There are just a few stages left to go in the Dakar Rally. We are still keeping an eye on our American competitors. Ricky Brabec sits second in the standings. Brabec is trying to defend his 2020 title. Brabec needs top finishes in Stage 11 and 12. Brabec’s latest win came during Stage 10. Utah privateer Skyler Howes currently sits 5th in the standings and has a shot at an overall podium finish.
Seth Quintero has been the rising star for the Red Bull Junior Team. Quintero is on track to complete his first ever Dakar Rally. Quintero fought a gearbox issue during stage 10 but never lost his confidence.
“Yesterday was rough. It started off really well, leading the stage and taking over the overall. As soon as all that happened, we had the gearbox let go. We had to get towed back by a T5 truck for the last 300km in the dust. We ended up getting lost, the T5 got a flat and stuck. I lost an upper A-arm, lost a wheel. It was crazy. By the end of it we only had about 20 minutes to get across the finish line or else we were going to get put into the Dakar Experience. I really wanted to fully get that finish and somehow we got it done.” Said Seth Quintero.
Stephane Peterhansel leads the car class for the X-Raid mini team. Nasser Al-Attiyah sits second overall with Carlos Sainz in third. Al-Attiyah finished Stage 10 in second, ahead of Peterhansel and Sainz. The rally will finish this weekend in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, right back where it started.
Images courtesy of the A.S.O.
