Jan 9th Dakar Rally Stage 7 Race Chat

Join us for the Dakar Rally on Jan 9, 2009 , right here and chat about the action during the 7th stage.

Stage 7 - Friday, January 9

Mendoza (ARG) > Valparaiso (CHL)

Connection: 80 km | Special: 419 km | Connection: 317 km | Total: 816 km
The variety of terrains and landscapes, a constant given for the Dakar 2009, is evident once again on this stage, where, in addition to a change of country, most of the competitors will get to know the Cordillera of the Andes. Before measuring themselves with the mountains, they must cross over a series of dunes and endure a session of fesh fesh, which is identical to Saharan sand, but which the inhabitants of the region call “guadal”. Concerning the mountains, this will be the only special to include passageways at 3,000 meters on technical routes that will sometimes allow a glimpse of the Aconcagua, the highest point in the Andes (6,959 m). Then, competitors will cross the border on the link section to reach the sea at Valparaiso.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Capt. Allen"Pez Loco" on January 9, 2009 at 11:15am

Pressure, Pressure, Pressure, and they will crack , mistakes are beginning to show for the VW's.

Permalink Reply by FlyHiFlyLo on January 9, 2009 at 11:22am

Yup....I would wrap them in shrink wrap.

Permalink Reply by Capt. Allen"Pez Loco" on January 9, 2009 at 11:23am

They would hate to see an AMERICAN on top of the leader board, with a 4 million dollar bug. compared to a 80 million dollar bug. Power on team USA.

Permalink Reply by Blues on January 9, 2009 at 11:30am

They need to rest, work on the cars and keep them dialed - no celebrating! This week will be tough.

Permalink Reply by Stickerman on January 9, 2009 at 11:31am

Can you imagine being the underdog every friggin time? It sure appears the route changes are to take away any advantage for Robby! French? Poor losers? Naw couldn't be, could it?

Permalink Reply by Team Maranello on January 9, 2009 at 11:32am

"Now that the first 5 cars have finished the day’s special stage, Spaniard Carlos Sainz (VW) is the provisional winner, 3.41 ahead of his American team-mate Mark Miller and 4.13 in front of another American, Robby Gordon and his Hummer."

I love it when they refer to our guy as Robby and his Hummer, as if they are 2 separate entities. No other driver or machine is ever metioned in this way. Pretty funny, I guess it take 2 animals (1.Robby &2.Hummer) into a Monster.

So the French Math would be: (Robby+Hummer)=Monster. I wonder how they feel about Lance Amstrong coming back. Poor ASO, us Yanks will be the dead of them.

Permalink Reply by Blues on January 9, 2009 at 11:34am

The French press HATES Lance....

Permalink Reply by landshrk on January 9, 2009 at 11:46am

You don't know how right you are!!! I work for a French company that is headquartered in Paris. I visit our global technical center (which is about 2 hr SW of Paris) 6 times a year. I can tell you that if it is not done the Frech "way" it is not done correctly in their eyes. I would love to see Robby overtake all of the frogs so I can smile like a Cheshire Cat the next time I am over there'

Permalink Reply by Zane on January 9, 2009 at 11:34am

Agreed...

Permalink Reply by FlyHiFlyLo on January 9, 2009 at 11:34am

Now it's time to just wait for the front runners to fall away. Robby is sitting really good right now. While the 3 VW guys are duking it out, mainly DeVilliers and Sainz, we will just keep plugging away. This is the halfway point folks. They still have 1650 miles of desert to cross. If anyone of them stops at Denny's for lunch we take another spot.

Permalink Reply by Blues on January 9, 2009 at 11:37am

This weekend alot of the racers will visit 'el Rancho de Mustang'....

Permalink Reply by landshrk on January 9, 2009 at 11:52am

Is that an actuall ranch or S. America's version of the Bunny Ranch? LOL