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Tag: Dakar Rally

  • BFGoodrich Tire Designed and Built in the U.S. to Take Center Stage at Dakar Rally

    BFGoodrich Tire Designed and Built in the U.S. to Take Center Stage at Dakar Rally

    Off-road-racing data and engineering drove development 
    of Alabama-manufactured BFGoodrich    ® All-Terrain T/A KDR2+ tire

    GREENVILLE, S.C., Jan. 3, 2019 – Seeking a 15th overall win in the legendary Dakar Rally, BFGoodrich® Tires will be supporting two official partners that will race on a bespoke tire built for the challenges of the course.

    As the official tire of Toyota and Mini X-raid, BFGoodrich will provide tires and support for the teams as they compete in the grueling off-road race that covers more than 3,000 miles in Peru. They will race on the BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A KDR2+ tire, conceived, engineered and manufactured with one goal in mind: win the Dakar with versatility and reliability.

    The KDR2+ tire has completed a journey from concept to production featuring the BFGoodrich manufacturing facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala., which also produces BFGoodrich racing tires for a variety of disciplines, including North American desert and short-course racing. 

    BFGoodrich engineers spent more than a year studying the demands of the Dakar Rally and collected data from past rallies to develop the KDR2+ tire, introduced in 2018. The tire also incorporates tire technologies found in aviation, agriculture, civil engineering, mining and circuit racing.

    The Dakar course is as varied as the continent of South America. It runs through hard-packed dirt, sandy flats, towering dunes, water crossings and loose rock. Drivers go from extreme heat to extreme cold and climb from low to high altitude. A one-dimensional tire won’t survive.

    The KDR2+ tire features enhanced grip and improved steering response and traction – especially on muddy ground – with no detriment to overall performance. The improvements also include a more open tread pattern and reinforced casing. Another notable achievement with the KDR2+ tire is its ability to run on both two- and four-wheel drive vehicles with the same level of performance, regardless of vehicle type.

    This year there will be a new twist to the KDR2+ tire. BFGoodrich is offering the tire in two different compounds. The first option is the medium-compound version, the original compound for the tire. The second is the softer compound, ideal for performance in sand. With long stretches of sand dunes in this year’s course, racers will be able to fine-tune their strategies to select the ideal fitment for each leg of the race.

    “The lessons we’ve learned from decades in off-road racing have led to incremental improvements on our racing tires each year,” said Peter Calhoun, BFGoodrich motorsports manager. “The KDR2+ is the culmination of this experience, and we’re honored to have some of the biggest teams in the Dakar Rally relying on this tire.”

    The 2018 Dakar Rally begins Jan. 6 in Lima, Peru. To learn more about the rally, visit https://www.dakar.com/en. 

    BFGoodrich Dakar History

    BFGoodrich began its history with Dakar in 1993 with Jean-Louis Schlesser, who earned a first-place rally-class finish in the Cross-Country Rally 2WD World Cup. From 1999 to 2018, BFGoodrich Tires claimed 14 more first-place wins as an official tire supplier.

    1993 1st, FIA Cross-Country Rally 2WD World Cup with Jean-Louis Schlesser

    1999 to 2000 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Jean-Louis Schlesser

    2002 to 2003 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi Pajero)

    2004 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi Pajero)

    2005 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi Pajero)

    2006 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Luc Alphand (Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evo)

    2007 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evo)

    2009 1st, Dakar Rally with Giniel de Villiers (Volkswagen Touareg)

    2010 1st, Dakar Rally with Carlos Sainz (Volkswagen Touareg)

    2011 1st, Dakar Rally with Nasser Al-Attiyah (Volkswagen Touareg)

    2012 1st, Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mini Cooper)

    2017 1st, Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Peugeot Sport). Sébastien Loeb and Cyril Despres made it a one-two-three finish for Peugeot Sport/ BFGoodrich®

