Buggyra Is Packed, Koloc Is Happy
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Alea iacta est, in classic terms. This year´s testing is finished, tons of materials are packed, technical acceptance procedure at the Paul Ricard Circuit successfully completed. We are on the way to Marseille in a hope that the ferry will not sink. With a little bit of exaggeration, this is what may come to the minds of the members of the Buggyra Racing team after closing the final stage of preparations for Dakar Rally 2020.
Double Premiere
The Roudnice team with global reach will celebrate two premieres at once. Like all participants of Dakar Rally 2020 the Buggyra Racing team will also have to cope with the unknown racing environment of Saudi Arabia. Unlike its competitors, the Buggyra team will have to learn the new terrain in two categories, in addition to the traditional trucks in the premiere category of Side by Side. “We have packed and shipped eight vehicles. I am tempted to say that the worst bit is behind us,“ states the team manager Jan Kalivoda in this context, heading towards the sixth in a row leadership of his team to and at Dakar. “However, the past five editions of my Dakar experience have taught me that there is the only certainty at Dakar, and that is that before the vehicle reaches the finish of the final stage nothing can be taken for certain.“
What can be said to be certain at the moment, though, is that all eight vehicles, including the two racing specials, will arrive at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia in time and on 1 January 2020 the technology will be accepted without problems. “The vehicles will cover a much shorter distance on sea than in the case of the South American Dakar Rallies. That is why we hope in absence of unpleasant surprises. But even with them we were able to cope in the past,” states the racing engineer Robin Dolejš.
Good Luck Awaits the Well Prepared
As the off-road division was transferred to Spain, the final testing took place at the Pyrenees Peninsula. All evidences that it ended with general satisfaction. “I will race for a third time in succession so I expect to sell my previous experience. On the other hand, all of us will be newcomers in Saudi Arabia. Although I hate to make predictions, I remember that even though all looked easier in the beginning, as the rally was confined to a single country, finally the edition turned extremely complicated from the point of view of navigation in Peru.,“ says Martin Šoltys, who held one of the Top Ten ranks still in the second half of the rally in Peru. The five-fold winner of the four-wheeler category, Josef Macháček, will perform in the Side by Side category in Buggyra colours for the first time in his life as well. “To celebrate a premiere after sixty is a rare experience, isn´t it? I can repeat literally what Martin says. All in all, Buggyra has brought new motivation to me, I feel good. And I know that good luck, so much needed by every racing pilot, awaits the well prepared.“
Boss Is Happy
Also the team boss Martin Koloc “packed his suit” with a feeling of work well done. “Whatever the result was in the past, we always needed the feeling that we did our best to achieve the best possible result. And that is exactly what I feel now.“ Despite that the double European champion in circuit truck racing, who will travel to Dakar for the first time as the tea owner, does not want to plunge into any predictions. “The only thing shared by rallies and circuit races is that in both the disciplines the vehicles have four wheels. Martin is up to a Top Ten ranking, Pepa should in the first place finish the race. But as I say, I feel happy about all this, including the team atmosphere…“.
