Updates

Podium Place for EV Racing

13.Jun.2010, 23:22:15

After a surprisingly hard final stage, Eric Vigouroux brings the TOYO TIRES Trophy Truck home in third place in both the stage and the rally overall. The Chevrolet Silverado fitted with 37 x 13.5 R 17 Open Country M/TR not only takes third overall but now takes 1st place in the  Two Wheel Drive Trophy.

Congratulations go also to Novitskiy in the X Raid BMW X3CC, who takes both the rally win and overall win of the 2010 FIA World Cup. Second place in Marrakech went to Novitskiy's X Raid teammate who pushed him hard all the way only relinquishing the lead on the penultimate stage.

However, the final stage had some surprises in store as Eric explained, “Today, the last special of 70 km was not only a formality. Navigation was difficult with plenty of small roads and very narrow sandy tracks. It was stressful, because we could easily make a mistake, but fortunately we had no problems. In the first section, it was easier and faster and we ran at a cool pace, in order to protect our third place.”

Reflecting on their decision to bounce straight into another gruelling race straight after winning a Rally Raid a week earlier, Eric said, “The final assessment is quite satisfying. We took the risks of starting another race immediately after our victory in the 24h Off-Road of Morocco, with a highly reduced team of two mechanics. Compared the budget, our performance in this race was exceptional. We finished right behind two factory cars which were impossible to compete on level terms with. These factory cars are the same ones that were fighting for victory in the Dakar, and it was hard to make better result.”

However, leading the 2 wheel drive trophy after three out of four races is something to celebrate and Eric was quick to point this out, “To be on top of the Two Wheel Drive Trophy make us feel great because it was our main goal. It is a positive indicator because at the moment we are working on a new three year program with a new car. The result obtained here with our Trophy Truck, which has already competed for five years, is heavy and not too aerodynamic, shows that we have progressed by an important margin. If potential investors can support us with the necessary means, we could climb the last steps that separate us from factory teams.”

On top of the leaderboard for the 2 wheel trophy, Eric confirmed their participation in Egypt later this year adding, “Regarding our short term projects, there is no doubt that we will enter the last leg of the Cross Country Rally World Cup, the Pharaohs Rally, in order to assure our top position in the Two Wheel Drive Trophy. And if our partners Chevrolet and Toyo Tires wish, we will also attend to the start of the next Dakar “Argentina-Chile”…”

Eric also praised his two man mechanical team of chief, Bernard Perault and Eric Dello-Zotti. Their dedication, along with the performance of the TOYO TIRES have brought Eric to the head of the 2 wheel drive trophy.



 

No change on the podium

12.Jun.2010, 23:34:31

The final marathon stage of the TT Rally Vodafone finished in the same order as the overall leaderboad meaning overall positions remain the same. A third place for Eric and the Trophy Truck was the best result he could hope for based on the power of the two BMW's ahead of him.

Novitskiy took the win today, his time of 3h27'17'', the Russian Novitskiy more than eight minutes ahead of team mate Filipe Campos in second. As for Eric Vigouroux and Alex Winocq, they finished the special in third place with a time of 3h41''19. Barring an incident in the final stage, their third place overall is almost secured.

Eric explained,"We went out this morning, with some pressure on our shoulders. Maybe we were not awake enough, because once we hit the first dune, we got stuck in the sand. That cost us eight minutes of effort. Then we drove a little edgy, and Alex ''missed''an obligatory passage point. The time to seek, and our main adversary in the standings, the Portuguese Ricardo Leal Dos Santos, passed us. We decided to calm down, concentrate well. From there, things got better, we re-passed Dos Santos, as well as other competitors, and the end of this very nice special ran without restraint or concern."

Sunday's final stage, a loop of 70 km around the mountain roads before the conclusion in Marrakech, will be the final step in this long and difficult rally.

Eric wins stage 8

11.Jun.2010, 16:38:52

After battling the entire length of the special, Eric Vigouroux and Alex Winocq have won the eighth stage of the FIA, TT Rallye Vodafone by 2minutes, 24seconds. This magnificent victory means the TOYO TIRES Trophy Truck now moves up to a very fine third place overall.

Today's special, some 337,1km was a mix of rocky ground and fast flowing sections giving the Trophy Truck the chance to show what it can really do especially on the rough ground. The longer, wide stages are also an opportunity for navigator Alexandre Winocq to put his considerable skill to use. The ability to choose the best route across shifting sands combined with Eric's almost unnatural ability to drive the car differently according to the terrain, were factors in today's win along with the tire performance.

Eric and Alex have pushed the Trophy Truck hard with three marathon rallies one after another. Their car and spare parts availability are stretched beyond their wildest expectation, especially when compared to the fresh and well financed works teams. However, Eric was determined today was to be their day, describing the race to the press after, he explained "At any price we wanted to stay in contact with the BMW's of Campos and Novitskiy.”

Strategy for the team today was to move up the leaderboard and take the third step of the podium overall by the end of the stage. Eric outlined how the special began, "Early on, we kept in touch with the two BMW X3CCs of Campos and Novitskiy. We caught up to the rear of the Portuguese driver (Campos), whose pace had dropped and were able to pass him. Maintaining the same pace, we caught Novitskiy and we rolled together for another fifty miles, fighting like cat and dog.”

