Pro Dakar Rally

[CDA]

Anybody follow the Dakar Rally? We have a couple fast Americans down there, Jonah Street riding a tricked out YZ450F and Quinn Cody on a European backed Honda. Both are from California and after stage 3, Jonah is sitting in 10th overall and Quinn is 13th. This Quinn's first attempt at the Dakar so not bad so far for his first time. Dakar is a long quelling race.

Here are the results after stage 3.

Pos. N° Name Mark Time Variation Penalty
1 2 DESPRES (FRA)KTM 09:38:58 00:00:00-
2 1 COMA (ESP) KTM 09:39:12 00:00:14-
3 11 FARIA (PRT) KTM 09:48:36 00:09:38 00:01:00
4 17 GONCALVES (PRT) BMW 09:49:41 00:10:43-
5 12 RODRIGUES FILHO (BRA)BMW 09:55:05 00:16:07-
6 9 PAIN (FRA) YAMAHA 09:55:19 00:16:21 00:02:00
7 3 LOPEZ CONTARDO (CHL) APRILIA 09:57:19 00:18:21-
8 4 RODRIGUES (PRT) YAMAHA 09:58:19 00:19:21-
9 10 PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP) KTM 09:58:20 00:19:22-
10 7 STREET (USA) YAMAHA 09:59:48 00:20:50-
11 5 CASTEU (FRA) SHERCO 10:00:39 00:21:41 00:04:00
12 8 VILADOMS (ESP) YAMAHA 10:01:01 00:22:03-
13 15 CODY (USA) HONDA 10:07:31 00:28:33-

 

[rezrider]

Anybody follow the Dakar Rally? We have a couple fast Americans down there, Jonah Street riding a tricked out YZ450F and Quinn Cody on a European backed Honda. Both are from California and after stage 3, Jonah is sitting in 10th overall and Quinn is 13th. This Quinn's first attempt at the Dakar so not bad so far for his first time. Dakar is a long quelling race.

Here are the results after stage 3.

Pos. N° Name MarkTime Variation Penalty
1 2 DESPRES (FRA)KTM 09:38:58 00:00:00-
2 1 COMA (ESP) KTM 09:39:12 00:00:14-
3 11 FARIA (PRT) KTM 09:48:36 00:09:38 00:01:00
4 17 GONCALVES (PRT) BMW 09:49:41 00:10:43-
5 12 RODRIGUES FILHO (BRA)BMW 09:55:05 00:16:07-
6 9 PAIN (FRA) YAMAHA 09:55:19 00:16:21 00:02:00
7 3 LOPEZ CONTARDO (CHL) APRILIA 09:57:19 00:18:21-
8 4 RODRIGUES (PRT) YAMAHA 09:58:19 00:19:21-
9 10 PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP) KTM 09:58:20 00:19:22-
10 7 STREET (USA) YAMAHA 09:59:48 00:20:50-
11 5 CASTEU (FRA) SHERCO 10:00:39 00:21:41 00:04:00
12 8 VILADOMS (ESP) YAMAHA 10:01:01 00:22:03-
13 15 CODY (USA) HONDA 10:07:31 00:28:33-

I've been following it for a few years now...Street seems to be stuck on the number "7"...must be his lucky number...I think he's placed 7th on both stages 1 and 2. I like the idea of the same size (output) of bikes, makes for a more competative race/rallye. Sorts out the men from the boys so to speak...

 

[CDA]

Yeah I have watched it for years. I can't seem to get the stupid columns to line up right, so sorry for the eye sore. Maybe he will do a little better on the Yami.

 

[CDA]

In case anybody cares.
Jonah Street moved up to 8th overall, but Cody had a terrible day 5 and dropped to 15th overall.

 

[Agent2]

I watch it and I like the Agentinean / Chilean Dakar better than the African Dakar. Better scenery and none of the banana republic politics getting in the way of racing. Was it Coma that endoed the bike and was dazed for a few minutes, running the wrong way to get his bike? I think we all know that feeling.
The Chilean desert looks awesome, that huge sand dune they rode down at the end of stage 4 (or 5, not sure) was fantastic. One more "to do" when I win the lottery.

 

[CDA]

I watch it and I like the Agentinean / Chilean Dakar better than the African Dakar. Better scenery and none of the banana republic politics getting in the way of racing. Was it Coma that endoed the bike and was dazed for a few minutes, running the wrong way to get his bike? I think we all know that feeling.
The Chilean desert looks awesome, that huge sand dune they rode down at the end of stage 4 (or 5, not sure) was fantastic. One more "to do" when I win the lottery.

I have not had time to watch any of it on TV yet. Damn travel. I with you Agent, I would love to ride down in Argentina and ride the Dakar. That would be one for the camp fire story journal.

Just an update, so I have missed a few rounds. Quinn Cody is up to 8th overall after stage 8. Jonah Street has been having issues on his YZ and was running 14th overall. As of this post, he has not finished the stage yet.

 

[rezrider]

I have not had time to watch any of it on TV yet. Damn travel. I with you Agent, I would love to ride down in Argentina and ride the Dakar. That would be one for the camp fire story journal.

Just an update, so I have missed a few rounds. Quinn Cody is up to 8th overall after stage 8. Jonah Street has been having issues on his YZ and was running 14th overall. As of this post, he has not finished the stage yet.

Sounds like they swapped positions.........I haven't seen yesterdays stage yet.

 

[CDA]

Jonah Street Wins Dakar Rally Stage

American Jonah Street ended his run of bad luck in this year's Dakar Rally in style, the Yamaha rider from Washington scoring the second stage victory of his career today in stage nine to make up for two days of hard luck in stages seven and eight.

