Rally dos Sertoes: Mahindra Action Photos, Stages 1 & 2

The 18th Rally dos Sertoes began Wednesday, August 11th with an arena-format, special stage (called the Super Prime) in the Brazilian city of Goiania. From there, the point to point stages have begun.


So far, so good for the Mahindra entries very early in the race. It’s too early to post positions, but here are some great Super Prime and stage photos of the Mahindra trucks in action courtesy http://www.sertoes.com/ and http://www.mahindra.com.br/

I also threw in a photo of one of the big diesel Ford’s racing at the Super Prime for you Ford fans.  Click photos to enlarge.

Mahindra Begins Sertoes Rally, Intends to Race Dakar in 2011

The 15-day Rally dos Sertoes begins today in the wilds of Brazil. Rally dos Sertoes is considered one of the toughest long distance adventure rallies in the world, arguably second only to the Dakar Rally.


Last year, Ricardo “Rasc” Campos, put a lightly modified Mahindra TR20 pickup on the podium in the first adventure rally a Mahindra vehicle has ever competed in (unofficially). Last year’s Mahindra entry was a quickly pieced together effort funded by Rasc, the Brazilian Mahindra factory (Mahindra by Bramont), and Mahindra dealer Mahindra-Govesa. Rasc, his son “Rasqhino”, and their Mahindra TR20 endured 3,100 miles over 11 days to finish third in class. A pretty impressive debut for any nearly stock pickup.

For 2010, a more serious team effort has been put together for Sertoes. Two new Mahindra trucks have been built to compete in the Production class. A Mahindra Scorpio SUV will be piloted by Rasc and again co-piloted by 17-year-old Rasqhino. A Mahindra TR40 pickup will be piloted by off-road racing veteran, Joshua Paniago.

In addition to the two new trucks, it appears that last year’s podium finishing TR20 will be brought back and raced by Felipe Paniago.

Both new race trucks are based on the latest production versions of the Scorpio and the TR40 pickup currently being built in Brazil. Production class rules stipulate that the vehicles retain production powertrain and suspension. Accommodations must be made for standard FIA dictated safety equipment such as a full roll cage, fuel cell, racing seats, and harnesses.

Reports also state that at least one of the trucks (the Scorpio?) has been prepared with Dakar Rally rules in mind. Rasc says that he hopes to race a Mahindra in the 2011 Dakar Rally in January. Sertoes may serve as a pre-run for their Dakar effort.

With proven veteran racer Rasc in the driver’s seat, and a serious two-truck effort (plus last year’s truck), the likelihood of Mahindra’s first ever rally victory is a distinct possibility. MP will follow the action and do our best to translate the Portuguese reports (thank you Google translator). Stay tuned.

Correction: Only two Mahindra trucks have been entered in the 2010 Rally dos Sertoes. Last year’s third place in class Mahindra TR20 pickup is once again being run this year, this time with Paniago/Paniago as driver and navigator. A newly prepared Mahindra Scorpio is being piloted by last year’s third place driver and navigator, Campos/Campos. A third truck noted in the post (a Mahindra TR40) is not being raced.
Source: Mahindra Brazil

Dakar and Mahindra

The 2010 Dakar Rally begins tomorrow, January 1st. The 32nd running of the Dakar will lead off-road competitors from around the world through 14 grueling stages and 5,600 treacherous miles of asphalt, sand, and gravel in the short span of 17 days. This year’s event will cover some of the toughest roads and trails in Argentina and Chile. Volkswagen hopes to dominate with their 300hp TDI powered Race Touareg rally trucks as they did in 2009 and even have an American (Mark Miller) driving one of them. Worth following: Dakar Rally 2010

Anticipation of the 2010 Dakar led me to reflect on the 2009 running of the Rally Dos Sertoes. Rally dos Sertoes is a Brazilian adventure rally regarded by some as the second toughest stage rally in the world behind the Dakar. Last June and July the 2009 Rally dos Sertoes saw 128 competitors navigate 3,100 miles of varied Brazilian terrain from jungle to plains with multiple water crossings mixed in between.

Unique to the 2009 Rally dos Sertoes was the participation of a Mahindra truck privateer effort. The non-factory supported effort was lead by veteran rally driver Ricardo Augusto de Souza Campos (better known as Rasc), and sponsored by Brazilian Mahindra dealer Mahindra-Govesa and Mahindra by Bramont (the Brazilian manufacturer of Mahindra products).

Mahindra-Govesa and Rasc prepared a Mahindra Scorpio pickup (equivalent to the TR20 the US will be getting) for the competitive T2 class for stock production cars and trucks. Class rules require the mostly stock vehicles to be equipped with an FIA legal roll cage, some chassis reinforcement, rally seats/harnesses, and a safety fuel cell. With much surprise, Rasc along with his son (Rasquinho), finished the rally third in class, bettering 65 other vehicles from Ford, Chevy, and Toyota. The Mahindra was 1 of only 29 vehicles in the class who finished the demanding rally.

For a great video summary of the rally and highlights of the Mahindra effort, click on the link to the well done video. Mahindra at Rally dos Sertoes

The Mahindra pickup makes a pretty sweet looking race truck, and it certainly got the job done. There is no Mahindra competing in the 2010 Dakar, but maybe we will see more of Mahindra in international off-road racing in the future. If we are lucky, maybe we will even see a Mahindra pickup prepared for the Baja 1000 next November.

Here’s to a great 2010, and good luck to all the brave souls racing the Dakar and all international off-road racing!

Sources: As Hyperlinked

Photos: www.ZigWheels.com