What Is the Dakar Rally?

When you hear about the toughest, longest and deadliest off-road races in the world nothing else comes to mind than the Dakar Rally Race. This race is a combination of impossible terrain and ridiculous logistics that make it the meanest motor vehicle race on Earth. It is a world class race where competitors from all over the world compete for the ultimate prize. If you are not familiar with the Dakar Rally Race here is what you need to know.

History of the Dakar Rally Race: How Did it Start?

1978-2007: The Dakar Rally Race has taken place (almost) every year since 1978. The multi-stage race would normally begin in Paris France and end about 6,000 miles away in Dakar, Senegal lasting
roughly 16 days. The race became very well known in Paris and vaguely ran the same course up until 2007.

2008: In 2008, the Dakar race was canceled due to some conflict with the Country of Mauritania. Since the country was a major part of the race course, the event was canceled for the first time since
it started in 1978.

2009-2019: Due to the conflict with the country of Mauritania, the Dakar Rally relocated to South America using a route that would go back and forth between Bolivia and Argentina.

What is The Dakar Rally?

Every year hundreds of riders fly to South America to compete in this race that many consider being the most dangerous sporting event in the world. This race is so tough and dangerous that competitors and spectators alike have lost their lives. The Dakar Rally is a weeks-long off-road race where vehicles compete against each other all throughout the landscapes in South America. The terrain these riders go through is much tougher than your average motocross race. The route usually consists of off-road, crossing dunes, mud, camel grass, rocks and much more. Competitors have to follow directions from a road book that just gives them one instruction at a time. Since the route changes every year, the competitors do not know the route until they are on it. The winner of the race gets a $50,000 cash prize but the bigger incentive is an opportunity to have a lucrative sponsorship deal with companies when you have crowned the winner!

How The Race Works:

The Dakar Rally is not your average off-road race as it is one of the most dangerous races you can ever imagine. Nearly 500 racers from all over the world compete in a 14-stage race. Each stage provides some of the most dangerous terrains in the world. The competitors must complete every stage in their class. During each stage, competitors must follow a specific route using a map and at the end, everyone is supposed to end up in the same place. It is not uncommon for competitors to not end up finishing the race because they get lost along the way. If their vehicle gets damaged beyond repair during the race or if the competitor is seriously injured, they must withdraw from the race completely.

What Vehicles can Compete?

There are five main vehicle categories that compete in the Dakar Rally Race rally none of which resemble what we see in American desert racing. These vehicles are custom made to manage the difficult terrain it will encounter in the race. Here are the vehicles that can compete in the race:

Trucks: The trucks that compete are nothing like the normal trucks we see driving around the city. These four-wheel drive trucks are heavily modified for this event making them look more like semi-trucks. Trucks have a co-pilot for navigation throughout the race and a mechanic in case their truck breaks down along the way.

Cars: The cars used for this race are usually the fastest of all the categories. With 350+ HP twin turbo diesel engines, more than 18 inches of ground clearance and every bolt and piece put together from the ground up to survive the race, these cars are much more than just a car. Cars usually have a co-pilot for navigation throughout the race.

Motorcycles: These motorcycles look like dirt bikes or enduro bikes but they’re set up for much longer distances than something you might see at Motocross.

Quads Using a quad for this race is brave because it is just you and the machine with no barrier between you and Mother Nature’s wrath.

UTV’s: UTV’s just recently got their own category in the race. These side x sides are heavily modified to handle extreme abuse and to carry extra fuel, tires, and supplies. Plus having a navigational GPD display is a must.

When is the Dakar Rally Race?

The Dakar Rally Race always takes place during the first month of the year. It starts on January 6th and ends on January 17th. The race is approximately a week and a half long where the competitors work their way through an intensive course and attempt to be the first to make it to the finish line in their category.

Dakar Rally Race 2020:

The Dakar Rally Race in 2020 will officially end its South America Era. The people responsible for the race have made a 5-year agreement and will be relocating to Saudi Arabia. This is a great move for the race because Saudi Arabia can offer 1.4 million square miles of Desert for the Dakar route. This race is getting better and better and we cannot wait to check it out next year.

The Ultimate Off-Road Race

The Dakar Rally Race is the longest and toughest off-road race in the world. This multi-stage race puts competitors to the test in the most impossible terrain imaginable. Competitors prep all year long to have their vehicle survive the race and hopefully be the first to make it to the finish line. Although this race has been going on since 1978, it has been reaching new heights of popularity. The highly anticipated Dakar Rally 2020 in Saudi Arabia will be bigger and better and we cannot wait to check it out next year!

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