The 2012 Dakar Rally is going down this month in Argentina, Chile and (for the first time ever) Peru. So what the hell is Dakar? It’s a multi-stage long distance off-road car, truck and motorcycle race that used to be held between Paris and Dakar, Mauritania. Since 2009 has been held in South America due to concerns about terrorism in Africa (but they kept the name Dakar anyway).
Much like its Mexican cousin, the Baja 1000, Dakar is notoriously dangerous for both racers and the alcohol-fueled lunatics who line the courses to get a close-up view of 1000 hp rally trucks at full throttle. So not surprisingly, it’s a treasure trove of great videos. Let’s take a look. Continue reading