Sonora Rally Set To Begin
Cycle News Staff | May 10, 2021
The racers of Sonora Rally are gearing up for what is expected to be another challenging race, especially as temperatures soar. And American Ricky Brabec is all set to defend the race championship.
With nearly 1300 miles ahead of them, participants are in for an exciting—and in May, a bit scorching—competition across the dunes, on the beach and through the ranchlands of this northern Mexican state. On-course, the racers will be free to let loose and hunt for waypoints with either digital or analog maps at their disposal. Some navigators opted for new tech, courtesy of ICO Racing, who have been developing the computerized roadbook, a response to the infamous “Map Men” affair, for several years. The organization welcomed the opportunity to run live trials with these devices considering their close partnerships to prestigious events like the Dakar Rally and Rallye du Maroc who are paying close attention. The success of the “road tablets” could change the procedure, if not the direction, of rally raid as a whole in not too short a timeline.
In the bivouacs and buildings, stringent safety policies have been established to comply with local Covid prevention strategies. It was a necessary feature which enables the competition to carry on in the midst of international, albeit declining, uncertainty. And so far, the flow has been smooth, even swift. The high temperatures threaten to break the willpower of many, but earlier start times, shorter liaison sections and a detour to the Sea of Cortez intend to offer some relief from Sonora’s sweltering conditions. Even if the weather was picture perfect, the Battle of the Titans is inevitable with eight factory vehicles, several Baja champions and a few hometown heroes planning to pull up to DSS Monday morning. With so many great pilots to boast about, it’s barely enough to only announce the most recognized athletes, like new legends Brabec (Monster Energy Honda) and factory favorites Andrew Short (Yamaha) and Skyler Howes (Husqvarna), international all-star Jose “Nacho” Cornejo (Honda) and a long list of desert racing elite, including Justin Morgan (Honda), Wes VanNieuwenhuise (Husqvarna), Kendall Norman (Honda), Jacob Argubright (Kawasaki) and more.
Racing gets underway on Monday, May 10. Keep an eye on CycleNews.com for updates from the event.
For more information, visit sonorarally.com