The TOYO TIRES Open Country M/TR tires give an advantage on difficult terrain which is outweighed by the superior power of the BMW’s in the faster sections. Eric gave details of how the terrain affected the special, “It was really nice, because with the ground changing from stony to fast, the opportunities between our two cars were balanced.” Eric continued “Then we came upon a great salt lake, where we knew the peak speed of the BMW gave it the advantage. But the stage was far from over, we did not give up, and it paid off when Novitskiy’s pace dropped near the end allowing us to catch up tand pass him on the road, neutralising the two minutes that separated our starts."

With two more days of racing, Eric and Alex are in a good position to earn a convincing result. Eric explained their plan for the remainder of the race. "We will try to maintain our position, but ready to ambush if the opportunity arises. We will not 'bludgeon’ the Trophy Truck, we need to drive at a steady pace to be effective. But we will continue to have fun."

Tomorrow's special is another marathon with 310,8km of timed stage. While Eric says they wont be bludgeoning the car, he is a racer at heart and you can bet they will not be taking it easy. Eric and Alex are only having fun when they are at the sharp end of the race so anything could happen tomorrow.
 

How fast are those BMW's?

10.Jun.2010, 18:01:26

After an excellent days racing, Eric Vigouroux & Alex Winocq fiished third behind the X Raid duo of Campos and Novitskiy. With an 8 minute 11 second gap to today's winner Novitskiy, Eric was left wondering what he has to do to win a stage.

Eric moves to 4th place but doesnt pass overnight target Ricardo Leal dos Santos who finish 4th, 10 minutes behind Eric, not quite enough to overconme the 12minute gap. However, both drivers leapfrog Technosport driver, Hélder Oliveira who drops to 5th place, 29 minutes 32 seconds back from Eric. It leaves Eric still chasing Leal dos Santos if he wants to move up another place, which he surely does because now, just two minutes and 27 seconds stand between Eric and a place on the overall podium.

An early finish today too as the cars set off when any reasonable person should still be in bed. Arriving back at the Er Rachida bivouac just after midday, Eric was scratching his head over losing a little more ground to the BMW's but pleased with their performance. “It was a stage with no special incidents or stops, everything worked well mechanically as in navigation. The first half was fast and easy, and the BMW X3CC's of Campos and Novitskiy profited from their engine power. The second half was rougher, with a large sand passage to cross. The organizer's didn´t let on about all the difficulties of the day's stage and with the high temperature the sand was very soft. We gave ourselves a scare or two in the dunes, but luckily we found ways to escape from the hardest traps at the moment we needed to.”

Reflecting of the might of the X raid BMW's, Eric explained, “The evaluation I can offer of this timed section, is that the actory cars had a clear advantage. The BMW X3 CC of Campos and Novitskiy are similar to the ones of Peterhansel and Roma during the last Dakar, so I feel proud of being among them with our smaller technical and financial means.”

It has been a great race freom the planning point of view as well. Eric was quick to praise the organizer's saying, “Also, I would like to add a word on the organization of this first Estoril- Marrakech: They are faultless. The standards are those of the Dakar, for the sporting isues,  the police and the bivouac. Everything is serious, perfectly organized, but with a good sense of humor and the hospitality that characterizes Portuguese people. I am really impressed by the facilities deployed in holding the event: three helicopters that fly over the special and that often film us... The road-book is also perfect, and we are glad to participate in this race,” concludes Eric.

So, tomorrow, another 300km plus stage to Erfoud and each day the field declines as teh heavy attrition of the course takes it toll. Just 17 finishers today from the 39 cars that took the start in Estoril. Eric is hoping not to be one of the casulaties. Tomorrows stage is another good one for him where driving and navigation skill combined with the right tires for the terrain will give them a chance to stay close to the mighty BMW's. On the other hand, a small technical problem for Eric and Alex could be disastrous as their spares are thinly streched with gaps in the boxes for items already used which cannot be replaced because of budget and time. Eric will be driving fast in the final stages but he will not be 'Banzaiing' the car as he needs toi get to the finsish on sunday to get any sort of result.
 
 

The Trophy Truck starts making sense again

09.Jun.2010, 22:04:47

After a battling three days in Portugal where the Trophy Truck felt like it was stuck in a groove, Eric Vigouroux and Alex Winocq drove  the car to a magnificent second place in today's sixth stage at Merija.

A proper stage, 255,7km long, with fast tracks requiring plenty of navigation and the grip of his Open Country M/TR tires, the run to Er Rachida was like coming home for the team. 

Arriving at the bivouac, an upbeat Eric enthused, “It was a magnificent special, with fast tracks, not too dangerous, not too stony. There was lots of steering, so we profited from the capabilities of the Trophy Truck, and we overtook a bunch of cars."

