest, in an effort to maximize testing for the 2007 Dakar Rally, Robby has broke out the H-3 this weekend for the Best in The Desert Parker 425 in Nevada. He is competing in the Trophy Truck class.

Robby has changed the engine and removed the Dakar FIA required 37mm air restictor for a bit more power. Although the Hummer is under powered against the unlimited cars and Trophy Trucks RG managed to qualify an astounding 8th place out of the 190 entries over all.

Go to Race-Dezert.com for links to live updates or DirtNewz.com for the best coverage.

WHAT'S IN STORE FOR BATTLE IN 2007?

2006-01-10T20:57:00.000-08:00

Robby never got stuck, Never had a flat, never ran out of gas. He just never had the support it takes to address small issues in the middle of nowhere in a timely fashion.

Hypothetically speaking, what are some of the things I would do with Robby's H-3? (Provided I had the bucks and The Monster)

My virtual Crew Chief technical changes for next year;

Two set ups. (2wd is the only class that allows for different tires at different times)

Flat tighter stages;

*Lower car 7”

*Shorter, single, 3” piggy back coil-over shock package

*Sway bars,

*35x13.50R17 Toyo Tire (60 lbs less)

*14”x1.375 rotors

*6 piston caliper

Longer Rougher Stages;

*2.5”coil-over x 3” By-pass

*No sway bars

*37x14.50R15 Toyo Tires

*12”x 1.25 Rotors

*4 piston caliper

Addition handeling enhancements;

*2 fuel tanks. One 20+Gallon located up front to be used on shorter fast stages to balance car better. 1 60 gallon beneath and behind seat tub.

Drivetrain

This combination would put the target wieght at 3417 lbs or 1550 KG.

Other Drive Train changes;

*Six Speed Transmission.
*3 disc clutch
*A tick lower final gearing.

Get car closer to 3400 LBS, with a target weight of 3417.

As the Hummer stands calculations equate to; removing 1000 pounds would be the same as adding 155 horsepower

Quick reference of a lighter approach (obvious path);

*Move Radiator to the rear above engine. (Saves water weight too)

*Analyze all tube structure and replace all tubing with smaller diameter or thinner wall tube where applicable.

*Carbon Fiber Co2 tank.

*Carbon Fiber Dry Sump tank.

*Remove air conditioning system.

*Incorporate Hydro jacks directly into rear hoop. (convert to air over Hydro)

*Scoot rear spare tire and mount into rear cage structure. (Spares to have spun aluminum wheels)

*Replace all aluminum with Carbon except pan and skid protections.

*All fasteners Titanium.

*Make carbon/aluminum sand ramps located below front body work

*Titanium pedals.

*Titanium steering shaft.

*Change spare rear tire mount to lightened hub snout with spare hub and bearing assembly mounted, then mount spare to hub studs.

* Change secondary spare mount to machined flat studded flange attached to engine cage and no tubing around it.

*Large aluminum front bumper that looks more like H-3 bumper. (Doesn't save wieght but looks cool)

*Precise aerodynamics of external air scoops feeding to a carbon fiber large surface flat filtered funneled ram air box and radiator.

Full interior

*One piece carbon floor and center console full width up to door.

*One piece dash with Motec engine management screen and single 15” LCD touch screen integrated.

*Redesign a lighter shifting system

*Single dry cell battery located above transmission close to starter. 7 lb 14VDC NiCad additional located between seats.

Well, this pretty much sums up Robby's 2006 Dakar Rally. I’m sure Robby's gears are turning for next year. Let's see what he trumps up for 2007. I can't wait.

I'll be back the next time Robby hits the Dirt in the H-3

FALLEN WARRIOR

2006-01-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

Andy Caldecott : 1964 - 2006

Dakar : Australian KTM motorcyclist has been killed in a crash

Andy Caldecott. 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 Spot wishes to express its sincere condolences,

to his, family, friends and team.

HALF TIME REPORT

2006-01-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Team Dakar USA;
Officially declared out by OLN television. (mechanical)

Team Hog Wild;
Out (Mechanical)

Andy Grider
Out (injury)

BLAIS
8th overall on the Bikes 1hour 28 mins back.

Ronn Baily
Still in the War,
Sits in 91st 42 hours back.

Mitsubishi;
The team is in 1st, 2nd, 4th, 14th place. Team Orders are now in effect.
Spanish Roma and Andorra-based co-driver Henri Magne have settled into a vital support role for their team mates. "I am still in touch with Stéphane and Luc and well-placed to have a big say in the overall result," said Roma. "The pressure is not on me to win at this point, but I will be able to push next week and put the pressure on Giniel de Villiers and the Buggies. This will benefit our top two drivers."

Volkswagen;
3rd, 5th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 16th
Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director) "From the technical side our cars or functioning very well, but we suffered a series of setbacks on both the seventh and eighth stages. We were always one-hundred percent competitive and ran with the leading group just as long as nobody got bogged down or lost. We are no longer leading and have to claw back 26 minutes, which is possible but very difficult. In the dunes we are suffering from the fact that the engine gets hot too quickly. In deep sand you need the most cooling, but have very low speeds and consequently low dynamic air pressure in the cooling ducts because you often only drive at walking pace, and spinning wheels require a lot of power. It's the same for everybody. So that the engine does not overheat the power is reduced automatically by a few per cent when required. The system functions very well but it could still be improved. Perhaps we didn't test enough in deep sand. Now we look forward: We have an excellent team and the motivation is as high as ever. As before, we want to win this rally and will do everything possible to achieve this all the way to the flag in Lac Rose.”

# 309 – Mark Miller (USA) "I'm a little disappointed since our two rolls on the seventh stage have effectively robbed us of the chance of winning. I must now do my best to move up the overall leader board from day to day and to make no mistakes. I'm happy that I'm just as quick as the others. This should help me in the future. It's great to drive for such a professional team – the Volkswagen team works fantastically. I want to help Jutta and Giniel get on the podium – hopefully on the top step.”

Dirk (Marks Co-Driver) Sums up The Dakar Well... "It's shocking just how close good and evil sit at the ‘Dakar'. We were in a good position after the sixth stage, and thought that we had thrown everything away by rolling twice on the following day. We were lucky that in spite of our bad luck we are still in the top 10. However, it hurts to see just how close we were to a big prize. Plenty can happen on a ‘Dakar'. We have another tough day in front of us after the rest day. You can never be sure of a good position here. The rally only finishes at Lac Rose.”

What a War this race is.

This is WAY WORSE than 15 Daytona 500s

A CASUALTY OF BATTLE?

2006-01-06T14:34:00.000-08:00

Update 5:10PM: Still waiting for an Official Notice on Robby's Status.
Robby and Darren Flying on Stage 7 prior to the mechanical Failure.

8:50AM PST. 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.

6:45AM PST. It ain't over till the Fat Lady sings. Robby and Car 335 have appeared at KM 0 on the Rally Track stage 8 display. Will they proceed? Will they be scored?. we will know soon... hopefully.

5:30AM PST. No news, and fearing they are still out there alone. Team Dakar USA had until noon to present themselves at the start. It is now about 2:30PM GMT. Inputing the numbers of those 70 that did not make the finish yesterday and at least half have started this morning. Unfortunatly, no 335 has displayed. I've been in the dunes many times. It's got to be really bad for the crew. I bet the poor guys are doing miserable in the sand. This sucks. I hope it's not windy too. They would be half buried by now if it is windy. Looks like it's time for Daytona and some of that Killer DEI power.

8:45 PM PST The ASO has given the competitors till 12:00PM to make it to the starting line. This stage is one of the worse ever. Of 140+ starters only 70 made it. There are 70 cars and chase crews out in the dunes looking for their drivers right now.

Robby and Chase team are in contact via sat phone but can't make visual contact. It is pitch black out there and you can't see anything. Also impacting the situation they are in a rolling sea of sand. Robby needs to find a high point and signal some how. On foot with a flash light you could lose your marbles and get your ass lost real quick. They are at 2127.981N, 1213.577W. The close up image shows their position at the cross hair. The high alt. sat image show the entire Dakar trek. (click image A Special Thanks to NASA) When they do make contact and repairs the racers will not have to take the stage route back. They can get back via roads.

