Dakar 2011 - Pewano - new brand to hit the Rally Raid market!

Earlier this year media reported that something big was cookin´ in Gothenburg, Sweden, concerning the Dakar Rally and the Rally Raid. And now there is proof to show that Sweden´s first Rally Raid cars are one step closer to be presented in real life. Most likely the first car will be on display sometimes in the beginning of next year. The Pewano XC60 RR, will be a developed and refined version of the predecessor Volvo XC60. 

Pewano is short for Pelle Wallentheim Nordic, the man behind the initiative and team. Pelle has experience from a variety of off road rallies, including two starts in the Dakar rally which should prove his interest and knowledge in how to build a competitive alternative to the Rally Raid, combined with "the safest car" in the world quality. 

The right team and the right components and voilà: Pewano!

Under construction Pewano XC60 RR 

Made in Sweden applies not only to Swedish quality in context of the car improvements, design and engineering, but also to some of the team members. Pelle is getting his troops gathered, among them experienced Olle Ohlsson and Tina Thörner from Sweden. Olle Ohlsson turned the bike saddle to the co-drivers seat a few years back and has a great deal of hard core knowledge from his experience throughout his off road career.

And who could potentially be the driver in Tina´s car...If she were to co-drive? She is the international team co-ordinator of Pewano, with a spectacular background in the Rally Raid and the Dakar as co-driver of Jutta Kleinschmidt, Ari Vatanen, Guerlain Chicherit, Colin McRae, Nasser Al Attiyah to mention a few. 

If everything works out as planned Pewano XC60 RR will be competing in the 2012 Dakar rally.

 Pelle Wallentheim, Olle Ohlsson and Tina Thörner

Competitors of the Rally Raid, watch out for Team Pewano in the 2011 races:

04.2011	Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge	United Arab Emirates
05.2011	Rallye Oilibya de Tunisie	Tunisia
06.2011	Rally TT Estoril - Marrakech	Portugal/Morroc
09.2011	Silk Way Rally	Russia
10.2011	Pharaons International Cross Country	Egypth

Follow the Swedish team development and adventures at Pewano.com!

Adrenaline tips for the weekend!

Dakar 2011 - Book Release "The Dream of Dakar" by Ullevålseter

Norwegian motorcyclist Pål Anders Ullevålseter, who last year finished the Dakar rally at an incredible 2nd place, released his new book The Dream of Dakar/ Drømmen om Dakar as of yesterday.

Read more about the book on Pål Anders´s site or go straight ahead and order it at Aschenhoug & Co,
399 Norwegian crowns!

Pål Anders has been around and knows the deserts and off-road tracks of the world, and I would imagine there are one or two pretty fascinating stories from what he´s experienced throughout the years.

So folks! Go ahead, support Pål Anders and buy his book! And if you don´t know Norwegian, this could be your first step to learn a second language. Actually you get two languages at the price of one, Swedish is similar engough! Buy, buy, buy!

Dakar 2011 - Annie Seel in SvD!

Read Annie Seel in article in Svenska Dagbladet!

Dakar 2011 - Android and iPhone apps!

Word out is that an iPhone app and most likely an Android app will hit the market this upcoming
Dakar rally. Last year the first iPhone app ever connected to the rally was released from Volkswagen. Which caused masses of PR, being historical and all. The story will probably not quite repeat itself this time, even if there is an Android app following along. First app is always the first app.

Last year´s app had some great features aiming to the true hardcore Dakar fans, unfortunately loosing out of the other interesting Dakar characters not supported by Volkswagen, of course. Lets hope for some further developments and not only a copy paste. To reach the wider audience, ultimately, an "overall" Dakar app would be in the ASO interest to develop. Surprise us!

Most likely the 2011 Dakar app/apps will hit the market in the beginning of December. Free of charge or not - time will tell.


Related:
First Dakar iPhone app is here!

TRON Legacy

Anxiously awaiting the start of the 2011Dakar rally? In that case here is something for everybody. The

upcoming premier of the movie TRON Legacy. On December 17th the movie will hit the theaters world wide, and it´s said to take the 3D experience to yet another level, in comparison to Avatar.

TRON Legacy is a sequel to the 1982 TRON movie, which never really did that well at the box office, but did become a cult movie. And just like Avatar, Walt Disney has chosen to show a 20 minute clip world wide, prior it´s release date. And perhaps that´s what it will take to comprehend the actual story and get into the right kind of TRON mode. This will take place on October 28th, from Tokyo to LA.

Movie plot: Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin’s loyal confidant (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous. 

Director of the movie, and debutant on the big screen, is Joseph Kosinski, who´s specialized in computer graphics/ computer imagery work which of course would be needed as the movie takes place inside a computer game. Kosinski has a history of directing a variety of commercials, mostly for the car industry. Take a look at some of his work below. Liked the Chevrolet Clay and Desert H2use in particular. 

