Jan 13th Dakar Rally Stage 10 Race Chat

Join us for the Dakar Rally on Jan 13, 2009,right here and chat about the action during the 10th stage

Stage 10 - Tuesday, January 13

Copiapo > Copiapo

Connection: 20 km | Special: 666 km | Connection: 0 km | Total: 686 km
The day’s special is simply the longest and most difficult of the rally. As on the previous day, the competitors will face a series of dunes at the end of the day that stretch over a hundred kilometers. And in this area, even the leading specialists will be faced with something new. The Chilean dunes are veritable mountains of sand, and pilots must learn to climb and descend their sides over more than one kilometer. Another unknown: due to the extreme heat of the region, no one knows exactly how the sand will behave. In any case, remaining clear-headed will be imperative all the way to the end.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by zoomsss on January 13, 2009 at 3:59am

Great pics!!!
Need a 'caption this' on the Robby w/ Eric ones.... I rolled the Monster Hummer, you roll yours? Yep, rolled the crap out of VanHummer too.
Can't tell who's is worse as there's really no pics of Eric's other than the front.

Permalink Reply by zoomsss on January 13, 2009 at 12:58am

Very dry.... I think they said over 200 years of NO rain there.

What's this, it's not even morning here and you guys are yackin' it up already. ;)

It's been figured by 2 peeps already, that 15 minute penalty did NOT carry to OA standings either on Stage 8 or 9, so the Robmeister is penalty free still. Must have been able to contest it?

The more they shorten some of the stages, the videos watched and interviews read, I think they are really keeping a major pile-up of vehicles and bikes from blocking the course, I mean, you really can't throw a red flag on something like this and they sure don't want to be the ones with it on their hands if there's a fatalty for their choices.

I think there's going to be some burned up wind-up cars tomorrow. I'm with Fly, just set back, keep the nav straight and let El Hummer and Robby take care of the rest.

I noticed in the pics I just found, Robby still has the in-cab adjuster on the air inflation for the tires, it's routing of it looks a little different than in past years. I don't know how much they can change in overnight maintenance, maybe a different gear for rearend, but that has to have + and - (s) on these courses as they are so varied.

Permalink Reply by zoomsss on January 13, 2009 at 1:42am

I really don't think it matters to tell you the honesttogods truth, Robby wasn't able to climb the dunes on any of the courses that I could tell, he had to chop them, ride the side of them and hit valleys to get around them.
The heat is supposed to be nasty too, I believe they said in the range 110°, I surely don't want to see Robby or anyone else stuck out in that crap waiting on help.

Permalink Reply by jack on January 13, 2009 at 5:40am

Good morning all.. First news of the day..

READY, STEADY, GO
Good morning and welcome. 329 crews – 142 motos and quads, 109 bikes and 61 camions – have been given the go ahead to start the day’s special stage... The total amount of official withdrawals has been brought up to 188. Initially scheduled to start at 7:05 AM, the first start the day’s special stage i.e. the start of the bike of Dutch rider Frans Verhoeven (KTM) has been postponed by 30min due to heavy fog.

I have no idea if this will automatically make the cars start 30 minutes later.

Permalink Reply by jack on January 13, 2009 at 5:42am

And now for the daily messing with the course..

11:39 - CHANGE OF ROUTE

Due to the low volumes of sand found by those doing the opening checks on the route of the day’s stage, the organizers have decided to shorten the Copiapo-Copiapo loop by 200km. Hence, the contenders will go out of the initial route shortly after passing CP3 and will drive west to get back on the initial route between CP5 and CP6, reducing the journey by about...

Permalink Reply by jack on January 13, 2009 at 5:44am

this might actually be a good thing for the hummer. if they take the section of the race that is between CP3 and CP5. it looks like they took out the fast track stuff..

Permalink Reply by Kevin Meyer on January 13, 2009 at 5:43am

Good morning from the night shift! its only negative eleven degrees here in minnesota so i am ready to follow rob race for the stage win in the desert and wish i was there!

Permalink Reply by jack on January 13, 2009 at 5:45am

well stock the wood stove and keep warm..

Permalink Reply by Christy on January 13, 2009 at 6:41am