Dakar 2012 Stage 6 Cancelled

Due to the bad weather continuing over the Andes Cordillera (rain and snow), the Chilean authorities were forced to close, for the night, the border at Paso de San Francisco, situated at 4700m.

For the 7th time, the Dakar is about to cross over the Andes, and because of very unfavourable conditions, added to the fact that the course has been hit by rain and snow, in order to guarantee the security of the competitors and those following the rally, the organisers have decided to organise a convoy for all vehicles tomorrow. The itinerary has been changed after the border (follow the main road on the right which goes to Diego de Almagro).

http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2012/us/stage-5/live-feed.html

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Permalink Reply by Carl Abrams on January 6, 2012 at 9:06am

So do they caravan to the start of stage 7 today or what?

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Permalink Reply by Carl Abrams on January 6, 2012 at 9:11am

Maybe overnight they can sneak in to the Mini camp and steal their seat belts to use for Tire Tie Downs.

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Permalink Reply by Vlad Rogers on January 6, 2012 at 9:21am

Uh ohhh... Sounds like the conspiracy theorists are up early this morning.... Haha

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Permalink Reply by ROBERT SAVAGE on January 6, 2012 at 9:30am

up before dawn and wondering why. Internal clock I guess !

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Permalink Reply by Carl Abrams on January 6, 2012 at 9:50am

Brain keeps ticking.

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Permalink Reply by laura_a_Robbyfan on January 6, 2012 at 10:46am

wouldn't you know it they cancelled the stage when I get the day off!

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Permalink Reply by Brad on January 6, 2012 at 11:18am

that is funny.

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Permalink Reply by Brad on January 6, 2012 at 10:51am

For the amount of mud that needed to be cleaned off of Nassers car I'm not surprised there was a loose end. Love the break down in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EWua61Hgz2Q Robby talks about 5mins here 12mins there and in the end they have over 25min that is being lost. They still can win this thing especially if no nav mistakes in the big dunes.

Gas On!!

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Permalink Reply by 7gason7 on January 6, 2012 at 10:58am

Brad, don't think mud caused the loose tire. Robby said in the Toyo video that the 300 "G'd" out meaning he landed hard used all the suspension travel and hit the bump stops. The kinetic force generated by the large mass of the spare bent the suport bar that the tire is tied down to:

See picture:

Thie tire then took out one of the driver side coolant lines.

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Permalink Reply by Brad on January 6, 2012 at 11:18am

got it. Nasser is a beast. I think the guy has found a new toy and is crazy about it.

So bigger tire mounting then,,,,wow

Missing the fix of Dakar today....

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Permalink Reply by Tim Nation on January 6, 2012 at 12:32pm

well in the replay he is just lucky he has not done more damage to the hummer so far cause he looked like he came close to rolling it in the video

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Permalink Reply by Scott on January 6, 2012 at 11:56am

Why don't they just run rain tires like they do in NASCAR? Does Nasser get to race in Stage 7 without qualifying for Stage 6 due to rain out? Seriously though, probably a good idea to skip the mountain storm.

Last night after watching Dakar highlights with wife, she found this on You Tube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JihrWE0FJpc
Yes, this is Hanna Barbara's Wacky Races from the late 60's. Sorta like a Bull Run meets Dakar, if you close one eye and squint the other. This is my earliest memories of watching races!