Dakar VW Touaregs entered in the Baja 500!!

[Sampeter]

If there is any silt, ther toast. Small tires and large bellypans get you nowhere in the powder.

225/75 long trial tires on the class 11, no problem with silt.
I'll be cool to see the first/last on VW tech racing on the same race.

Can't wait!

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[partybarge_pilot]

Yeah, I've seen how an 11 gets through the silt. It has an F350 4X crew cab fallowing it to pull it out every time it gets stuck. Saw this several times last 1000.

[TROPHYSEDAN]

we pulled alot of cars out of the silt bed at last years 1000. all the 11 cars made it through there. just becouse you have a 1 car or a 10 car dont mean you can drive. I think the VWs will do very well in Baja. Best of luck to them. Start the VWs in the back of the field just so they can pass the faster classes.

[Sampeter]

We have passed "big" cars in silt beds on the class 11, and by our own, never had a problem, yet...

[Stover]

The fact that VW is doing this is awesom! Simply put, it adds fuel to the fire. A fire we all love to sit around and enjoy.
Good luck MM.

[class51600]

I love the thread. Very cool. I am an American! The VW platform started 4 wheel racing in Baja and has more class wins than any other mfg! Class 1 doesn’t need to worry, I can assure you we won’t be holding anyone up. See you down there!

Mark there is no dought that you should do well over all, but I still fill that the lack of suspension will be a factor. I just can't see cars with as little travel as what appear to be in VW staying away from the 1's. Once you get out of the nice area at the start and Baja really begins the 1's will go by extreemly fast. I still think you may want to add some rear end tubing. Not sure why SCORE pick going in that spot instead of after the 1's. But I guess I should not start this because the 10's are going to get mad. Just a thought.

[trent06]

It may seem like the limited travel is going to play a huge roll in having the VW's keep up but i see it a little differently, Take a well set up score light and i believe it can keep up with a 10 car with much more travel just about any day. What would be the difference with a well set up Dakar VW with less wheel travel competing with the TT's and the class ones? Mark Miller won Baja how many times in a Prophy Truck with how much less wheel travel then a normal TT? These cars might not compete for the overall but i strongly do believe they will compete with the top 5 class ones and top 5 trophy trucks at the 500 all day long. I do believe that if Mark felt that it was unsafe for these cars to start that high in the field he would tell score. I figure this because Mark does know how fast the TT's and One's run because he has competed at that level and he knows how fast the Dakar VW's run because he has competed in them also. I think this is very good opportunity for the sport to expand and with only allow offroad to become bigger. We will find out come mid June!

[michael_loomis]

assuming the 500 course stays away from San Felipe.. just how many miles of race course do you "suspensionless racecar haters" think the big wheel travel cars have an advantage in (im talking rough stuff here, pure whooped out roads)? Im gonna go with less than 30 miles. So, that leaves 400+ miles of either fast roads, or slow twisty turny stuff. Im sure the VWs top speed and acceleration is not up to TT/Class 1 speed, but pretty close. Throw in the fact that there going to smoke everyone save for maybe 3 drivers in the turns and there running the same check point times.

and how in the world can you overlook Trent06 point about MM kicking everyones butt in the Prophy Truck?? some of you guys are acting like he doesnt have a clue about racing and he's throwing on a firesuit for the first time.. lol

I cant wait till the Vdubs throw down and I get to throw it in the haters faces.. and if they get there butts handed back to them on silver platters, I'm sure I'll have a great excuse

[FlyHiFlyLo]

They will do good... Just not better than RG...

[michael_loomis]

hehe fly.. agreed .. I put save 3 but really theres only 1 driver, lol

Im just curious which will happen first, RG breaking something, or a Vdub on its roof?

one of those three is my pick for overall..