Maybe Argentina, Chile, & Peru should look into overseeing this thing

Maybe Argentina, Chile, & Peru should look into overseeing this thing... There are plenty of RallyRaid races all around the world based on Dakar. If ASO starts scrubbing on fan favorites, they might want to start their own... the only thing ASO owns is the rights to use Dakar in the title, though the government of Senegal might want to look into that as well. Hell, Chile alone could run a rally from North to South & cover far more desert miles. Arica to Tierra Del Fuego with a rest day in Santiago... Longest country in the world & home to some of the driest places on earth... I'm game.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Josh Fisher on January 11, 2012 at 11:36pm

ASO holds more then just the rights to the Dakar name, they hold the History & Prestige. You don't see WRC teams showing up for the Olympus Rally anymore despite it holding a round of the WRC in the 80s, you don't see Euro/Asian factory teams showing up for Baja, etc etc.

Pretty much any Country/Countries around the world could hold a RallyRaid like this but that doesn't mean enough of the top-dogs are gonna shop up to make it worthwhile, heck Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada & Utah could get together and hold a Dakar style event every year for the next 100 years but that doesn't mean it's ever going to gain the history/prestige that comes with the Dakar name (which is ultimately what sells the race to the sponsors that make it possible).

That being said I've always thought a Baja to Western Canada (or Canada to Baja) RallyRaid event would be fun. Or even an Cross Country USA one would be fun but I don't think there are enough natural places for the Specials, especially towards the East Coast (though maybe in the Southeast there is).. Maybe start at the Santa Monica Pier & end on the sands of Daytona Beach with somehow finding a way to have a stop (rest day?) in Indy.

Permalink Reply by Carl Abrams on January 12, 2012 at 11:50am