» 2005 RED BULL USA DAKAR TEAM PREVIEW

With the support of Red Bull and KTM the U.S. will see a three year effort undertaken to win the Dakar rally. It’s a huge challenge, but one that has been accepted by a small group of hard core off road/rally veterans. We’ll be posting more about the process as we go along. In the meantime here is an overview of the team selection and training process starting with our mission statement:

Develop an All American team to win the Dakar Rally within three years. Utilize experienced U.S. veteran rider to develop young U.S. Rally talent.  Build awareness and interest in the Dakar Rally in the U.S.

The Selection Process: Team Challenge, July 25, 26, 27, 28, 29/Death Valley, Ca
Jimmy Lewis, one of America’s most successful Dakar Rally competitors ever, has engineered the most true to life simulation experiences anywhere this side of Burkina-Faso. The event is pure and simple a physical, mental and spiritual torture test. Hell on wheels would be a very precise description. Among the many tests our finalists encounter are road book and GPS navigation, extreme distance coverage, African style bivouacs, sleep deprivation and a host of “acid” tests that will absolutely push each individual to his physical and emotional limit. Adding to the scope of this already awesome final event, is the fact that it’s slated for July near Death Valley where daytime temperatures can easily soar to 120-degrees (or more!) - a factor that will bring this challenge and our challengers to the boiling point. This is the single nest way to evaluate U.S. Rally talent. Competitors in this ordeal will be supplied equally prepared KTM motorcycles. 12  hand selected individuals nominated by a panel of experts will be invited to the competition from around the United States. From this event the final team will be selected: two finalists and one alternate. The team will be selected by a panel of judges consisting of Scot Harden, Jimmy Lewis, Danny LaPorte, Joe Barker and Malcolm Smith. Scot Harden will serve as team leader and mentor for the younger riders and in 2005 only as rider of the third bike. This episode will be filmed for TV.

The Team Development Process: The SCORE Tecate Baja 1000, November 2004
Once selected our team will enter the infamous Baja 1000, known worldwide as the granddaddy of all North American Off-Road races. The 2004 edition is slated to follow the classic Baja point-to-point route from Ensenada to La Paz. Competing alongside the Red Bull USA team will be a team of Europe’s top Rally competitors including Dakar champion Richard Sainct. The Red Bull USA Dakar team will use the Baja 1000 as their final shakedown test before the 2005 Dakar Rally. The Baja 1000 will also serve as a backdrop for the big competition between the mighty KTM and Honda factories for outright desert supremacy.

Final Pre-Race testing in Tunisia: The 2005 Telefonica Dakar Rally
Here the team will test the actual Rally bikes, break in engines and undergo final preparations for the race. Each day  for nearly 3 weeks, American fans tune into the Speed Channel broadcast of the 2005 Dakar Rally to monitor the progress of “their” Red Bull USA team. As the final chapter of our story The Dakar is the big payoff for each team member and their reward for a year long sacrifice to make the team and ultimately to get to Dakar. This years Dakar coverage drew its highest ratings ever in America with millions tuning in. Worldwide coverage and interest in Dakar has never been higher as well. This will be the first of a three year commitment by this team to take on Dakar and put an American on top of the podium.

Invitations to be sent to: Kurt Caselli • Mouse McCoy • Casey McCoy • Paul Krause • Jonah Street • Kenny Bartram • Oakley Lehman • Ty Davis • Destry Abbott • Andy Grider  • Larry Roeseler  • Kellon Welch

• Back
• Dakar Overview
• 2005 Red Bull USA Team Schedule

Available PDF Downloads!
• 2004 Red Bull USA Team Autograph Posters
• 2004 Red Bull USA Team Press Kit
• 2004 Red Bull USA Dakar Team Recap