Jan 12th, 2014 Dakar Rally Stage 7 Race Info & Discussion

Join in and discuss all the action from Stage 7 of the 2014 Dakar Rally. Robby Gordon recorded a disappointing 21st place finish in stage 6, and is now 21st overall. Robby Gordon will begin stage 7 at 7:58am/et

2014 Rest Day Photos

STAGE 7 TRACKING

STAGE 7: SALTA > SALTA

Connection 230km | Special Stage 533km | Total 763km

COURSE OVERVIEW

This mega loop with a 500-km long special stage on the agenda will test the teams’ ability to adapt to changes of pace. After stony terrains at the beginning of the day, some top speeds will be recorded in the second part of the stage, and then the drivers’ road techniques will be tested, and all of this at an average altitude of almost 3,500m. To end this highly emotional day, they will have to cross a vast salt flat extending over twenty or so kilometres: a straight stretch which will make the competitors’ heads spin.

The GREEN section of the route is the connection , the RED is the Special Section of the stage.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Kenyon on January 12, 2014 at 3:58pm

yes

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Permalink Reply by Speed Freak 7 on January 12, 2014 at 4:00pm

Awesome, hopefully it gave they guys a chance to get some rest!

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Permalink Reply by Bob on January 12, 2014 at 3:59pm

The Dakar site shows us finishing 54th today, among the cars.

But yes : Good that we're still in the show !

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Permalink Reply by Mike Kenyon on January 12, 2014 at 4:06pm

27th o/a -7:43:15

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Permalink Reply by J.R. Sands on January 12, 2014 at 4:05pm

Finished, great job !

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Permalink Reply by Speed Freak 7 on January 12, 2014 at 4:06pm

All this talk of "should have done this, needs to race here, should switch to that" is getting a little tiresome! How about we concentrate on what RG is doing now for the next week and worry about next year after the race. The man has a plan and the car ran a year earlier than expected. lets finish the race, find all the flaws and have a kick ass HST for 2015 when the car was originally supposed to debut!

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Permalink Reply by Sumner on January 12, 2014 at 4:08pm

Amen!!

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Permalink Reply by TOG on January 12, 2014 at 4:09pm

The Hummers are gone. They aren't coming back. On to stage 8!

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Permalink Reply by Hendricus on January 12, 2014 at 4:32pm

Tog, I laugh now, every time you say this. I think you've said it 20 times this week.

I don't think some of our fellow Planeteers understand that much of what was the Hummer lives on in the Gordini. Granted, the two cars are not the same in obvious ways, but the things learned running the Hummer provide the data base from which the Gordini is built.

No race car ever, or production car, has ever been a return to something from the earlier years. The world of "the things men build" does not work that way. Technology marches on. Technology always renders what was prior, as obsolete.

Sure, we take little steps backward here and there. For example, Robby looked to the Hummer earlier this week to solve the vapor lock issue. But overall, and specifically in the case of Hummer verses Gordini, the Gordini is - without doubt - the better choice.