5:15PM PST. Lets hope Robby and Darren arn't freezing. Sat phone Batteries are the premium right now. Let's hope to see The Monster move on the IR Track in the next 3 hours.

4:30 PM PST. Team Dakar USA has every intention to to fix "The Monster". As anyone knows, Robby is not a quiter. He will take the next leg with no sleep if the team makes it avaliable to him. It is really important for Robby and Darren to see this through. So they are better seeded for next year's start.

4:00PM PST Update: Stage closed,70 racers and Robby are shown with a finish time of an even 17 hours. Results show Robby is in 71st overall 28 hour and 17 minutes back and 10 hours out of the top 20. If Robby does make it to the starting line for tomorrow it will be a 108th starting position.

Team Dakar USA has four cars qualified as assistance. 2=H-1 Hummers, 1 4x4 and 1 6x6. All of these are entered as T-5 assistance trucks. Team Dakar USA knows exactly what Robby needs to move forward. If they can get to Robby in time.

The rules for assisting Robby at this point in the stage.

B- In Africa Assistance is authorised:
1- On the route of a Selective Section: By an assistance category vehicle, after the closure of the control at the end of the selective section.
2- On the route of a leg: By the crew of a car, a motorcycle or a truck officially entered in and still in the race. By vehicles in the assistance category (except in the Selective Sections) when the assistance vehicles have the same itinerary to that of the race, with the exception of refuelling (petrol and diesel).
3- Between the end of a leg and the start of the following leg: By the crew of a car, a motorcycle or a truck officially entered in and still in the race and by vehicles in the assistance category.

(Full Assistance Regulations Added (scroll down))

3:00 PM PST

At the halfway point Robby was doing really well. If the pace had held Team Dakar USA would be sitting 14th overall right now. So much for that.

Mark Miller in the Red Bull Volkswagen suffered two rollovers today. The second roll over incident was at KM 310. Robby stopped to assist. Robby in his Hummer H-3 put Mark back on his wheels. BUT NOW... Robby's car has a toasted clutch. Apparently, they may have damaged the clutch up-righting Mark.

At KM 360 Robby came over the crest of a dune and center punched a huge lump of Camel Grass on the downside of the dune with his front bumper. Camel Grass is like a lump of tall grass connected to the root of a palm tree. Camel Grass doesn't move. Early Damage assessment is ; Front bodywork torn off car, radiator damaged some bent tubing. Mark and others stopped to help Robby. None of them seemed to have an extra Ron Davis Radiator with them. Robby could limp forward with the radiator the way it is with extra water. However, not with a toasted clutch,

Robby and Darren forwarded the GPS cords to the Jim Beam T-5s, it is dark out so the T-5s will have a tough time finding them anytime soon. .

Team Dakar USA has only had 5 hours sleep in the last 3 days. They will need to be at the starting line for the next stage before the last car leaves the starting line tomorrow. They could give Robby a Clutch and a radiator then start the stage and fix it on the stage. But.... Not looking good right now. Nobody had offered to tow the Hummer past check point 2, until now I suppose. Robby sits at about KM360 just on or before CP2. They are in a really bad spot locked in with dunes till the finish line. It's not looking good right now.

ASSISTANCE AND REFUELING RULES
14.1
A) Except for Bajas, repairs and refuelling are authorised at all times throughout the whole Event except in those cases expressly forbidden, especially in Selective Sections, by provisions in the supplementary regulations.
B) in the case of assistance in an Selective Section, the authorised zone must:
• be considered as a speed control zone (see Art. 13.1) and may be preceded by a PC;
• be clearly defined, both on the ground by means of zone flags (see Art. 23) and in the racing and servicing road books, so that all the participants are duly informed. At least one judge of fact must be present to monitor the conformity of the actions undertaken.
C) All air assistance whatsoever is forbidden between the start and finish of a Leg, on pain of immediate exclusion on the decision of the panel of stewards, except in special cases specified in the supplementary regulations of the Event.
14.3 A vehicle must move by its own means, with the engine running; moving under the power of the starter alone is not allowed.
If the vehicle is unable to move, towing and/or pushing by a competitor in the race are allowed.
However, in control zones, they will entail the following penalties:
A) Start area of a leg and/or start area of a Selective Section: the start will be refused.
B) Passage Control Zone: 5 minutes.
C) Time Control Zone : 30 minutes.
In control zones, once the infringement has been noted, thevehicle may be removed from the zone using outside help.
14P1 – PENALTIES
All vehicles ‘towed’ by a vehicle other than a race vehicle or an assistance vehicle will be immediately excluded from the race.
14P2 - AUTHORISED ASSISTANCE
Only vehicles officially entered in the race or as assistance vehicles are authorised to transport assistance materials that must weigh no more than the weight limit imposed by the International Highway Code, except in Europe where assistance is free.
All infractions of the assistance regulations will incur penalties up to and including exclusion from the race. All assisted competitors are responsible for their assistance. Competitors are liable to incur penalties, up to and including exclusion from the race, in the case where their assistance vehicle fails to respect the regulations that apply to its category.
A – In Europe
Outside the Selective Sections, assistance is ‘free’, up until the port of embarkation (possibility to use non-accredited persons and vehicles). Assistance Parcs put in place by the organisers are reserved for accredited vehicles.
B- In Africa
Assistance is authorised:
1- On the route of a Selective Section:
By an assistance category vehicle, after the closure of the control at the end of the selective section.
2- On the route of a leg:
By the crew of a car, a motorcycle or a truck officially entered in and still in the race. By vehicles in the assistance category (except in the Selective Sections) when the assistance vehicles have the same itinerary to that of the race, with the exception of refuelling (petrol and diesel).
3- Between the end of a leg and the start of the following leg:
By the crew of a car, a motorcycle or a truck officially entered in and still in the race and by vehicles in the assistance category.
On the rest day, by mechanics entered in the ASO assistance plane.
4- At the bivouac, after the start of the Selective Section:
Once the competitor has taken the start of the Selective Section, assistance at the bivouac (under conditions described in point 3) is authorised providing the competitor does not return to the bivouac in the opposite direction to the rally itinerary.
Where there is only one piste, all returning to the bivouac is forbidden, on pain of exclusion from the race.
In the case of off-piste, so as not to meet vehicles coming in the other direction, competitors must go a minimum of 0,5 km off the official itinerary, without incurring penalties.
For the first 20 overall in the car class and the first 10 overall in the truck class, all turning back is forbidden, whatever the type of terrain, on the pain of a 4 hour time penalty.
5- At the meeting point of itineraries:
If the itinerary of the road book and the assistance itinerary meet, an assistance point and / or the use of signs is authorised.
6- In authorised zones:
Assistance zones and signing zones may be allowed and will be shown in the road book.
7 – At the bivouac:
After having checked in at the time control at the end of the leg, competitors (or persons entered as assistance in the same team) may take their race vehicle out of the bivouac for refuelling, to go to a hotel or carry out technical tests, within a radius of 15 km from the bivouac.
14P3 AUTHORISED AIRBORNE ASSISTANCE
For mechanics authorised to go to the rest day, places will be available in aircraft chartered by the organisation and may be reserved up until 30 September 2005. For the rest day, these passengers must not carry spare parts or tools, on pain of exclusion of the vehicle or vehicles of the competitor concerned. They may only be entered by a competitor already entered in the race.
14P4 FORBIDDEN ASSISTANCE
Given the assistance regulations, teams of stewards, ‘judges of fact’, will be in place from Morocco onwards to check for the presence of assistance not accredited by the organisation, both at the bivouac and over the route as a whole.
The following are forbidden on the pain of penalties up to and including exclusion from the race:
1- The transport of parts or assistance by a vehicle other than a car entered in the race or as assistance or by a truck entered in the race or as assistance.
2- The stocking, dropping or parachuting of spare parts, tools, personnel, fuel (outside of bivouacs where this is authorised) throughout all the countries crossed by the Rally.
3- On each leg, assistance outside the bivouac, except for refuelling at the different service stations of the different Leg towns, using commercially available fuel and with the exception of all stocking of specific fuel.
4- All assistance in an enclosed place, closed or guarded, even if this place is situated within the area of the bivouac. A tent is not considered as an enclosed place.
5- All airborne assistance not controlled by the organisers. Airborne assistance is considered as any presence on a Leg of an aircraft having aboard any person with any link whatsoever with a competitor.
6- The presence of any means of transport (car, motorcycle, aircraft, helicopter, etc.) following the rally route the same day or a number of days prior, as well as the prolonged flying over of any means of transport, with official means or not, carry aboard a person having any link whatsoever with competitors still in the race, will result in the immediate exclusion from the race of all participants having a link with these means of transport.
7- The transport of assistance materials (tools, generators, lights, compressors etc.) in private planes or planes chartered by the organisers.
8- The presence of an assistance vehicle on the Selective Section when they benefit from a parallel itinerary.
9- During the rest day, the presence of any assistance not entered as such with the organisation. The delivery of spare parts by any means other than that organised by A.S.O.
10- The presence of any vehicle or any person entered as assistance on the route of the selective section (except in the case of article 14P2B2)

SNEAK ATTACK! WHEN?