Street mastered today's stage, which saw the motorcycles leave in groups rather than one at a time, and he ended up beating Dutchman Frans Verhoeven by three minutes and 38 seconds. Sherco's David Casteu was another few seconds behind in third as non-KTM riders dominated the stage.
"I had to start in the third wave, which was good and bad; good that everyone up front new their position and were taking it easy and I got to charge through," Street said. "The second wave caught everybody in the second to last sand dunes. Then in the last dunes, I think when there were only three bikes in front of me I went over the handlebars hard, straight into the sand, totally unannounced, but I was okay. I got back up and followed them in, because I figured that I started two waves behind them so I was doing alright. Today we didn't have any bike problems, everything went really smooth, so I'm happy. It's awesome. You know what? We've been capable of it all rally, it just hasn't fallen into our plate. It's awesome, totally awesome. It's what we come here to do, to do the best we can and first is the best you can do, so to win a stage pretty special."

Jonah has crawled his way back to 14th overall and Quinn Cody is still sitting in 8th.

 

[Agent2]

Good news for Jonah.
I thought I heard an announcer say that the bikes are limited to a maximum of 450cc's, is this true?

 

[CDA]

Good news for Jonah.
I thought I heard an announcer say that the bikes are limited to a maximum of 450cc's, is this true?

Yes, all the bikes are limited to 450's. The KTM guys detuned or ran limiters on the 990s or they are running 450s this year.

 

[rezrider]

Yes, all the bikes are limited to 450's. The KTM guys on the 990s or they are running 450s this year.

yea, it's detuned mr official inspector, that's the ticket...what's that? oh that's nothing...it's fire extinguisher... yea that's it yea...I don't even know what NOS is mr official inspector...

 

[CDA]

Update - 2 more stages left.

Cyril Despres did all he could in today's 11th stage of the Dakar Rally to claw back some of the time on overall leader Marc Coma. Despres won the stage, his third of this year's rally, beating Coma by two minutes and 12 seconds, but Coma limited the damage in the overall standings where he leads Despres by a healthy 15 minutes and 59 seconds with just a few days to go.
Today's stage offered up some 230 miles of timed section and Despres was the master, gaining back time on Coma - though not enough to seriously worry the Spaniard as the rally starts to wind down in Argentina. Still, the stage win was the 26th of Despres' illustrious Dakar career.
"To succeed, you have to try first, and I'm trying," Despres said. "I'm doing everything I can, everything I know. It has to be said it was a superb special. Even if the time wasn't great, it was a pleasure to ride. In 2007, I won two days before the finish, and if I don't have a hope, it's impossible to ride at speeds like that. I'm still hoping and carrying on attacking. With Marc [Coma], we both ride KTM bikes, which is an advantage. We're quite close, but for the moment, the fat lady hasn't sung yet. There are still two days left."
Third place today went to Chilean Francisco Lopez Contardo, the Aprilia man following the two KTM rivals home. Contardo, however, looked to have the stage won, but a navigational snafu cost him the win.

Yamaha-mounted Hector Rodrigues finished fourth in today's stage and remains fourth overall behind Despres, Coma and Contardo.
American Quinn Cody made up for yesterday's poor result with his best stage finish of his debut Dakar, the Californian finishing sixth in today's 11th stage. He is now ninth in the overall standings.
"I felt really good on this special," Cody said. "This terrain around here is exactly like on the Bajas, only way smoother. The terrain in the mountains was really similar to southern Bajas, so I feel comfortable. Every day, I'm getting more comfortable with the navigation and the road-book. I had a good time today and it was fun. I feel that I can get a good rhythm, read the road-book and ride fast at the same time. It's taken me this long to get comfortable with it, though."
Jonah Street, meanwhile, finished 18th today and is 15th overall after yesterday's stage saw him get lost.
"Today was a great day," Coma, the overall leader said. "It was a hard day, though, and very long with a lot of rocks and dry river beds. In the end, both parts were superb and we managed to ride at a good pace. There's still tomorrow, which will be a hard day, so anything is still possible. Tomorrow evening, we'll obviously be closer to the finish, but I have to make sure I get through the day okay. A calm approach is best: if something happens, then I'll just have to adapt, but if I take things professionally, then it should all be okay I repeat: tomorrow is another long day. We'll see what happens afterwards."

 

[josmoloco]

The new KTm 450... their 690's were great..

 

[rezrider]

The new KTm 450... their 690's were great..

I don't know if it was in CDA's report or if I read it in DB that KTM had initially boycotted the ralley when they learned they were limited to 450's...don't know why they changed their minds...obviously it didn't matter. The redbull team is tough to beat...at Dakar anyways! Cody did great for a rookie. hopefully he'l keep trying like Street. I also hope Cody stays with Honda although I heard the announcers say that KTM may speak to him since he did so well as a rookie.

 

[CDA]

I don't know if it was in CDA's report or if I read it in DB that KTM had initially boycotted the ralley when they learned they were limited to 450's...don't know why they changed their minds...obviously it didn't matter. The redbull team is tough to beat...at Dakar anyways! Cody did great for a rookie. hopefully he'l keep trying like Street. I also hope Cody stays with Honda although I heard the announcers say that KTM may speak to him since he did so well as a rookie.

When the rule first came out, KTM was talking about pulling the plug on going racing. They did run 990s in the past that were de-tuned so they matched the 450s, but this is a prestiges race and I was not surprised when they showed up on their new 450 machines.

Cody - 9th overall and only 6 hrs back from first. Not bad for a debut.
Street - 14th overall which is still good with the bike issues he had.

On a side note, tell me this is not a sweet picture...