OREANDA-NEWS. On 20 August 2008 was announced, that Semyon Yakubov made the sensational news public during the press conference which took place on 15 August. In addition to the traditional “Dakar-2009” which will non-traditionally be held in South America KAMAZ-master team will participate in another rally-marathon – “Africa Race”.

The new race the initiator and organizer of which is the former director of “Dakar” Hubert Auriol will take place on the same days and on the same routes on which the official “Dakar” had been held. Even if the organizers of “Dakar” want to come back to the African continent they will be able to do it only in the event if Hubert Auriol refuses to hold “Africa Race” rally. And it will hardly happen – nature abhors a vacuum.

This news was a bombshell for T-4 class racers (trucks), according to Semyon Yakubov. Hubert Auriol – an old friend of KAMAZ-master team – personally invited it to participate in the new rally-raid. Besides our racers, Jan and Gerard De Rooy decided to participate in both races. Over the phone Gerard informed Semyon Yakubov that he would go to South America and his father would participate in “Africa Race”. One can expect that the representatives of “MAN” team and other racers will make the same decision. 

Three KAMAZ crews will go to “Dakar” in South America: Vladimir Chaguin, Sergey Savostin, Eduard Nikolayev; Firdaus Kabirov, Aydar Belyayev, Andrey Mokeyev; Ilghizar Mardeyev, Vyacheslav Mizyukayev and Andery Karghinov.

Two new crews will prepare for “Africa Race”.

The main problem of simultaneous participation in two long races at once lies in financing, according to the leader of the team. That’s why the team is now actively looking for sponsors ready to support the Russian sportsmen. The more so because “Africa Race” can become more prestigious than the traditional “Dakar” which moved to the distant America.

There are four months before “Africa Race” and Dakar-2009. In the meantime KAMAZ-master team will participate in “Desert Challenge” rally (UAE) and the successive stage of the Russian Championship – “Tikhy Don” rally.