2006-01-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

When the number of stages is discussed;This War is half over after Tomorrow’s stage.

When you discuss Miles to victory; We are still only at one third over. So far 1051 miles have been completed over 6 special stages. The next three special stages contain 998 miles. The next three Battles are huge when it comes for time to be gained or lost. Each of the next three stages average out to 330 miles each. Combined the next three battles are actually one third of the War. The final six battles contain the remaining 942 miles. Two Battles to go until a cease fire will commence and a rest day will be in the works for the teams. (1/8/06)

It appears all top warriors are saving their speed rations for a later date.

What are some of the Strategies? Ryan Arciero, who is Mark's teammate in the desert, stated this today; "The team orders will start to kick in when one or more of the Volkswagens get behind. I don't mean to be vague on it, but there is no set time when they will kick it in. It will eventually happen, unless the Volkswagens perform flawless for the rest of the rally. As long as they are all within striking distance of each other, Kris Nissen (Team Leader) will just let them run their race. I know he would love nothing more than to see a Volkswagen 1,2,3 or even 1,2,3,4,5. At this point with all of them running as good as they are he cannot pull team orders because it might jeopardize a podium finish and it is still a little bit too early to in the race."

How healthy is The Jim Beam, Toyo Tires, Monster Hummer?

Jim Beam? I seen some ask about this, Team Dakar USA shows to be sponsored by Jim Beam's Beef Jerky. It's killer, you should try some. Spendy but worth every penny. The EU doesn't allow spirits or tobacco advertising in motor sports. If they made any good smokes or booze I bet they would.
Toyo Tires? Not one F'n Flat! Even with Robby behind the wheel!!! In the Baja 1000 and this far in Dakar. These tires are strait off the shelf!!! WOW!!!
Monster Hummer? Transmission; Trans held up for stage 6. The oil Leak; Cracked oil pan replaced last night.

With a solid car, Team Dakar USA, really needs to go for it? They have been. Today Robby was pedal to the floor without lifting for 35 mins in one section. Team Dakar USA could not hang with the Euros who had 25 to 30 mph faster top end! I may knock all the wind tunnel testing that the Mega-Bucks teams do but the large air ducts on the top of the cars are really there for an important reason. The teams are using them for a ram effect to gain an advantage over the 32MM air restrictor.

The Euro's combination of aerodynamics and their own restrictor technology has shined over Team Dakar USA's technology today on the high speed sections. After all Robby's air box that feeds his larger 37MM restrictor is located internal of the body and doesn't take advantage of forced air.

One thing noticed on the Hummer's engine is that it has a stock Corvette intake manifold. The FIA has restrictions on intake manifold volume. I bet next year this intake volume will be maximized to 1335 cu inches (FIA MAX). What this will do is allow for increased air reserves to each cylinder post air restrictor. The new manifold would basically have a huge plenum between the intake runner and the throttle body. Expect the current manifold to be tossed, a new filter system and forced air intake developed for next year. (And maybe even a little wind tunnel testing at Textron)

Additionally, I was told Robby and Darren are looking forward to the rough stuff again. The Hummer completely dominates in the rough stuff. One third of the rally is in Robby's world. The next three stages could not come at a better time for Robby and Darren! These next three stages are what Robby built this beast for and it will show. Tons of sand, Camel Grass and Rocks, this is just what the doctor ordered! Check the stages out.

1/6/2006/Zouerat-Atar: A tricky pass Navigational finesse will be rewarded during the major difficulty of this first week which will be contested off-track. Absolutely off-track. Indications will be sparse on the road-book, and those who miss the HWPs will have all their work cut out to find the right passes. After the dunes, competitors will be driving along stony plateaux and slaloming in camel grass.

1/7/2006/Atar-Nouakchott: “Hole shot” On the first part of the special, the windy route crosses canyons and wadis. Competitors will feel themselves shot like a pinball against the massifs. After the series of zigzags, a very fast stretch will temp the most itchy to push the speedo. But over-confidence could lead to bad surprises.

1/8/2006/A DAY OF REST:

1/9/2006/Nouakchott-Kiffa: The well track for the rally’s long it appears all top warriors are saving their speed rations for a later date. When the number of stages is discussed this War is half over after the stage tomorrow.

Stage 6 was a good day for all the top car competitors. Thierry Magnaldi captured stage victory today in Zouerat. The Frenchman driving a Schlesser-Ford buggy beat his team mate Jean-Louis Schlesser (who had clocked the fastest times at both CPs) by 2'55". Third is Giniel De Viliers (VW) at 3'46" ahead of Jutta Kleinschmidt at 5'13" and Luc Alpnahd at 6'02". Robby and Darren finished 11th for the day and moved up to 27th overall.

Fly’s Final thought;The next three stages are the time to make time. Enough of this pussy ass, team, follow the leader, crap! Let's get crazy and trash some cars already!

THIS BATTLE WAS HARD FOUGHT.

2006-01-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

The Dakar Rally is only thirty three and one third complete. What are we in for with the remaining sixty six percent? More Action, that's what! Robby in typical Robby fashion took what was dealt to him yesterday and became Flash Gordon again. The Old Robby is back! He passed over 70 cars, trucks, and whatever else was in his way on to a 19th place for the day. Expect more tomorrow.

The Boyz from the USA; Mark Miller is totally kicking Ass! Second for the stage today and Fourth overall! Mark, like I told you a month or so back. "If it's Robby against you; I root for Robby. If it’s us (The USA) against them; I root for us!" Chris Blais sits in 11th overall.

Is the problem from stage 4 fixed? Robby had 5 Albins transmissions waiting in the wings for him back at camp. Robby and team were to change these every 1000 miles. I was told today by somebody who is very close to the team but is not a part of Robby's organization that the bolt "officially" backed out. I'm guessing that at $20,000.00 for each transmission we don't need piss anyone off. Let's make sure Robby continues to get more of those bad ass transmissions. On that note, Cam Theroit's new car was socked out of the Baja 1000 in November with the same transmission and the bolt in question was hammered by the axle plunge. More than one person has mentioned how important it is to have the bolt torque absolutely correct and inspected after every run. Team Dakar USA welded the head of the bolt to the flange. I can officially say... It won't back out now! However, if it does snap off again, there will be zero field fix unless Robby has a spare stub axle flange and bolt. Because it would take a drill, a hand grinder and a generator to put a bolt back in. So I still will not retract my educated guess from yesterday until January 15th.

Darren Skilton Speaks; "There was incredible dust on this leg, as we were far enough into the race where the cars are now combined with the trucks in overall finishing order, so that determines the start order for the next day,"said Skiltonn. "If we’d started in front we could have made excellent time but we had to drive smart, taking no chances. We know this race has just begun. There are thousands of miles yet to cover across the roughest part of Africa. Robby passed some 70 cars before we began smelling oil. Not knowing the cause we had to stop and try to solve the problem but we could only determine the reservoir was low, so we topped up and cruised in to Tan Tan. The Hummer seems to be running fine, but we won’t know the source of the leak for sure until the crew gets on it."

New problems?

Robby and Darren used up 25 minutes of today's special parked on the side of the road to locate an oil leak. They did not discover the source of the leak other than it was coming from the engine…Duh. They topped off the dry sump and hauled ass. Yes 25 minutes! This little oil leak relegated yesterday's prediction of a win today in the crapper. Oil leak fixed and back to 100%. Robby's car has a dry sump oil system and when they said we added oil to the reservoir that means he added oil to the large oil tank that feeds the engine. A normal car has the oil pump down in the oil pan where all the oil is held. RG's 427 has an external oil pump and holds several gallons of oil in a separate tank.

