Dakar 2013 - Official Event Coverage - thank you ALL TeamF5, lurkers and posters!

[rallyman1978]

My F5 T-shirt from Mr Hayduke turned up this morning

[silentwolf]

Originally Posted by Dread Pendragon

Interview with David Reeve

A great, honest interview. He had some great support from family and friends. The fact that he's got a farm to get back to. I wish him well... I hope he gets his chance to go back.

Originally Posted by Dread Pendragon

Rod conquers Dakar Rally
full story here

More from the Faggoter interview:

Coming back to Longreach and work – he’s a qualified motor mechanic and owns the Centretune Motorcycles business – has almost been an anticlimax. “I was back to work straight away, dealing with the backlog,” he said.


And after reading this, I wonder if maybe there were another way to help support riders: An work exchange program.


While a person couldn't replace a competitor's knowledge or skill, (don't think many could do Pyndon's job, period) I wonder if in some cases a person could spend 2-3 weeks (dude ranch style?) filling in for a rider while they're on the Dakar. It certainly wouldn't work in every situation, but might be a way to ease some stress or an absent body for the self employed ones...


Just a thought.

[ericrat]

You know you miss it! I found about 15minutes of snooker in a VLC file laying around. If you are having snooker withdrawl, PM me for a link.

Eric

[rallyman1978]

[J Lewis]

Posting this here because you guys are really into this stuff and might open my eyes past what I can see.

Lets just say someone asked you this question,"Name the top five best American riders who would have a chance at winning Dakar in the next three years given the right opportunity?"

Rider must be American.
Rider should be capable of winning after a year of learning.
Does not matter who or what the rider is currently doing or riding.

Anyone want to list off five names?

JIMMY

[GalacticGS]

I'll play...

Kurt Caselli
Colton Udall
Taylor Roberts
Russell Bobbit
Nick Fahringer

[HogWild]

I'm not sure just a single year of learning about rally is enough to put someone in a position to win Dakar, unless that whole year was spent doing rally events. I think it would take a bit more than that to get to the TOP with navigation and multi-day rally events. Given that Quinn Cody already has navigation and Dakar experience, and he's fast, I'd have him on the list.

[GalacticGS]

Yep, somehow forgot all about about Quinn. Definitely got to be on the list...

[K_N_Fodder]

Originally Posted by J Lewis

Posting this here because you guys are really into this stuff and might open my eyes past what I can see.

Lets just say someone asked you this question,"Name the top five best American riders who would have a chance at winning Dakar in the next three years given the right opportunity?"

Rider must be American.
Rider should be capable of winning after a year of learning.
Does not matter who or what the rider is currently doing or riding.

Anyone want to list off five names?

JIMMY

I'm as interested in the question as the motives behind it. What are you cooking up J Lewis?

[silentwolf]

Originally Posted by K_N_Fodder

I'm as interested in the question as the motives behind it. What are you cooking up J Lewis?

Ditto That.

[J Lewis]

It is just a question. There may be more to it but speculation just starts rumors and there are no good ones I know of.
Well, I do know a lot of stuff but I'm sure you guys have torn it to shreds in the past 40 pages already.

[Brodovitch]

Originally Posted by J Lewis

Posting this here because you guys are really into this stuff and might open my eyes past what I can see.

Lets just say someone asked you this question,"Name the top five best American riders who would have a chance at winning Dakar in the next three years given the right opportunity?"

Rider must be American.
Rider should be capable of winning after a year of learning.
Does not matter who or what the rider is currently doing or riding.

Anyone want to list off five names?

JIMMY

Kurt
Quinn
Jonah (yeah I know he's retired but IIRC, in his resignation letter he was crystal clear that one of the main reasons for him pulling out was the lack of top-notch factory logistics, support & machinery)

I can't think of two other names that can achieve victory in just 3 years, no matter how talented they are at other racing disciplines.

[ian408]

I think (in order): Caselli, Cambell, Udall. I'd add Street to the list too-in front of Caselli-but retirement is in the way.

[silentwolf]

Originally Posted by J Lewis

Posting this here because you guys are really into this stuff and might open my eyes past what I can see.

Lets just say someone asked you this question,"Name the top five best American riders who would have a chance at winning Dakar in the next three years given the right opportunity?"

Rider must be American.
Rider should be capable of winning after a year of learning.
Does not matter who or what the rider is currently doing or riding.

Anyone want to list off five names?

JIMMY

Destry Abbott is capable, the question is whether he would want to push that hard at this point in his career. Though with his experience he could be a front runner, and it might keep him from making rookie mistakes... A good team candidate in any case.

Nathan Kanney? GNCC mostly, but has been about and might be looking to do something different. Yeah, I'm looking at experience...

While this might be a wildcard, what about Cody Webb? Not sure if he would be up for it, but I think he's a young gun coming up the ranks - definitely has the potential... Especially after reading his interview from KOM. Scratch the wildcard: He could do it. But you should know better than us about that Jimmy...

Kurt C's pretty well spoken for I would think, but he's on my list.

There's someone else that's not coming to mind at the moment...

Unless you're looking for a 'My fair Lady' publicity stunt, then put me on the list...

"you are to stay here for the next six months learning to ride beautifully, like a mule deer in a savanna. At the end of six months you will be taken to Dakar, fully sponsored. If the rally finds out you are not a capable rider, you will be taken to the Eiffel Tower, where your steering head will be cut off as a warning to other presumptuous trailriders! If you are not found out, you shall be given a present of... uh... a finisher's medal to start life within a mechanic's shop. If you refuse this offer, you will be the most ungrateful, wicked rider, and the angels will weep for you." - Prof J. Lewis Higgins.

[Stagehand]

theoretically, NK retired. :( ALthough that doesnt mean he wouldnt try.

I want to talk him into some east coast rallies if nothing else.