When it comes to off-road racing, the Dakar Rally is the Super Bowl of events, and the kickoff is set for January 1.
And when Volkswagen factory team driver Mark Miller straps in to his Race Touareg for the 17-day journey across South America this year, he’ll be taking Twitter users along for the ride.
The 32nd edition of the Dakar Rally begins in Buenos Aires, Argentina and spans 17 days and 5,900 miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans across some of the most rugged terrain in Argentina and Chile. The 2010 campaign is Miller’s fourth try at the legendary race and his third as a Volkswagen factory driver.
In 2009, the Volkswagen factory team scored a 1-2 victory in the Dakar Rally with its Race Touaregs in the car class. The German duo of Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz took the win with Miller and teammate Ralph Pitchford (New Zealand) coming in second. With this finish, Miller, a carefree Arizona native, became the highest-finishing American driver in the history of the race. Miller had previously finished fifth in 2006 and fourth in 2007.
“I have been participating in off-road racing of various forms for most of my life, and there’s not a more prestigious or challenging race anywhere than the Dakar Rally,” Miller said. “Volkswagen’s 1-2 finish last year was one of the proudest moments in my racing career, but this year, I’m hoping to land on top and take that feeling of accomplishment to the next level.
“Thanks to modern technology, I’ll be able to give Twitter followers an inside look at my adventure. I’ll be sharing commentary and photos on our experience, and it’s going to be a great ride!”
Fans can follow Miller at www.twitter.com/MarkMillerDakar.
For more race info, check the official Dakar Rally website or the Volkswagen Motorsport site.
iPhone users can also follow all the Dakar action with Volkswagen Motorsport’s free Dakar Rally app.
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