We're in Cordoba, Argentina tonight, staying in the local Sheraton. We head out tomorrow at 5:00am, which is in about four hours.
We left the race track bivoauc this morning at 8:00am and headed East on the local highway. The further East we get, the more people come out to see us. We stopped at a gas station today with the four media Touaregs, one of the MAN service trucks, and the three remaining VW race cars. People came out of the woodwork to see us.
I signed at least a dozen autographs, posed for photos with more than 30 people, and let the local kids write their names in the dust on our Touareg.
The off-road portion of the race got underway today at 11:44am. Volkswagen decided to have it's three race cars stop near the beginning of the race so that they could let Robby Gordon go by. Evidently Robby broke something 20km into the race and had to stop and fix it, only to have all three VW's pass him on the side of the course.
By the time we saw the race cars at the half-way point, the three VW's were First, Second, and Third. Robby Gordon was Eighth, but he was by far the fastest through the section we saw.
After we saw the first 10 cars go by we had to head for Cordoba, Argentina, so we hopped in the Touareg and headed East.
I realize that I never pointed out that I have been traveling through South America with Volkswagen Motorsport's Public Relations group. Our 12 person team is driving 4 "service" Touaregs like the ones I sent you in the photos, and we're part of the larger 80 man team that has been campaigning the four race Touaregs at this year's Dakar.
Just to run through the numbers, and give you an idea of the size of VW's Dakar effort, we have:
- 10 journalists
- 4 race car drivers
- 4 navigators
- 4 race cars
80 person support staff made up of team leaders, technicians, engineers, lawyers, and a doctor
- 16 "service" Touaregs (like I'm driving)
- 4 VW Transporter vans
- 8 MAN heavy-duty transport trucks
- 3 MAN heavy-duty race trucks
- 1 MAN Television truck
- 3 person Television crew
- 1 airplane
Our media group is being led by a German guy named Markus, who's roughly my age. Markus is being assisted by a semi-retired VW logistition named Christian.
Christian is a fantastic guy, and he's the one who told me that I spoke the "most American english he had ever heard" last year.
Christian reminds me of someone, and it took my a few days to figure out who. I am now convinced that Christian is the German version of my old boss Rick Pewe. He's relaxed, always on top of things, can communicate with anyone an regardless of language, and he even has the same out-dated cell phone.
Our group of 10 journalists (3 from the USA, 3 from Argentina, 2 from Germany, and 1 from China have had a great time, and I will truly miss them. We have one more night together, and if things go as planned, we'll be celebrating VW's Dakar victory tomorrow night, a victory that's been 6 years in the making.
Wish us luck,
- DavidUPDATE: I'm standing at the finish line. The first motorcycles are coming across the line now. The cars and trucks should be here within the hour. You can track the action live at www.dakar.com.
BREAKING! Volkswagen wins First and second.
P.S. OK, new highlight. Robby Gordon just drafted me on the highway in his Hummer, and then pushed my at 120km/hour down the road!