The Preparation for 2008 Dakar Rally Starts Now!

[Z-06]

Folks, riding on the recent Hummer’s success in the Dakar Rally, I want to take team GM a step further. I have always felt that our pickups are very capable off-roading machines. Just look at those Southern boys lift their pickups to form a formidable off-roader or how the Midwesterners haul the stuff with their four-wheel drives or how the hillbillies like to have mud on their tires of their trucks. As some of you know P-D Rally is where vehicles with steel balls survive, and I definitely think our pickups have more than steel balls.

I want us Cheersandgears.com folks to enter two GMT 900 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Duramax Diesels for the Paris-Dakar Rally of 2008. I know it is going to be a difficult task, but what is the fun when the job is easy to do?

I want to prove the following things:

1. To enter the bastion of European and Japanese geeks who make the world think that they have better off roading prowess.

2. To create a brand name for Chevrolet and hence GM.

3. To be the first American diesel who can kick ‘em all (has CAT or others won it?). (You know it is a Diesel craze in racing)

4. Publicity for Cheersandgears.com

Now, there are two choices that I am going to give you.

1. Smallchevy you are the craziest f*cktard I have seen because ...

2. Let us do it, here is my suggestion …

We will need following things to start with.

1. Two GMT 900s 2500 Chevy Silverado Duramax Crew Cabs with short beds (DUH).

2. Drivers with Endurance Rally skills (which I think we can find them)

3. Bunch of Sponsors (Not many, but may be a few), probably Goodyear (we want their tires), GM of course, if Car and Driver hears it, they may lend us some pie and Csaba Csere and Aaron Robinson to be one team of our drivers, LOL.

4. Good technical/mechanical crew.

5. Good Faith

We have about a year to prove our worth. I know that the heavy duties are not out yet, but so is our plan not finalized too. I am still planning to work out details. However, if you really think this is going to work, we better start brainstorming about it now.

Please let me know guys what you think about this? If not, at least I made folks on this forum laugh on a Sunday afternoon.

smallchevy

[Flybrian]

Smallchevy, you are the craziest f*cktard I have ever seen because this is actually an awesome idea. I'm not sure about all the rules and regulations, but this sounds very ambitious.

What does it take for a grassroots team to enter Dakar?

[Detroit-diesel]

I think this is a very good and doable idea but you need to go smaller Dakar is dominated by custom build trucks and cars. What we need is a Score International team, thats right Baja is the way to go for smaller teams. Sponsors are easier to come by (BF Goodrich will but tires on anything) and they have classes for stock trucks, it can cost more than a $200,000 to build and get a team to Dakar it can be done for $20,000 total (build it, transportation and registration included) for a team racing at the Las Vegas PRIMM 300. Plus the Score International has 6 races a year so if the team is not ready we only have to wait a few months for the next race. Score International website With races right here in the US more forum member will be able to help out and Car and Driver loves small teams racing in the US, plus if we have a problem or need a part were not in Africa and can find an Auto Zone.

[Z-06]

Guys thank you for your input. I think we can do it. We need more ideas to come by. Thanks Detroit-Diesel for the suggestion. I need to do more research regarding the classes and everything. May be a Chevy Colorado with a Isuzu Diesel may be a good thing.

Guys let us brainstorm I think we can do it.

[Detroit-diesel]

I think finding a dealership to sponsor us with a GMT-900 Diesel and contacting product sponsors from there is the way to go. BF Goodrich has tires on almost every truck in the race and Air Hog air filters offers race quality air intake setups to all races, a lift kit from Fabtech or Skyjacker can be gotten on the cheap if they want to sponsor. Shocks are life if you want to ever walk after the race again Billstine, Monroe or Pro Comp (they do wheels, tires and lift kits too maybe a package deal ) Power can easily be added with electronics from Bully Dog or Banks (Banks has a huge diesel racing background) Don't know any Baja style bumpers that can sponsor but off-road lights from KC Highlights or PIAA are easy to come by, they both sponsor Score trucks in different classes oh and a winch kit from Warn. Hope the ideas helped i'v wanted to do something like this for a while so i'll be gald to help in any way I can including co-piloting the truck or helping to build it.