406 cars, trucks, buggies, ATVs and motorcycles set off from Buenos Aires’ dense city center, drifted across dirt roads, flew through grasslands, navigated sand traps and threaded through mountain passes — and that was day one.
While the vast majority of race-hungry viewers across the country watch NASCAR, Indy and the American Le Mans Series, a race of an altogether different kind occurs on another continent — and both death and destruction are almost guaranteed. That race is the Dakar Rally (a.k.a., the Paris-Dakar Rally), where professionals and amateurs alike venture out into the treacherous unknown in all manner of vehicles to see if they can claim the coveted title of one of the most skilled and hard-as-nails drivers the world has ever seen.
182 Timepieces For 6,000 Miles The 2009 Dakar Rally takes place in South America, January 3rd. A 6,000 mile grueling route (see the route) who’s winner won’t be determined until the finish.