Dakar Ford Raptor Team USA Begins the 2011 Dakar Rally
Buenos Aires brought the New Year in with a bang today with the beginning of the 2011 Dakar Rally. Considered one of the top five adventures in the world of motor sports, it is on the Bucket List of every off road racer and race fan. Synonymous with grit, determination, and guts, the Dakar, over the next fifteen days, will demand every thread of character from the four-hundred-plus who crossed through the grand stage arches this afternoon. Celebrating its third year in South America, the rally continues to draw larger crowds and expanded international attention.
At 1837 hrs this afternoon, America’s own Sue Mead and Darren Skilton parked the FabSchool/General Tire Ford Raptor atop the starting line stage and jumped out waving an American flag. To their right was the only other Ford Raptor in the race, along with its pilots Javier Campillay and Pablo Rodríguez. The two teams not only started this 9500-kilometer adventure together, they will be collaborating throughout the race to make sure that both Raptors cross under the checkered flag in fifteen days.
After and early New Year’s night (1am), the morning began for Team Raptor with the regular 0800 meeting where the team manager Darren Skilton shared his thought on the upcoming day and making sure the support crew, Dan Moore and Crew Chief Troy Johnson, we squared away with the route to tonight’s bivouac in Victoria. Breakfast was followed by a comprehensive driver’s meeting at the Dakar Village, and a few hours back at the hotel with final organizing of their MAN 4x4 support truck. About 1600, media guy Chris Collard headed for the starting line at the Obelisk in the city’s center.
The electronic issues of the previous day were behind them and everyone was charged up to jump in the Raptor and make their way through the streets of Buenos Aires.
Troy, who was chief mechanic for the team a decade ago when Sue navigated for Darren in the Dakar to Cairo rally, said “It feels good to be back at Dakar with the team from the 2000. Sue was navigating for Darren on that race. It was really rough go but they learned to work like a well-oiled machine in the process. That race was 7000 miles, this one is about 5000, and we’ve got a great vehicle with the Raptor. In the preparation phase we set the rear differential with an ARB locker, fitted King Shocks at each corner, and wheels from Walker Evans Racing. We chose Cobra seats for and Crow Harnesses because of their reputation for comfort and quality. Under the hood the Raptor is mostly in factory form except for a pair of Odyssey batteries and Royal Purple Racing oil. I’m really excited to be here and thing Sue and Darren are going to do great.”
With an 1830hr starting position, it would be another late night for everyone. The team charged off to Victoria, a 377 kilometer sortie, for the first stop of the race and will continue on to Cordova tomorrow. Stay with us for daily post on Team Dakar Ford Raptor as they make their way to Arica, Chile in the 2011 Dakar Rally