Karolis Raišys, who brought back the Bedouin statue from Dakar this year, tested the "Tractor Dakar" track (VIDEO)
June 21. Karolis Raišys, the only Lithuanian to bring back a symbolic Bedouin statuette from the real Dakar to Lithuania this year, evaluated the race track at the first ever Tractor Dakar in Žasliai (Kaisiadorys r.) on June 21, 2018.
„A very simple track. I want a more difficult one. I want some bigger challenges, – said K. Raišys, adding that maybe it is harder with a tractor. "I haven't driven it before, so maybe it's more challenging to drive it, – said Raišys, who drove almost the entire course in his „Defender“ SUV.
K. Raišys was born in Tauragė, although he considers himself to be from Šiauliai. He welcomes the farmers' initiative to organise a "Tractor Dakar".
"Without agriculture, we would all die out here and no one would be interested in a real Dakar. Everybody would be looking for a turnip to grow instead of going to the Dakar," Raišys said, giving the organisers some advice.
About 20 crews out of the 30 or so expected by the organisers have now signed up to take part in the "Tractor Dakar". The crew will consist of an operator and a driver.
„In a real race, a lot depends on the driver. At least a third of the success, – when asked about the steward's contribution to the success, K. Raišys said. – The other third of the success is determined by the team of mechanics. It also depends on the type of rally. For example, in a medium-speed rally, it is easy for a driver to maintain that speed. ) and „T3 Speed class“ (tractors with a maximum speed of up to 40 km/h)
„There is still a little more than a month to register, so I have no doubt that those thirty crews will be at the starting line“, – said one of the organisers of the „Tractor Dakar“, well-known opinion maker Jolanta Grey (Greiniene).
She is very grateful to racer Karolis Raišys for his comments and advice to make the Tractor Dakar as professional as possible.
On the approximately 48-kilometre-long track, crews will have to check off at four "checkpoints". Finding them won't be easy, as the participants will only receive their road book just before the start. They will be released onto the track every 5 minutes.
Participants will not be able to start with tractors bought with EU funding, nor will they be able to use so-called "green" diesel. Russian and Belarusian-made tractors are also not allowed to compete in this race.
For more information on how to take part in the "Tractor Dakar", and to register for it, visit www.traktoriudakaras.lt
The portal Agrobite.lt and the "Youtube" channel "Agrobite play" are the information partners of the "Tractor Dakar".
