Dakar rally pictures

[Paul Danik]

This link has some great Rally pictures, a number of them show the later "orange Pentons"...
Paul

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/01/the_2009_dakar_rally.html

[firstturn]

Thanks Paul.  Some of the best pictures I have seen from one link.

Ron Carbaugh

[Gary Roach]

Thanks for the link, Paul. Very nice photos! Toni and I have been Dakar fans for years. One things for sure, you'll always see something cool and interesting at Dakar.

 
Check out the rear fender tool bag on French rider Thierry Bethys' Honda.





Czech rider Ivo Kastan rode over 1700 miles on his 125cc Pit Bike before developing a severe oil leak on day 4 and had to withdraw from this years Dakar.

[Jeff D]

I noticed a car in one of the photos was listed as driven by "Nani" Roma, former Spanish ISDE Trophy Team and African Dakar KTM rider.  Like Peterhansel, he has gone over to the dark side (4 wheels!)

Jeff DeBell

[Ernie Phillips]

Roma won the event on 2 wheels in 2004 and had come close a couple of times before.  He was a frontrunner on a BMW 900RR when he broke  his leg ...  When you consider the fatal crashes by Dakar greats such as Meoni and Sainct, I think Roma moved to the "Smart Side."    The safety of a roll cage does much to preserve ones ability to race another day.

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[marsattacks]

If anyone happened to see the Sainz (pictured in the first pic of the link) crash aftermath on Speed, in which Carlos Sainz dropped his VW 12 feet down into a blind creek bed -- ending his lead and the race in Stage 12 -- a roll cage would be nice to have.

Click here to see Mars attack:
http://www.ufodigest.com/news/0208/images/marsattacks.jpg

To watch the best parts of Mars Attacks!, click here (9 mins long):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp3llVQh__Q

[Gary Roach]

Here's a link to a video that was filmed just seconds after the crash happened. While they were filming the Sainz aftermath, Roma doesn't see the ravine until the last second and comes to a sliding halt just feet from the edge.

http://player.sbs.com.au/dakar/#/dakar/highlights/latest/playlist/Dakar-2009-Stage-12-Cars/



This video shows the Penton tool bag on the back of Thierry Bethys' Honda. It's the bike that is getting fuel in one of the rear fuel tanks.

http://player.sbs.com.au/dakar/#/dakar/highlights/latest/playlist/Dakar-2009-Stage-13-Bikes/