    2018 1st,the 2018 Dakar produced an all-BFGoodrich podium thanks to Carlos

    Sainz (Peugeot 3008 DKR) and Toyota Hilux drivers Nasser Al-Attiyah and

    Giniel de Villiers

    About BFGoodrich® Tires

    With more than 100 years of heritage, BFGoodrich® Tires is dedicated to providing high performance tires for those who have a passion for driving in virtually any environment. Combining technical expertise with 45 years of motorsports experience, BFGoodrich delivers tires for a full range of driving experiences from ultra-high performance street to off-road terrain with one common theme – extreme performance. Come upgrade your performance with BFGoodrich and see where our tires can take you at www.BFGoodrichTires.com, www.BFGoodrichRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BFGoodrichTires or on Twitteror Instagram at @BFGoodrichTires.

  • BFGoodrich Tires Gives Amateur Racers a Shot at Dakar Glory

    BFGoodrich Tires Gives Amateur Racers a Shot at Dakar Glory

    Tires, registration fees will be provided to winning team for the legendary off-road rally

    GREENVILLE, S.C., May 16, 2018 — BFGoodrich® Tires is giving amateur racing teams a chance to compete in the legendary Dakar Rally. Until June 30, racers from around the world can apply to the BFGoodrich® Good Project for a chance to race in the 2019 Dakar Rally.

    The BFGoodrich® Good Project is a natural extension of the brand’s long-term involvement with the Dakar Rally. BFGoodrich had 14 first-place finishes at the Dakar Rally between 1993 and 2018. The brand has provided support for its racers on the notoriously difficult course, and developed bespoke tires specifically for the race.

    “The Dakar is a legendary and unique off-road event and BFGoodrich is proud to share in its history,” said Harold Phillips, global general manager of the BFGoodrich brand. “This program makes it possible for amateur competitors to have a shot at the Dakar Rally using the same critical equipment that pros bring to the race — an extraordinary set of BFGoodrich off-road tires. This approach brings exciting new competition and enhances the race.”

    To be eligible to win the Good Project, racers must:

    • Never have competed in the Dakar Rally
    • Have raced in a least one FIA semi-professional or professional event
    • Have the financial and technical resources to transport a race vehicle to the rally
    • Make a one-minute video demonstrating their motivation to race

    A BFGoodrich jury will choose an amateur team after reviewing all the videos submitted.  Winning teams must agree to share the values of BFGoodrich, share their journey on social media channels, and race only on BFGoodrich® Tires in the Dakar Rally.

    To read the official contest rules and enter a race team, visit

    http://goodproject.bfgoodrich.com/subscribe.

    BFGoodrich Off-Road Racing History

    BFGoodrich has long used off-road races such as the Dakar Rally as a real-world laboratory for tire development. Whether it’s the Dakar in South America or Baja racing in Mexico, tire performance data are collected and used to advance innovation. The Mud-Terrain T/A® KM3, available in North America starting in June, features increased toughness and traction in mud and on rocks as a result of the hard-knocks lessons that can only be learned in off-road racing.

    BFGoodrich began its history with the Dakar Rally in 1993 with Jean-Louis Schlesser, who earned a first-place rally-class finish in the Cross-Country Rally 2WD World Cup. From 1999 to 2017, BFGoodrich® Tires saw 14 more first-place wins as an official tire supplier.

    • 1993 1st, FIA Cross-Country Rally 2WD World Cup with Jean-Louis Schlesser
    • 1999 to 2000 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Jean-Louis Schlesser
    • 2002 to 2003 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi Pajero)
    • 2004 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi Pajero)
    • 2005 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi Pajero)
    • 2006 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Luc Alphand (Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evo)
    • 2007 1st, Paris-Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evo)
    • 2009 1st, Dakar Rally with Giniel de Villiers (Volkswagen Touareg)
    • 2010 1st, Dakar Rally with Carlos Sainz (Volkswagen Touareg)
    • 2011 1st, Dakar Rally with Nasser Al-Attiyah (Volkswagen Touareg)
    • 2012 1st, Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Mini Cooper)
    • 2017 1st, Dakar Rally with Stéphane Peterhansel (Peugeot Sport). Sébastien Loeb and
      Cyril Despres made it a one-two-three finish for Peugeot Sport
    • 2018 1st, Dakar Rally with Arlos Sainz (Peugeot Sport)