Robby's "Pre-Dakar" testing at Glamis and Parker... Is being extended to Dakar 2006. Dakar 2007 will be much better; the Car will have all its growing pains worked out. Off road cars are like fine wine, they get better with age. Hope the FIA and the ASO don't decide to change the rules again.

Stage 6 preview: Tan Tan-Zourat: Southbound - The hours of sleep stored up from previous stages will be an asset when tackling this long road. The long liaison to the start of the special will take place at night, in conditions which require maximum vigilance. The first part of the sector counting towards classification will be fought out over a wide, fast track, before taking on a much sandier stretch halfway through the special.

ASO officials have determined day six will be a "marathon leg” so the morning’s start time will come before dawn. The crew, having had to drive straight through from Quarzazate; leaving just as the car was finished, has had little sleep and is now working on the car to get it ready for the early morning start.

This will play into Robby's hand. He is no stranger to no sleep.

With almost 7,000 unique viewers The Dakar Spot is getting quite the following from all over the world and is enjoying all the nice feedback. Thanks So much, it's my pleasure.

A $2 PART DASHES ALL HOPE?

2006-01-03T09:37:00.000-08:00

Today sucked major. However, today's update will identify the source of the problem and try to put a positive light on the outcome.

Let’s start with the “Positive Light”. Last year Robby flipped his car early on and lost over 6 hours, almost ran out of gas. Then ripped his car apart for Jutta, fixed hers, and had to follow her as a mule buddy/mechanic and still finished 12th overall over 20 hours down. So with 75% of the Dakar remaining a top 5 is not totally unreasonable. Expect the DeZert Fox to turn into the Rabbit for the rest of the Rally. It will be no holds barred from here on out. A win would have to be just flat out taken from these guys now with some wishing bad luck on everyone else. Lets not lie to ourselves, We need some good luck and they all need some bad luck to win this thing!

Let's read a blurb of the official Robby Gordon release;

Once this morning’s race had begun, on the timed “Special” middle stage of the Er Rachidia-Quarzaate trail, Gordon’s Hummer quickly began to demolish Schlesser’s time advantage for the race. “He had a solid 12 minutes on us at the start and we were seven cars back with two minutes spacing between us, so he had disappeared by the time we took to the course. Our Hummer was doing really well and we’d gained almost everything we’d lost when we began to realize that we had a serious transmission problem. A drive flange finally failed, which killed any chance of us taking the overall win.” Fortunately Gordon was able to signal another competitor, who relayed the information of the problem to Gordon’s crew, which was awaiting his arrival in Quarzazate. Gordon and Skilton managed to keep the transmission working sufficiently to limp along at a frustratingly slow pace, but their tenacity paid off in that the two were able to cross the finish line, even though it took them 7 hours and 44 minutes to get there. The official finish for the stage will keep Gordon in the race, provided he and his crew can get the Hummer back to Quarzazate and cross the finish line of the Liasion stage in time to make the cut-off time to be an official finisher, and be qualified to start tomorrow’s Fifth Stage from Quarzazate to Tan Tan on the Atlantic Coast of Morocco. “There’s little chance now for an overall win,” said Gordon when questioned about his chances, “but if we can repair the transmission in time to start tomorrow, we can, and certainly will continue. This race has just begun and there will be several more chances to win one of the remaining Special Stages." (RG.COM)

Alright, let’s talk Brass Tacks here.

The source of the issue; The transmission, a 5-Speed sequential Albins/Weddel manual shift transaxle. The specific part of the transaxle that failed is a bolt that holds the stub axle into the side of the differential case. This bolt is located just behind the inner(Trans Side) constant velocity (CV) joint attached to the axle shaft that connects directly to the wheel hub. When the bolt fails the stub axle slips out of the transmission. Two things happen with this result; first, fluid can dump out of the case. Secondly, and more severe is one side of the differential dislocates causing the opposite wheel not to engage and drive the car forward. Some might wonder why if the transaxle has a solid spool how does this can happen. Well... transaxles don't have a spool. They have to run a loose limited slip differential. This is because a transaxle has independent rear suspension. As the suspension cycles up and down from side to side the actual rear track width changes. If you had a spooled (solid locked) rear diff every time the cars rear suspension cycled it would pull the car from side to side making for a very squirrelly ride.

What's the fix? Remove the sheered bolt, replace the stub axle and insert and tighten a new High Grade bolt, Replace the axle shaft it is pretty easy. That is, unless you are in the middle of the desert without the bolt or proper tools.

Now for the big question; How did this F#%&’n, piss-ant bolt head snap the hell off?

Simple, my educated guess is the axle shafts are too short and when the travel extends to full droop the axle shaft unplunges to its fullest length and tries to yank the stub axle out of the transmission. This is like a bad ass slide hammer yanking on the head of the bolt over and over. This must have been even more pronounced on this really rough stage. The other cause could be right length axle wrong geometry on the rear trailing arm thus articulating too much and yanking the axle.

What is the fix for this Rally? A few things could be done as a band aid till next year. 1. Limit the amount of droop by relocating the limit strap mounting point. This will just pull a few inches of travel out and not effect how the car feels too much. 2. Tighten the Rebound setting on the By-Pass Shock to limit the amount of "snap" when the rear wheels come of the ground. If I was crew chief I would do the strap first.

Good Luck Robby, we are Robby fans and this doesn't phase us! We have thick skin! 48 more days till Daytona

By the way, Robby and Darren will win tomorrow’s stage putting them in 24th overall with 10 stages to go.

Stage 5 Preview; Ouarzazate-Tan Tan: The wadi road Communication between driver and co-driver will have to be fine-tuned to a maximum on account alternate fast stretches and navigational traps. In comparison to the 2005 edition, competitors will have almost tripled their mileage in specials before leaving Morocco. The timing of the 1,250 kms already covered should produce a coherent classification.

THE BATTLE FOR AFRICA

2006-01-02T14:56:00.000-08:00

This “Battle for Africa” is different than the one 60 years ago. This one doesn’t contain the General Erwin Romel (AKA The Desert Fox). With 20% of the Dakar in the record books, the cream is beginning to rise. By the day after tomorrow the Rally will be one third over and several issues with the individual teams will start to unveil “general team orders”. I could see the later stages of this race becoming a cat and mouse race. A race where we see the Mega-Bucks teams sacrificing half their team trying and drag Robby behind them and off into the sunset. Robby will have to trust Darrin and keep his eye on one guy; Jean-Louis Schlesser. Jean is a Dakar veteran that is into this for his own Victory. He will not sacrifice his position for anything. Jeans dust trail is truly headed for the finish line. Two things will remain the same as 60 years ago. This Battle is still going to be fought with a DeZert Fox; Robby Gordon. The second thing that will be the same as 60 years ago. The Panzers will not win in the end.

How did Robby fare on Stage 3?
“We made a great run off the line, passing both Jean Louis Schlesser (the eventual winner) and Stephane Peter Hansel’s Mitsubishi, but then I looked off to the left and saw one of the BMW X3s fast disappearing in the dust. Knowing how well this team had been doing I instinctively elected to follow and soon realized he was lost. Darren (Skilton), my navigator, had been tracking our line in the heavy dust and soon pointed out that we were seriously off-course; we had to double back and I suspect we lost at least two minutes.” Gordon eventually re-passed both Schlesser and Peterhansel, but his elapsed time for the stage still put the Hummer team in 5th overall 1 minute and 30 seconds behind the leaders. “This is an incredibly large and confusing area of the earth; it’s very easy to trust your racing instinct instead of the route book and your navigator…I won’t make that mistake again,” said Gordon.

Mark Miller is doing an awesome job. He could very easily bring home the Gold for USA if Robby doesn’t. The Hog Wild Boyz are still nuts! And Andy Grider is the Man!

With Mark, Robby, Andy and those nutcases on the Harley Side Car, USA seems to be invading Europe. There would be nothing nicer seeing Lance’s 7th Tour Victory followed up with a Car and Bike house cleaning in Dakar by the Red White and Blue!

