Autoblog UK

The recent Dakar Rally was won by South African Giniel de Villiers ahead of the two Americans, Mark Miller and Robby Gordon. The one-two victory for Volkswagen's Race Touareg 2 was a historic result for the Wolfsburg constructor. Somewhat surprisingly perhaps, Robby Gordon took third place driving a Hummer H3. The second vehicle in the Team USA line-up, driven by Frenchman Eric Vigouroux, also finished the rally, taking 13th place.

Team USA started out with one destination in mind: Buenos Aires. Simply finishing the event was their main objective. Many of the favourites came unstuck on this particular 'Dakar' which was staged in Argentina and Chile for the first time, so Gordon's third-place finish is one more incentive for him to enter next time round as well.

After their success in 2009, Team USA are planning to go into next year's Dakar with a third vehicle. It will be driven by ex-Formula One racer Eliseo Salazar who also competed in the IndyCar Series. Their choice of the 55-year-old was clearly influenced by his nationality: Salazar is Chilean. So they are obviously hoping to benefit from the home advantage factor, because all the indications are that the event will once again be staged in Argentina and Chile. The sheer enthusiasm of the spectators along the course was an unforgettable experience for all the competitors.