In preparation for the 2007 DakarT, Robby Gordon of Team Dakar USA unveiled his revised Hummer H3 race truck for the international media at the Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area near Baker, California last Thursday. In addition, Gordon introduced his navigator for the upcoming DakarT, Andy Grider, a veteran of the endurance rally.
Team Dakar USA competed in the DakarT for the first time in January 2006, drawing attention due to their radically different vehicle which was capable of high speeds across the Sahara desert. Unfortunately, the team eventually dropped out of the race with a damaged radiator after impacting a mound of camel grass.
Learning from past experiences and with the help of major supporters such as General Motors and Toyo TiresR, the team has made significant changes to the race truck. Extensive wind tunnel testing has resulted in major changes to the Menards Engineering carbon fiber body, including a shallow windshield angle and a sloped rear body section resulting in less drag. An onboard tire inflation/deflation system makes it much easier to adjust the air pressures of the 37X14.50R15 Toyo Open Country M/TT tires while on-the-fly. Greater overall speed also comes from a GM Racing LS7 (427-cubic inch V8) attached to a six-speed Albins sequential transaxle. (During the last DakarT, Gordon used a manual shift Albins five-speed transaxle.) Team Dakar USA also improved the cooling system by mounting two Ron Davis radiators in series, making the system less prone to impact damage.
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