Mitsubishi is officially on NOTICE:

"We opted for a safe strategy over the first few days in Morocco, but it is very pleasing to be, not only in touch with our rivals, but actually leading the rally with the first two places," said Mitsubishi Team Director Dominique Serieys. "'Nani' has really benefited from his recent experience and again proved that we have four drivers who can win the Dakar this year." "I told our drivers that Volkswagen are the main rivals, but we should also watch out for Jean-Louis Schlesser and Robby Gordon and 'Schless' proved the point and was the fastest today. We will maintain our strategy and see what develops. But it was a good day for us."

Thoughts for the day: Robby is surrounded like in The Battle of the Bulge. Sitting in eighth place right now. Robby is in a quagmire of People Cars and Mitsubishi (Manufacturer of the famed Japanese Zero). I guess the French ASO’s seeding system is a bit favored towards the Europeans with a 35th ranking at the start of the Dakar Rally for Robby? It will be great to see Robby’s car with that 300 on it next year! I expected Robby to maintain composure this early in the Dakar. He is doing really well at that. The very bright Robby of today seems to be letting the so called “favorites” trip over their own dick. His "Monster" Weapon is in top form, his team is in top form, and Robby is in top form.

Tomorrow’s Stage 4: Rachidia-Ouarzazate: Gateway to the desert This could be considered as a Dakar classic, but there is something unknown here too. It is perhaps the rally’s most varied special. With the first dunes, it will doubtless be the time to get out the shovels and sand mats (Not RG), before taking on the shotts, stretches of sandy or stony wadis... It’s a time for co-drivers to bury their head in the road-book, not in the sand.

THE SECOND BATTLE HAS CONCLUDED

2006-01-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

The second stage of the Dakar proved to be perfect for the former WRC drivers with fast, sweeping tracks favoring a “Typical” Rally type car. Volkswagen had another strong day with El Matador Carlos Sainz didn't disappoint as he claimed his second straight stage win. Also, Bruno Saby, Mark Miller and Jutta Kleinschmidt finished in the top ten.

All the while American Robby Gordon was once again turning many heads in his Hummer as he finished 13th. "Most Dakar competitors and race fans have never seen anything like this Hummer," said Gordon. "They tend to concentrate on smaller, high-revving engines, which I don't believe have as good of a chance of success in North Africa's huge sand dunes as my V-8 engine Hummer."

Tomorrow, stage three will be the first African stage on the Dakar Rally. After arriving at Nador via ferry from Europe, teams will embark upon a 237 kms liaison section to the start of a 314 kms special stage, east of Guercif. This section runs south towards the first overnight bivouac at Er Rachidia. This stage crosses several wadis and requires navigational skills. Then a 121 kms road section will take teams to the overnight stop next to the local airport at Er Rachidia.

Robby is doing really well by sticking to his strategy. While watching the IR Tracking last night at 4AM, Robby had his spurts of quickness by running faster than Carlos, Miller and the others. At times he was much quicker than all of the top guys in several of the sections. Right now he sits eight and a half minute behind the leader and could very easily make this up tomorrow. He has a great advantage starting approximately 25 minutes behind Carlos. He will just follow his trail right up to his bumper for the victory. I expect Robby to be firmly being in the top five overall by the end of the day tomorrow. Robby is not going to fall for "The Rabbit" this year!

THE BATTLEFIELD IS SET; THE BATTLE HAS BEGAN.

2005-12-31T09:02:00.000-08:00

Robby started out stage one seeded in the 35th position. With 34 cars in front of Robby to pass, Robby pulled a "Monster" wheelie off the starting platform to a roaring crowd. By the end of stage one Robby moved up 21 positions and now sits in 14th position, four and a half minutes from the leader Carlos Sainz who laid down an awesome run as expected from the world rally champ. Robby is only seventeen seconds behind last year's Dakar champion Peterhansel in his Mitsubishi that started the day 1st.

The trail for stage one was twisty and muddy. The H-3 worked well in these conditions with Robby behind the wheel passing many of the "seeded cars". Additionally, Robby had performed no testing in these conditions in the new Hummer H-3 prior to the start of the race.

Our other American Racers; Mark Miller in his Touareg was seeded 9th and finished an impressive 10th. He is three minutes forty seconds behind leader Sainz and fifty-nine seconds in front of Robby. Ronn Baily is in 59th thirteen and a half minutes back.

Tomorrow's stage two is also expecting wet conditions in steep hilly terrain similar to Pikes Peak. Nani Roma sums stage two up best; "The stage will be similar to the previous day. A complicated stage where you have a lot to loose and little to win. Therefore we have to be very careful and avoid any mistake." Robby starts tomorrow in 14th and will have fewer cars in front of him impeding his progress.

Robby will continue to take a conservative approach until he hits the shores of Africa. However, we can expect Robby to have a bit more confidence in his H-3 for tomorrow's wet stage. Robby has said he is just looking to finish these first few stages close to the leaders so he can take the H-3 in top form to Africa so he can really show what the H-3 is capable of!

GOOD RESULTS ON TECH DAY!

2005-12-30T19:36:00.000-08:00

"It went incredibly smooth, as we weren't sure just how this new racer would be accepted by the ASO. Our H3 Dakar Hummer is a real departure from the types of vehicles normally seen in this event, but the race officials were great, we made it through in record time, about 9 hours."

Looks like Darrin's navigating skills are paying off. Even before the race has started. By the way; 9 hours is 6 hours longer than Mark and Dirk. (Click on image for close up. Chase how's this for photoshop?)

"A RAID INTO THE EXTREME"

2005-12-24T15:15:00.000-08:00

Dakar Rally 2006 will undoubtedly be a competition of
Man, Machine and Mega Bucks.

The Dakar Race is on. It's the kind of story Men's Journal loves. Fast cars in exotic barren places, racing 5600 miles in 16 days from Lisbon, Portugal to Dakar. Of the 725 vehicles convoyed up at the start, 485 are entered in the race. 230 are bikes, 180 are cars, 75 are trucks and the balance of the 204 vehicles are for assistance

The race for Dakar started well before the December 31st, 2005 kick-off stage. All Dakar entry positions sold out six months before the start. Racers are eager for the world's most epic and grueling race. For some, planning and preparation is considered an extreme logistical challenge in the most remote and undulating conditions, and has spanned almost three decades of tradition.

The participants come from all over the globe. These participants come for their shot to place their name in the record books as champion of this 5,600 mile race. France is well represented with Stephane Peterhansel, Bruno Saby and Luc Alphand. Other nationalities also include entrants from Spain, Japan, Portugal, England, Russia, China, Holland and the USA. USA is represented by NASCAR, Indy Car, and Baja Star Robby Gordon with Veteran Dakar Racer Darrin Skilton as navigator in Robby Gordon's Hummer H-3 entry. Robby and Darrin are proudly carrying the Stars and Stripes for Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, GM’s indestructible Hummer brand, and every Red Blooded American from sea to shining sea.Several other competitors from the USA include;
_______________________________________________
9 Chris Blais - blaisracing.com
23 Andy Grider - griderracing.com
42 Jonah Street - rallypanam.com
98 Mike Krynock - rallypanam.com
99 Charlie Rauseo - rallypanam.com
132 James Embro - none
180 Kevin Heath - KevinsMidLifeCrisis.com
242 Scott Whitney / Duane McDowell - HogWildRacing.com
309 Mark Miller - Mark Miller
335 Robby Gordon / Darren Skilton - robbygordon.com
354 Ronn Bailey / Herve Cotel - vanguardracing.com

The Volkswagen team, (AKA Team Mega Bucks). With victories in three of nine rallies entered and a 2005 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup title to defend, the Volkswagen team has more than a few years at it. Volkswagen challenges Dakar with its improved but unproved Race Touareg 2, which is enhanced with visibility, handling, chassis, suspension, engine and transmission and last but not least, improved user friendliness. Volkswagen's almost 100 million dollar commitment could easily fund five NEXTEL Cup budgets in quest for victory in truly only one event. Their 2006 ambition for the Dakar include six Race Touareg's, dozens of support trucks, and countless personnel. American, Mark Miller out-performed another American, Ryan Arciero in pre-Dakar testing. Mark Miller makes his first start on the Volkswagen team after filling in the vacated spot of Robby Gordon. Robby Gordon turned down Team Volkswagen for 2006 and chose to take a different approach to the 9000 kilometer race. Miller joins the capable VW team as well as being a Baja 1000 winner on his resume. Robby’s 2005 Navigator Dirk Von Zitzewitz will be joining Miller in the #309 Volkswagen for 2006.

