Press Release | March 18, 2019
Yokohama Sonora Rally Update
This is a press release from Yokohama Sonora Rally…
(March 18, 2019) – Tech Inspection went off without a hitch at the 2019 Yokohama Sonora Rally, presented by Method Race Wheels. Race teams trickled in all weekend and finish off Sunday evening with a round of applause at the Racer’s meeting. This year promises to be an exciting event which is venturing into new territory, over new terrain with new partners to see them through. Competitors are promised a rewarding experience, and the lucky few who can contend with the top pilots will face epic battles.
In the Moto class, Dakar stars Ricky Brabec, Garrett Poucher, Scott Bright and 2018 Sonora Rally champion Skyler Howes are battling it out for the podium. In additional to last November’s Baja 1000 victor, Justin Morgan and the 2017 Sonora Rally winner Mark Samuels ready to duke it out for a seat in the winner’s circle. With so many more great racers nipping at their heels. Of the all tenacious riders out on the course, it’s still too soon to say who’s going to nab a free entry to Rallye Du Maroc in October. But the combat will be worth the wait.
Meanwhile, the fight might get ugly among the UTVs, who have no shortage of heavy-hitters themselves competing for the coveted Road to Dakar prize: complimentary admittance to race Dakar in 2020. This is the first year the Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) is offering the award to the Side-by-Side class – a decision shaped by this rapidly emerging trend in North American off-road racing. Keep your eye out for the four-wheeled monsters in the dunes, where cars and UTVs alike will thrash the mountains of sand standing between them and the finish line. There’s a caliber on-course this week which has yet to be seen in Sonora, such as Dave Sykes, George La Monte and Butch Jensen facing new opposition from the likes of Jason Murray, PJ Jones, Christina Giampaoli, Javier Luis Pelayo and Chris Blais, among others.
“This is a seminal year for Sonora Rally. We have a lot of great things featured at this event: new sponsors, plus new terrain and cities to explore. It’s going to be another great adventure for everybody here. And over the next few years, we [the organization] intend to keep refining this competition – expanding further into uncharted domains, literally and figuratively speaking. And we’re working with the locals to make each iteration of the rally better.” – Darren Skilton, Sonora Rally Race Director
Last, but certainly not least, the event introduces the Adventure Raid class – designed for enthusiasts who want to experience Rally Raid without the added burdens of competition. This guided trip is open to street-legal four-wheel drive vehicles such as Jeeps, Raptors, and Tacomas, as well as dual-sport BMWs and KTMs. It’s bound to be a hoot!
VIDEO | 2019 Sonora Rally Preview