Dakar Rally entry list

Could someone please explain to me why so few drivers/riders from the USA enter the Dakar. It has been this way for all the years I have followed it (5 years). For 2010 only 3 bike, 0 quad, 2 car and 1 truck. Economy is bad I know, but it has not been like this for 5 years in a row. That and it's being held in the Americas, so I would have thought more would enter. I have ran this around in my head for some time, but still cannot come up with solid answer. Your thoughts??

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Permalink Reply by Team Maranello on December 30, 2009 at 4:02pm

I believe most Americans don’t like flying over open waters and therefore prefer to compete in Continental United States. The truly debonair ones I believe do cross the border into dangerous Mexico and race in the Baja.

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Permalink Reply by soylent_green on December 30, 2009 at 4:16pm

Although offroading is big in the US, the multi-day "Rally Raid" events are a European phenomenon.

That market is more interested in it, it encourages others to participate in it, and they get nightly coverage on their tely-s unlike the mediocre coverage we get on Versus.

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Permalink Reply by ORG01 on December 30, 2009 at 4:27pm

Okay, I can see that the US is more of a quick and fast and get it done more like the Baja and that it is European. But I would have thought that true offroaders in the US would want the test of a true offroader that the Dakar would provide.

Let me ask you this, if Robby wins this thing do you think that the US would be more likely to jump on board?

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Permalink Reply by Terie (aka vassinvegas) on December 30, 2009 at 4:27pm

I think it's mostly economics. It's hard enough to find sponsor money for races that are well know in the USA. Shipping trucks/cars overseas, not to mention all the support staff needed to race probably makes it out of reach for most US racers. And Rally style races that I watch from Europe just don't seem to catch on here? BTW, not everyone in the US likes off road the way us PlanetRobby people do. It's mostly a west coast-southwest thing. I say that since I've lived in every part of the country but New England and never knew anyone who followed it till I move back here. Not saying there are NO fans but ask a few people you see wearing NASCAR shirts what SCORE, BITD, TORC or Dakar are about. Blank looks most likely.

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Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on December 30, 2009 at 5:07pm

Terie, thats cause it's not out here. I mean I can remember being a kid seeing Ivan Stewart on TV. I remember that Nissan that was in some Chuck Norris movie ( I built a model of it). But where do we see more? Theres no tracks out here. Sure, theres Crandon & Bark River. Those are both in the middle of nowhere. I'd love for some investors to buy some of this land near Chicagoland Speedway & build a shortcourse....If you build it, they will come

Also, I get those blank looks that your talking about all the time. 75% of my friends & co-workers are stick & ball fans. They barely get nascar, much less off road.

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Permalink Reply by Team Maranello on December 30, 2009 at 5:02pm

On a serious note, Dakar is like Tour de France was before Lance Armstrong. Even though Greg Lemond won the Tour de France 3 times, it took a feel good story of Lance to bring TDF into the main stream.

Now imagine Robby 34th in driver owner surviving race to race on the brink of extinctions wins Nacrap championship, there is a feel good story that warm the heart of American and to corporate america, he will be an opportunity to capitalize on. All the networks will be playing Chariots of Fire music and showing Robby rise from the ashes.

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Permalink Reply by ORG01 on December 30, 2009 at 5:22pm

Okay I can see your point, but at the time of Greg Lemond bike races in the US was for kids. Today a very large portion of the US have some form of racing be it NASCAR, Indycar, Baja, local dirt track and follow it. If a driver from the US in a car from a US manufacture and a US team wins a European main event don't you think race fans would not sit up and take notice.

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Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on December 30, 2009 at 5:29pm

Good point about all the other series. It also kinda validates mine tho. Theres a drag strip, 1/2 mi. dirt track, 1 1/2 mi oval, a road course, a go kart track, & a dirt bike facility that all call Joliet home....pretty much all thats missing is power boats, rally cars & trucks. Now the power boats would pretty much have to be in the Chi, but the other 2...

As for the threads main question, why more Americans don't do Dakar...
A few years ago (when it was still all in Africa), I asked Robby if the Dakar was going to be an annual thing for him.
He told me "No, the logistics are insane. I want to win it once though." Obviously the race has changed continents since then,& Rob has invested a lot more time & effort into it. However that mindset may be what holds many back from attempting in the 1st place.

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Permalink Reply by Mike/WC77 on December 30, 2009 at 5:49pm

Allright Sam, with all due respect (& remember I'm sayin with all due respect) where are you from & why are you busting American balls so hard? If your not one of us, how do you know what we care about? & what is it thats been on Speed for 12 yrs?
You are right though, "nothing made it something for Americans to watch"....Robby Gordon is single handedly changing that.
Oh & trust me buddy, if they built a facility in Joliet that held events for SCORE, or TORC, or Rally America....asses would be in the seats.

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Permalink Reply by TOG on December 30, 2009 at 5:58pm

Well, as long as you, me, and dupree all know who RG is, then it's all good.

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Permalink Reply by ORG01 on December 30, 2009 at 6:02pm

Just asked him, sorry Dupree does not know who RG is! :)

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Permalink Reply by ORG01 on December 30, 2009 at 5:34pm

Mike, any idea how much of the logistics Robby handles himself. Rob seems to be a hands on kind of guy, so not sure how much of it he lets others handle?