    About BFGoodrich® Tires

    With more than 100 years of heritage, BFGoodrich® Tires is dedicated to providing high-performance tires for those who have a passion for driving in virtually any environment. Combining technical expertise with 45 years of motorsports experience, BFGoodrich delivers tires for a full range of driving experiences, from ultra-high performance on the street to off-road terrain with one common theme — extreme performance. Learn more at www.BFGoodrichTires.com, www.BFGoodrichRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BFGoodrichTires or on Twitter or Instagram at @BFGoodrichTires.

  • Catch up on the stories you missed at the 2015 Dakar Rally

    Catch up on the stories you missed at the 2015 Dakar Rally

    The 2015 Dakar Rally is now complete.  There was a lot to learn on our inaugural trip to South America with Toyo Tires.  With our crews at home and on the ground, we were able to figure some of the behind the scenes workings of the largest motorsport event in the world.

    unnamed (29)BEHIND THE SCENES OF DAKAR TV
    The Dakar, being the Olympics of Off-Road racing, has competitors from every continent. Media coverage at the Dakar Rally has global dimensions as well. As the rally moves from location to location and so does the entire TV production.  The A.S.O. produces its own daily TV program that then gets distributed to various participating countries TV networks. In the US, NBC Sports is the network that delivers daily highlights and updates from the race.  (more…)

  • ROBBY GORDON AND TOYO TIRES SET TO TACKLE THE 35TH ANNUAL DAKAR RALLY

    Charlotte, N.C. (December 4, 2012) – With no desert too large and no mountain too tall, the SPEED Energy HUMMER on victory proven Toyo Tires will once again attempt to conquer the world’s most famous off-road event. The custom-built Dakar HUMMER driven by Robby Gordon and navigator Kellon Walch will tackle more than 8000 Km / 4970 Mi from Peru through Argentina and ending in Santiago, Chile making it the ultimate off-road adventure; the 35th Annual Dakar Rally. (more…)

  • Darren Skilton Pushed to the Finish Line at Dakar Rally

    • After battling an array of issues, Skilton’s team literally pushed him onto the podium to claim his second-place finish.
    • Skilton’s second-place finish in OP1 in limbo while the world waits for a ruling on a technical infraction by the first-place finisher.

    Fort Mill, SC – January 24, 2012. The historic Dakar Rally is not for the faint of heart and veteran driver Darren Skilton, along with navigator Skyler Gambrell, pushed the limits in what some are calling the most difficult course since the race moved to South America in 2009.  The General Tire-sponsored team endured more than 5,590 miles of silt beds, mile high dunes, treacherous mountains, inclement weather and mental exhaustion on their way to a second-place finish.  Just one of 72 teams to finish the race that 171 teams started. This marks the second year running that Skilton finished the grueling pan-American adventure. (more…)

  • Darren Skilton Earns a Well Deserved Break at Mid-Point of 2012 Dakar Rally

    The Revolution VI crossing the Andes into Chile - Dakar RallyAfter days of battling fuel deliver issues that would send most competitors packing, Darren Skilton is finally finding his stride at the 2012 Dakar Rally.  The Stage 7 loop starting and ending in Copiapo covered 417 kilometers with the most sand dunes to date.  Competitors have been dropping out at a rapid rate and Dakar veteran Skilton new that he must merely survive Special Stage 7 in order to ensure the chance of a strong finish at the rally.  This is a scenario that is not foreign to the 17-year racing resident, who is taking part in his ninth Dakar Rally.  Last year the Long Beach resident won the Open Production 2 class in a General Tire-shod Ford Raptor. (more…)