• Saab Blackbird
• Chevrolet Clay
• Hummer Selector 
• Desert H2use
• Nike Les Jumelles

Would just love seeing a contribution from this guy when it comes to the Dakarrally. It would be different from what we´re used to. Just imagine a clean Sci-Fi Dakar rally commercial.

Dakar 2011 - Photographer providing pictures from the rally!

Are you in need of photos from the 2011 Dakar rally? Is that the case photographer Jose Villamil could be the one helping you out! Make contact to him at: villamil.jm@gmail.com

Some great pics from the 2010 Dakar rally taken by Jose, to be viewed at his Picasa album, together with some other assume pictures as well.

Nine years later - comeback in Gotland Grand National 2010

So, today I did it, went out in the dirt bike tracks for the first time in nine years. It was a great deal of fun, and the bike was responding as wanted, however, my body didn´t, but by the end of the day - we were doing fine!

A couple of months ago I challenged my boss to enter the Gotland Grand National race, I didn´t really expect him to accept, but he did. First thing was to find him a bike (he has never ever tried mx or dirt bike riding), which turned out to be a match between Peter and him. And a 450 Husaberg found it´s new owner in David, and ofcourse I needed to get myself one aswell, on Friday it happened.

Found the bike on the net, made contact to the seller, which turned out to be one hell of a mx rider who was just using the dirt bike to get som excercise on. Mr G-son. I had never heard of him before... but as motorcycle-knows-it-all Annie Seel helped me pick up the bike called me and said, it´s MR G-SON who is selling and the bike is in super condition. I was really happy to hear that! I mean it´s a bike from 2002... And look at it shining and beautiful.

And today we encountered for the first time, and she worked like a clock. A Suzuki DRZ 400. Just what I needed. A camel. A tanker!!! Will not stop for nothing, and no hussle with gear shifting all the time. Might be carrying some extra weight, but it´s worth it. Last bike I owned was a Yamaha WR 250, but I never became that good of a friend with that one, especially since it was the first bike after the Honda XR 400.

By tomorrow I will be pretty beaten up and sore, but still happy to know that I didn´t forget all about riding, though I was pretty scared at some points. But hey, the Gotland Grand National isn´t due for another three weeks, and the bet is only ONE lap, 22km, and it will be fun to do a comeback without any pressure - just for the fun of it! Hell yeah! Let´s just hope no one catches me like this...

The Dakar 2011 Profile: Argentinean Luis Belaustegui

Name: Luis V Belaustegui

Bike: KTM150cc

Age: 46

Dakar rallies: First time in the Dakar 2011

Family: married with three kids

Offroad/desert rally experience: Rally raid for five years, last rally was Desafio de la ruta 40. Won one of the specials on a GasGas 300cc.

Profession: teacher at UMKC, University Missouri Kansas City

Citizenship: American resident, Argentinean citizen

Goal: To be the first rider to reach the finish on the KTM 150cc

Yet another newcomer to the Dakar rally is about to join, and this is definitely a rider to keep on your short list of the amateurs you will be following. Interesting as few! Argentinean Luis Belaustegui will start the rally on a KTM 150cc, a task no one yet has managed to fulfill, and perhaps it will take someone like Luis to make it happen. He is a teacher and also in  charge of the language lab at University of Kansas City.  

Luis Belaustegui and his three sons

Great mix and a great guy! No one can say Luis didn´t have his fair chance of warning or knowledge of the gruelsome Dakar, since he has followed the Dakar rally closely twice. Last year he was the mechanic of rider no 38: Julian Villarrubia, who ended up on a 64th position. And besides that, Luis has been riding the the rally raid for five years. So it seems as if he is all set to go on the KTM 150 sx. Last year one rider managed to finish four stages on a 150... 

KTM 150cc

Another rider, also joining from Kansas City, is Michael Stanfield who will be riding the KTM 530.The plan for this year is to do a collaboration with a few different riders, as far as assistance goes, parking together at the bivouac and using each others great minds and experience. Sounds like the plan is coming together well.

One thing most people doesn´t know about Luis is that he always keeps his family in mind when he is out on his bike, take a look here:

Luis will be heading to Argentina on the 18th of December! Keep an eye out for this guy!

Hopefully the viewers of Kansas City News Fox 4, and it´s website, will be able to watch Luis in action already this fall, to be sure to make it happen, send TV-reporter Rob Low an e-mail, inquiring about it: rlow@everestkc.net (I am sure he would love to hear there are Dakar fans out there,  eagerly waiting for that news clip on Luis!) 

Dakar 2011 - Private jet, anyone?

Into the Dakar rally, spontanious, great sense of humor 
and with a jet of your own? 

In that case it´s about time to book departure time at your airport! Say leave on Tuesday 3rd of January, in the evening, joining the rally in San Salvadore de Jujuy on the 4th in South America, and perhaps return beginning of week after?

Please give me three hours of notice prior to check-in. Must take leave from work. Airport code Stockholm (ARN).

You provide transport, I provide great company, all the facts of the Dakar, and a bottle of champagne. No sex included.

Sounds like a deal? Get in touch already then!