Team Toyo readies to challenge 9000km of the world’s toughest motorsport – Dakar.
With many weeks of organisation, logistics and preparation under their belts, the New Year’s resolution of Dakar rally drivers is to get their vehicles over the line, come hell or high water.
In four days over 700 bikes, quads, cars and trucks that have been shipped from 51 different countries will begin the first of 14 gruelling competition days.
The 13-stage race route takes challengers over 9,000km of rocks, desert and tough terrain: from Buenos Aires in Argentina, north west through Chile to Iquique in Bolivia.
Bivouacking in front of the Pacific Ocean at the foot of a two kilometre, 30 per cent gradient descent in Iquique, competitors then loop back to Buenos Aires, charging south east via a different desert route, resisting the red mist of the final stages to get home intact.
The race is renowned as a challenge for tyres and mechanical componentry, and the stamina and temperament of teams and drivers.
The Dakar is infamous for breaking the resolve of many of motorsports’ most decorated.
2015 sees the reintroduction of marathon stages for cars and trucks, for the first time since 2005.
Running over two days designed to test the grit of driver and co-driver, they must fight alone against the wilds of the Atacama Desert – isolated from team assistance. Any mechanical malady must be repaired with the driver and navigator’s spare parts and ingenuity.
Following a class win and fifth outright in the 2014 Australasian Safari, Australian driver Adrian DiLallo is currently on the ground in Argentina, readying for his assault on the desert.
In his second Dakar, DiLallo will drive car #407, an Isuzu MU-X prepared in Sydney by Isuzu Motorsports to compete in International T2 class. DiLallo will be accompanied by Harry Suzuki. A legend in off-road racing circles, Suzuki brings the experience of four Dakars to the team.
The #407 MU-X will run on Toyo Open Country A/T II, M/T and the severe service M55.
“I’m back after a one-year break because once you’ve done the Dakar, it gets into your blood,” says Perth-based DiLallo.
“Obviously it’ll be really challenging, but we have the right equipment and a very good chance at placing well in the production class, and we’ll be doing our absolute best.”
Team Toyo’s Guerlain Chicherit will return for his ninth Dakar attempt. Chicherit has joined Team X-Road, driving the #323 buggy. His professional racing record includes three Dakar stage victories and the 2009 rally raid world championship.
Robby Gordon first competed at Dakar in 2006 and has recorded nine Dakar rally stage victories. Gordon has also dominated in North America, most recently claiming the 2013 SCORE Baja 500 and dominating Stadium Super Trucks.
After a storied 2014 attempt, Gordon will run as #308 in a refined version of the HST Gordini.
Both Chicherit and Gordon will rely on championship-winning Toyo Open Country tyres as they race to capture victory in 2015.
Driving a distinctive bright pink Isuzu D-MAX (nicknamed “Zouzou”), also riding on Toyo Open Country tyres, is Catherine Houles and Sandrine Ridet – the only all-female team in the 2015 race.
Houles is a 12-time participant of the girl’s only Rallye des Gazelles (five podiums, victory in 2008) that conquers southern Morocco, is not expecting an easy run.
“It is not going to be easy every day; we are really expecting to have a rough time,” she said.
While the girls say they are aiming for a finish, rather than pushing for the win, the two Gazelles aim to stand out among the male-dominated field with more than just their paint job.
“The message is to show that a gazelle can be successful on the Dakar,” said Houles.
Toyo Tires has also teamed with the off-road racing-dedicated website Race-Dezert. The website will have an independently operating team on the ground to capture photos, videos and stories from the beginning to the end of this legendary race.
The three-man team includes veteran off-road journalist and founder of Race-Dezert.com, Klaus Rasch, and award-winning desert racing photographer/journalist Art Eugenio. Adrian Puente, motorsports coordinator for Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corporation will accompany the pair.
Rasch, Eugenio and Puente will drive a specially prepared 2014 Toyota 4Runner which was shipped to Buenos Aires in late 2014. Modifications include a set of Toyo Open Country tyres to tackle the rugged terrain as well as a Rigid Lights 30” LED light bar, KMC wheels, a Fox Shox installed suspension and Speedstrap recovery straps.
Race-Dezert founder Rasch believes that the collaboration will produce incredible results.
“We have a mixture of Dakar experience, professional photography, superb storytelling, English, Spanish, and German language skills between us – our equipment and vehicle. This group will elevate the Dakar coverage to new levels for Race-Dezert.com.”
Fans can find photos, videos and stories at Race-Dezert.com or the Toyo Tires US website from January 1.