VW is well prepared and are a threat to win.

Stepahane Peterhansel also thinks so, by stating, "VW will be strong. Volkswagen has several drivers capable of winning. With six entries; We are afraid of their team but we have to concentrate on our race and not make any errors. I think it will be a race of attrition - any driver Making just one error or damaging their car will be out of the running for victory. If we don't make any errors then we won't be far from first position." Stepahane has been there before. The field for a "raid into the extreme" Peterhansel returns to Dakar with the Mitsubishi Team, however; don't discount him. Peterhansel has eight Dakar victories to his name.

The stage has been set and the stories are yet to be told. One thing is for certain, this year's Dakar will excite. Will Robby’s combination prove to be all he calculated? Or will the half-dozen-entry numbers game of the 100 million Dollar mega teams prove to buy… A bitter sweet victory from attrition? We will see it all unfold. The 2006 Dakar begins on December 31, 2005 and ends on January 15, 2006, in Dakar, Africa.

Coverage in the U.S. Robby's effort will be packing no less than 5 on-board cameras! Robby and all the other teams will be on the Outdoor Life Network (OLN). This is over 20 hours of broadcast time!!!

THE WEAPONS OUR WARRIORS USE IN BATTLE

2005-12-24T10:45:00.000-08:00

The Cars (T-1 and T-2) The car category is where the biggest names compete. Colin McRae, Bruno Saby, Stepahane Peterhansel and Jutta Kleinschmidt have all made their marks in Dakar.

The car category is divided into two categories - amateur and professional. The majority of the professional racers have a completely special built from the ground up 4x4 car that is made to mimic a street version from the same auto manufacturer.

Amateurs are mostly privateers with a lot of determination like two time Dakar champ Jean-Louis Schlesser, but generally they are no match for the factory backed teams of BMW, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Volkswagen.

After competing in a Volkswagen last year Robby Gordon returns to Dakar for the second year. It was after the second stage of last year's event Robby made up his mind to be back with his own recipe. This time with his own team entry. The day he arrived home from Dakar in January 2005 Robby got his hands on the FIA regulations. Since then, Gordon has teamed up with Toyo Tires who is aggressively challenging BFGoodrich in the Off-Road tire market. General Motors is backing the American effort with a helping hand - offering up the H3 Hummer as a platform for Gordon. In addition, NASCAR Nextel Cup Series sponsor Jim Beam will enjoy the global audience. While it is Gordon's first attempt as a team owner in the Dakar, his off-road credentials lead him to Dakar. Several of Robby's race prepped trucks are crowding the top of the SCORE Trophy Truck division in the Southwestern United States. Robby Gordon behind the wheel is a Baja 1000 and Baja 500 winner. The effort might not have all the cash and man power that the multi-entry, factory backed teams have, however; Gordon has been racing and winning in the desert since he was fifteen. Robby states, "We have learned a lot in Baja."

Gordon discovered last year with Volkswagen that American Off-road racing technology can and should compete with German off-road racing technology. Gordon is trying to raise the profile of off-road racing to the mainstream racing fans here in the United States. For good reason. There are 75 Million NASCAR fans in the USA sitting on their porch waiting for the Daytona 500.

Due to different thinking and know how as compared to the veteran teams, Gordon will have a much different shock and tire package than ever seen in Dakar. Robby is the type who tends to think even more outside of the box for the sole purpose of exploiting an unforeseen advantage. Furthermore, Gordon's campaign has come together relatively quickly - which makes his entry impressive and will surely cause his rivals to do a double take. Robby's efforts are well within the FIA rules. However; we may have to expect some good'ol belly aching from the competitors when we see his technical combination coupled with his extraordinary driving skills prove out. After all, it's no secret Robby could out drive any driver entered in Dakar with a turkey sandwich in one hand and a Red Bull in the other.

Defining the box- The cars of T-2 consist mostly of four wheel drive vehicles. While Team Dakar USA will not be a 4-wheel drive, their two-wheel drive combination should prove lethal. The H-3 takes advantage of many rule allowances afforded only to two-wheel entries;
Tire diameter H-3 - 37" > Opposition -31" (Advantage Gordon)
Suspension travel H-3 - 20" > Opposition - 10" (Advantage Gordon)
Weight H-3 - 2/3rds of the Opposition (Advantage Gordon)
The H-3's same basic layout is the two-wheel drive combination that has lead Robby Gordon to eight off road championships and several wins in Baja. In fact, Robby had never raced a 4-wheel drive until he suited up for last year's (2005) Dakar.

The "Monster" H-3 is out-fitted with all the high tech goodies that any of the other team's possess. Features such as a full carbon fiber body produced by the F-1 engineering gurus at Menard Engineering Limited. The Body features a full tilt-up rear section covering the engine, secondary spare tire and spare water storage. The body also has doors with sliding glass windows. Furthermore, a windshield with windshield wipers is included for cleaning off dust, mud and a Mitsubishi or two. This Hi-tech skin covers the Robby Gordon Off-Road chassis built in California. The H3 Hummer is powered by a Katech built and UMI Racing mapped 427 CID V8. The big V8 is similar in specification to the engines the factory C6R Corvette racing team has in their arsenal to annihilate their competitors in the 24-hours of Le Mans and Daytona. The engine management software has several different programs to make the most power depending on stage length. Whatever the power may be for that day, it is fed into a 5-Speed sequential Albins/Weddel manual shift transaxle. The "Monster" has a 500 mile range on a single tank of fuel. To make sure Robby's 16 day adventure proves to be a comfortable journey... Believe it or not, even a heater and chilly air-conditioning is standard, just like the Hummer in your driveway.

Pre-Dakar Testing. The Hummer recently proved worthy in its maiden testing sessions in America Southwest, in such places as the unforgiving places such as the Arizona Desert and the vast Glamis Sand Dunes located in California .

Here is your chance to think out of the box. What would your winning recipe be? See the actual FIA regulations;Click Here

WHAT ARE ROBBY GORDON'S ODDS FOR VICTORY

2005-12-23T20:38:00.000-08:00

What are the odds?

A friend I made on Race-Dezert.com sent me an email today. He likes Mark Miller, Dirk, Darrin and Robby a lot. My friend brought up some valid points and questions about Robby's quest I would like to share with the Dakar Spot readers. Then respond to them with follow up from my point of view on the situation. These questions are the biggest questions we are all hearing right now. Everyone is getting so excited prior to the start of the big race. I sure am getting excited.

Statement: "2wd vs. 4wd in the soft stuff... I have driven both types in Glamis. A 4wd with stock tires hardly gets stuck vs. a 2wd with big tires and motor will move well but you have to pay attention nonstop. I predict there will be one incident where Robby will be digging while a 4wd passes him."

Response: Klaus, we will not know until Dakar starts how 2WD vs. 4WD plays out. The big difference from Robby's combination compareded to a regular 2WD Truck with big tires is weight transfer. By having the engine located in the very rear of the Hummer H-3 Robby's car has a large ratio of kilos directly over the rear wheels. Many 2WD Dakar attempts are with a mid- engine combination not a full rear engine location. A mid engine doesn't take full advantage of the 2-wheel drive FIA allowances. Also, Robby will have great flotation with the much larger diameter and14.50 width tire. The 4-wheel drive cars are restricted to a 10.50 tire. Great horsepower in some stages will take benefit of the Toyo's more aggressive tread too. In January he toyed with some tire inflation valve designs and Robby went off in that direction and made some huge filler valves in house. Robby can completely air the tires down for more traction and air back up two tires in less than a minute. In addition, if Robby was to get high centered he has the Howe Hydo Jacks to get unstuck. Another item Robby's Hummer H-3 has to offer is turning brakes. Turning brakes can lock up the inside rear tire and will allow Robby to do snap turns in the sand and on tight corners. In the sand a turning brake is another major advantage, if Robby were to begin digging down in the sand he can rotate the car around and re-take the dune with more momentum or another route altogether. Turning brakes are activated by a hand lever located next to the shifter.

Robby has chosen not to take advantage of an on board rolling inflation system that the FIA allows 2-wheel drive cars., Robby's opponents will see this as a major disadvantage for Robby. Robby will see it as one less thing to go wrong.

Finally, these key elements are what will make the whole 2WD deal an advantage over the narrow tired 4x4. With all his combined play days at Glamis and Dumont sand dunes, plus over a thousand silt wash runs in Baja, Robby Gordon knows his Sand. Maybe the most important advantage of 2WD will be the fact that Robby is arguably the most talented driver in the world operating a rear-wheel drive car on any surface.

Question: "Co-driver. Darren is a super cool guy but a driver by trade. I know he has Africa experience but how good of a navigator is he?"

Response: It's no secret Robby and Darrin are somewhat reserved as to how things will unfold with Darrin taking the navigator seat for the first time. Robby is not the only driver in this year's race in doubt of navigation skills. This is a result of the new rules regarding GPS limitations this year. All drivers are now faced with the same lack of GPS coordinates for the first time in many years. I know Darrin is up for the challenge, and has 25000 miles in Africa as a driver. Many navigators are former motorcycle pilots so I don't find Darrin's driver status to be a disadvantage but an advantage. Plus, Darrin Skilton is multi lingual, and is the US liaison to the ASO; this will play a key element in helping Team Dakar USA navigate the bivouac as well. Darrin and Robby have hundreds of miles together not thousands. However, I think the most important part of being in the navigator role is covered. Darrin is very confident in Robby's skills so the biggest hurdle between driver and navigator has already been leaped, the respect is there. This combination could work out very well for Team Dakar USA.

Statement: "Logistics, VW and Mitsubishi have more people and gear out there..."

Response: The logistics are a huge deal in Dakar. However, Robby has put together one bad to the bone team consisting of 12 "top of their game" team members. The team is comprised of mechanics, fabricators component specialists and a Team Manager. They come from Cart, IRL and decades in the desert. Many of the guys are actual crew chiefs from top professional racing teams like Rahal/Letterman. These guys are looking forward to the challenge while their motor sport is in the off season. They are hand picked by Robby, are the best of the best and will not fail. I think Robby's selection compared to what Mitsubishi and Volkswagen have brought to the table has some major advantages. When you have 80 bodies to keep track of, it can slow things down and cause confusion. Maintaining focus and equality among team members will be easier for Team Dakar USA. I like to compare Robby's team to a Delta Force team whereas; the big teams can be more like an army thus being slower to react and move, perhaps even chaotic. Team Dakar USA has plenty of spare parts to rebuild the entire Hummer 4 times over and still have extras. At the end of the day all the racers have to make it back to the same place before the teams can perform work anyway. The racers must make it back to the bivouac on their own. I don't see team size becoming a winning or losing factor.

Statement: “Well here is my take: RG will win stages early on.”

Response: I’m looking at it in the same way plus more. Robby will take the short stages for sure. Another big Item with Dakar is endurance. Fatigue can play a big factor in this raid. Robby has compared the Dakar Rally to 16 Daytona 500s in a row. I think Robby will not fall off in the later stages. From my experience racing the desert your own car can beat you to death. Robby’s car has forty degrees of steering from lock to lock. This ultra fast steering response will reduce arm pump up. Even more, with twice as much suspension travel as the top teams. Robby and Darrin’s bodies will also experience less beating and banging. Darrin may have a much better advantage as navigator not bouncing around so much. This could be the difference that really shows after stage 8. It will be interesting to hear what Robby has to say at this point in the race as compared to last year’s Dakar.

Statement: "Deep inside I wish Robby will smoke'em and I keep my fingers crossed that he will. I would like nothing more but to see someone try to beat the factory teams with a vehicle built so differently. If he does, VW and Mitsubishi will crap their pants and start thinking outside the box big time! I am German and I understand the culture. I can totally see how they design and build stuff. Lucky I never got fully Germanized. I think I am more Mexican then German..."

Response: The German design reference is spot on; I was a designer for two of the big German automakers for several years (BMW & Audi). The thing that sticks out with me in your statement is that German automakers tend to work on evolution rather than creation. The Porsche 911 is a perfect example. The 911, once basically a bug, has taken sixty years to be one of the most refined cars on the road. Another example is the BMW 2002 introduced in 1972, thirty years later, the M-3 is the best 2 door sedan on the road. I was looking at the VW site and I saw how much effort they put into styling, windtunnel testing and redoing the same formula over again. It will take Robby's combination to prove out before the Europeans rethink their formulas. Infact, this may be the death of the big factory teams due to their huge investment into the point of no return.

"more Mexican then German" Beaner Schnitzel anyone?

Robby's statment at the end of the 2005 Dakar. "It was a good rally. As we left Germany for Barcelona I said that I wanted to win. To achieve this I pushed very hard from the off and had an accident. Afterwards I got really badly bogged down twice and helped Jutta. So we fell way back. But I have learned a lot. Five days ago I was depressed and just wanted to go home. Now I want to return and win."

FLY's Final Thoughts: Robby's "Monster" weapon is like comparing an unlimited class SCORE car to a SCORE production based class 7s. This is why I call the cross country rally cars the Europeans currently build in the T-2 class "A Polished Turd". No matter how shiny the turd is, it's still just a piece of crap. But the big thing going for VW this year is "Increased user friendliness". Start the Race Already!!!

Odds? I call the odds even.

THE WORK HORSES OF DAKAR

2005-12-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

Trucks, (T-4 Class) The trucks are the work horses of the event. In order to keep the crews in reach of their teams the chase vehicles are entered in the Dakar Rally as well. They provide support on the race course for both cars and bikes while they battle for their own title. They transport tires, mobile workshops, tools, spare parts not limited to transmissions, suspension parts, camping gear and even yes, toilet paper. Whatever your driver may need it is on the way. There is several options for teams with the support race trucks. The top teams have team owned and entered trucks and many additional trucks have leased space onboard that support many different teams from one truck. Trucks fall under the T-4 classification and maintain a separate set of regulations. Team Gordon has chosen not to enter their support trucks and have leased space with a top T-4 team. This will allow Team Gordon to keep their support team in top form for the two week event; keeping maximum effort focused on the H-3 weapon.

The present technical regulations govern competitions between 2 to 4-axle trucks. With the exception of the authorized modifications specified in these regulations, the vehicles must comply with a FIA homologation form for Group T4. Optional equipment or additional accessories which do not modify the vehicle's performance are authorized.

Eligible vehicles Series production 2- to 4-axle trucks (chassis-cab) produced by a recognized constructor, with a permissible total laden weight of minimum 3,500 kg and fitted with conventional bodywork are eligible. The competitor is responsible for providing all the proof requested by the scrutineers, such that they may check that the submitted vehicle is or has been produced in series and that it is on normal sale to the public, and is homologated in Group T4.

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS Roll cage Cab: An internal cab roll cage must be fitted. The basic purpose of such a roll cage is to protect the driver and passengers if the vehicle is involved in a serious accident. In addition to the internal roll cage, it is permitted to fit an external roll cage, subject to the following conditions: To the front, no part of the cage may extend beyond the projection of the base vehicle over the ground. No part of the external cage may project beyond the side and the upper extremities of the load-bearing bodywork of the base vehicle. To the rear, no part of the external cage may be located more than 0.5 meters behind the back of the bodywork of the cab.
Load-bearing bodywork: The rear part of the vehicle (the part intended to carry the merchandise) must be reinforced in front (the panel of the bodywork situated behind the cab) by a completely closed roll bar ABCD made rigid by a diagonal AD or BC which must follow exactly the contour of the inside of the bodywork and its minimum height must be at least equal to that of the highest part of the cab or of its external roll bar (air intakes and exhaust outlets are not taken into consideration).
Cab and bonnet lock down Vehicles with tilt cabs must have an additional device which bridges the normal tilt lock mechanism and will prevent cab tilt in the event of that mechanism disengaging. It must be fixed between the chassis and the safety cage or the cabin.
Propeller shaft For each longitudinal transmission shaft over 1 m long, a roll bar or a safety loop made from steel must be installed close to the front extremity.
Wheels and tires The size of the rims is limited to 14 x 20 inches and the total diameter of the wheel when mounted and inflated to 5 bar must not exceed 1300 mm. Split rim wheels are forbidden. It is prohibited to fit any spacers or adaptors between the road wheels and the hub.
Wheel nut covers: Wheel nut covers must be fitted to all wheels if nuts or studs extend beyond the complete wheel.
Wheel balance weights It is prohibited to have removable balance weights fitted to any wheel.
Tires Any tire which the scrutineers consider to be dangerous or in breach of the regulations, for one reason or another, shall be refused.
Spare wheel/tire: Two wheels or two tires, depending on the type of wheels used, are compulsory.
Windscreen and body glazing All window operating mechanisms must function as designed by the manufacturers (e.g. manufacturers' wind-down windows must remain as wind-down windows).
Steering lock Any steering lock system fitted to the vehicle may be removed.
Windscreen wiper and washer All vehicles must be fitted with at least one windscreen wiper and a washer. These must be maintained in a working condition at all times.
Warning triangle This is compulsory, in case of a breakdown or an unscheduled stop. The triangle must be placed on the track, in such a way that it is clearly visible, 100 m before the immobilized vehicle.
Rear view mirrors It is permitted to fit additional rear view mirrors, but the standard mirrors must be retained and kept in working order, at all times.
CHASSIS
Only local modifications of the chassis frame are permitted in order to comply with the safety requirements described in art. 3 of these regulations.
With the exception of the items covered in art. 7.1, the chassis frame must be exactly to manufacturer's standard specification. Manufacturers' options on chassis shape and material are prohibited.
BODYWORK
Cab interior
Door locks must be kept in the unlocked position while the vehicle is on the route.
Seats The occupants' seats may be removed.
Trim Carpet and floor coverings may be removed. Any loose floor coverings must be removed.
Steering wheel A non-standard steering wheel of proprietary manufacture may be fitted.
Pedals The pads of the pedals may be modified as long as this does not involve any lessening to their resistance.
Additional accessories All those which have no influence on the vehicle's behavior, for example equipment which improves the aesthetics or comfort of the cabin (lighting, heating, radio, etc.), are allowed without restriction. In no case may these accessories increase the engine power or influence the steering, transmission, brakes, or road holding, even in an indirect fashion. All controls must retain the role laid down for them by the manufacturer. They may be adapted to facilitate their use and accessibility, for example a longer handbrake lever, an additional flange on the brake pedal, etc. Insulating material may be added to the existing bulkheads to protect the passengers from fire.
Cab exterior
Mudguards All vehicles must be equipped with mudguards on the rear wheels. They must have no sharp edges and must cover the full width of the tire over a continuous arc of 120°. This minimum coverage must be achieved with a continuous surface of rigid material uninterrupted by any gaps, holes, slots or vents. The mudguards must extend forward of the relevant axle centre line in vertical projection. The trailing edge of the mudguard must be no higher than the top of the corresponding rim. The front mudguards will remain those of the cabin of the homologated vehicle.
Winches Only winches, fitted without making any modifications to the structure of the vehicle other than a modification allowing the winch to be attached by means of bolts, are authorized.
Load-bearing bodywork
Outside Only load-bearing bodywork homologated as an Option Variant (VO) is authorized.
Inside The transporting of "merchandise" is entirely the responsibility of the competitor. However, the Scrutineers may check the quality of the load, with regard to safety. The transporting of certain quantities of dangerous materials is governed by official regulations. Any dangerous liquids must be held in tanks similar to those of the vehicle (FT3 1999 safety tank or truck tank).
ENGINE
General With the exception of permitted modifications detailed there under the engine and all ancillaries must be exactly to manufacturer's standard specification.
Engine speed Maximum engine speed may be changed.
Water cooling system The original number of water cooling radiator units must be retained. They must be fitted to their original mounting points on the chassis. However, it is permitted to change the size and shape of these radiators, and associated piping, as long as this does not cause any change in body or chassis shape.
Air induction system The air filter(s) and tubing upstream of it (them) may be modified. No part of the air induction system may project more than 300 mm beyond the side or top extremities of the cab.
Fuel injection system Only the settings on the fuel injection pump may be modified.
Exhaust After the final muffler, the exhaust pipe may be modified. A vertical exit pipe or two at the most, may be installed. The fitting of a particulate filter is authorized but must be submitted to the Homologation and Technical Working Group of the FIA beforehand for approval, with the presentation of a technical dossier drawn up by the manufacturer of the vehicle.
SUSPENSION
Dampers A maximum of four damper units are allowed per axle. Their make and type are free, but they must have no other function than that of dampers. If hydraulic damper units are used, there must be no interconnection between the circuits. The damper supports are free on condition that they have no other function than that of support.
Rigid axles may be strengthened, but in such a manner that the original parts may be recognized. The addition of a reinforcing bar between the front axle and the chassis is authorized.
Springs The number of spring leaves is free.
Travel limitation Travel straps may be fitted. The suspension travel is limited to 300 mm.
TRANSMISSION
Clutch The clutch plates are free.
ELECTRICS
Lighting system All lamps required for normal legal road use must be functional at all times and must not be concealed. The number of headlamps is limited to 8. They must be fitted in accordance with the International Road Traffic Convention, at a maximum height not exceeding that of the lowest part of the windscreen. No lamp other than those provided for by the International Road Traffic Convention and the present regulations may be fitted.
Batteries Vehicle batteries must be to original specification or equivalent. They must not be positioned inside the cab. They must be securely fastened, each battery to be held down by at least two steel bolts of 10 mm minimum diameter. They must be protected to prevent short circuiting of terminals. Batteries must not be visible from outside the vehicle.
BRAKES
Braking system The entire braking system must remain original (except for art. 5.1.1.6 - Pedals). The material and attachment system of the brake linings are free.
WHEELS
Specification These must be of unmodified proprietary manufacture and must be such that no part of a rim or tire fouls on any part of the vehicle under extremes of steering or suspension movements. The wheel nuts and studs must match the wheel rims being used, to ensure adequate fixing strength. Wheel nuts must be of unmodified proprietary manufacture.
Rim dimensions Maximum allowed wheel rim width is 14". Different rims from the original ones may be authorized by the supplementary regulations of the event, according to the type of terrain.
Wheel track and vehicle width
The combination of axles and wheels/tires fitted must not cause the vehicle width to exceed 2,500 mm, nor increase the front or rear wheel track by more than 150 mm beyond manufacturer's standard specification.
TIRES
Specification Maximum permitted section width: 19". All tires fitted to the vehicle must have a tread depth complying with relevant national legal requirements for the duration of the event. Re-cut and/or hand grooved tires are not permitted. Tires fitted must be available through normal retail outlets for all weather use on roads and/or tracks. Special tread compounds and/or patterns are not allowed, nor are any externally applied chemical compounds which may affect tire grip. All tires must have a speed index of "F" or more. No carcass may have undergone serious repairs.
Inflating / Deflating The use of a system for inflating / deflating the tires when rolling the vehicle is in motion is authorized.
VEHICLE WEIGHT
The minimum allowed vehicle weight at any time is the weight of the vehicle, emptied of fuel, without persons, luggage, tools, jack, spare parts, portable survival, navigation or communication equipment, provisions, etc., but with the safety devices, and its bodywork as defined here above. It must not be less than the weight of the chassis-cab homologated, modified by the multiplicating coefficient 1.33.
FUEL TANK
Type Additional fuel tanks are free in respect of capacity. They must be of unmodified proprietary manufacture, of a type normally used in
trucks
Additional tanks (Other than those feeding the vehicle) No reserves containing fuel may be situated on the outside of the vehicle (jerry cans or other cans). Containers for water or lubricants will be tolerated on the outside of the vehicle, must be firmly secured and must not project beyond the perimeter of the vehicle.
TACHOGRAPHS
The tachographs record vehicle speed. Competitors are reminded that any change to the vehicle which may affect the calibration of the tachograph (e.g. a change of tire make or tire size) must be approved by the Scrutineers. It is specifically forbidden to conceal, or interfere in any way with, the approved tachograph or any associated wiring, cable drive or sender units. If any change is made to the vehicle specification which may affect tachograph calibration, or if the system is interfered with in any way, it is the competitor's responsibility to have the tachograph recalibrated and re-certified. Failure to comply with this requirement may cause the vehicle to be rejected at Scrutineering. Competitors are reminded that tachographs are extremely accurate measuring devices.