The day wasn't completely without incident however, a small technical problem meant they were unable to get closer to stage winner Novitskiy who finished 12 minutes, 23 seconds ahead of Eric and Alex. Eric explained, "As we were approaching to the end of the timed section, we saw Novitskiy´s dust from the distance, the only car in front of us. Unfortunately, a vapor lock problem, due to the high temperature (over 45º Celsius) cost us a few minutes 10 km before the finish. A momentary complaint, but it was a good day overall.”

The reason for the problem was clear as Eric pointed out, “As the tracks were fast, we demanded too much from the engine in a place where temperatures are too high, and this caused problems to the fuel pumps."

An ingenious solution to the problem has been developed. Eric outlined the fix, "Tonight, our two mechanics will be working on an 'African cooling system', in order to lower the pump´s temperature using a  windshield washer motor we found here…”

'Bush mechanics' are a feature of endurance Rally Raids and Eric's team have a lot of experience at being resourceful when necessary. 

Eric and Alex have moved up to 5th position overall some 52minutes, 31 seconds behind the leader, Filipe Campos who is himself about 10 minutes ahead of today's winner, Novitskiy.

Tomorrow sees the longest stage of the race, a 338,5km loop from Er Rachidia – Er Rachidia. The stage includes the notorious Merzouga Erg, an area of shifting sand, terrain which is both difficult to read and treacherous to navigate through. The performance of this first day in Morocco is encouraging however and Eric is confident the Trophy Truck can continue to take back positions tomorrow and move up the leaderboard. First team in Eric and Alex's sights is Portuguese driver, Ricardo Leal dos Santos in his BMW X5 who is 12 minutes, 39 seconds up the road in 4th place. 

Where's the gear when you need it

08.Jun.2010, 15:26:19

A day which promised 104,2 difficult kilometers of tricky special for Eric Vigouroux turned into a nightmare when just ten kilometers from the end of the timed stage, the gearbox broke on the Trophy Truck.

Eric describes today's stage, “This special was even narrower than the ones preceding, this time, adding cliffs to them. It was really not made for us. When the gear box broke, we succeeded in obtaining third gear and we managed to finish on petrol vapor, in slow motion”.

Eric didn't blame the gearbox failure on anything but use, adding, "I should say that we demand lots from it since the beginning of the race, frequently using engine braking to slow down. This gear box had already been used in the rally of Tunisia and the 24 Hours Off Road of Morocco. We have a limited stock of spare parts, and we optimize them as best as we can to make them last longer, so it is fair wear and not a reliability problem”.

Now, a broken gearbox is bad enough, it cost Eric and Alex about 20 minutes in lost time but a penalty for having to fix it by the road instead of the service area or missing a key timing in the liaison would be disastrous. Fortunately, Eric's two mechanics, Bernard and (another ) Eric, are made of stern stuff. With Eric able to bring the truck home they were able to replace the gearbox in the proper area in double quick time without incurring a further penalty.

This leaves Eric's overall ambitions for the remaining stages intact. He summed up saying,  “This day started badly, but finally, we got out of it well”

Considering their adversity, they got away lightly, finishing the stage in 27th position, 23 minutes down from the lead. They now occupy  seventh place overall, 56 minutes 17 seconds back. Tomorrows first target however, will be José Dinis Lucas, who is in 6th place 4minutes, 19 seconds ahead of Eric and Alex.

Tomorrow's stage, from Nador-er Rachidia, is a 255,7km special on typical Moroccan courses. Eric and Alex hope to make today's lost time  a distant memory as they head for Merija on challenging course conditions where their skills and the performance of the Open Country M/TR tires can be decisive.
 
 

A Day Out in the Country

07.Jun.2010, 22:01:48

Today, Eric Vigouroux and Alexandre Winocq had one goal, to get to the end of the tight a slippery stage and limit the gap between themselves and the lead after the twisty Portimão special.

As a result, they allowed the two BMW X Raid drivers who started behind them to pass easily when they caught up and focused on their own race. A steady but fast pace limiting the gap before they reach Morocco. While the Open Country M/TR tires worked perfectly, the size of the car and it 2 wheel drive mean they do not expect to head the field until they reach Africa. Once in Africa, Eric announced they would "Unleash the Beast".

Astonished at the pace of the locals, co-driver Alexandre Winocq commented “Here, it was a true test of steering, these narrow tracks are an excellent school to learn how to manage a rally-raid car. You have to see how fast the young Portuguese drivers can go”

At the end of the day, seventh place in the stage and 8th tin the short special around Portimão meant EVR are now in sixth place overall, 32 minutes, 21 seconds behind leader Filipe Campos and nine minutes behind Novitskiy who now sits in third place overall.

On the plus side, Eric and Alex lead the 2 wheel drive category of the race at this stage even before they reach the Moroccan stages. In big picture terms, this is exactly where they need to be.

Tomorrow's stage is the last European one. Just 104,2km lie between Eric and Alex and their 'home' ground, Africa. Actually it a bit more than that as having completed the special, the team has a 350km liaison to the port of Algeciras in Spain. A night ferry crossing to Nador will see the team disembarking bleary eyed early in the morning for a 6.30 start on Moroccan soil
 

A 'Phoney War' and then battle commences

06.Jun.2010, 22:12:31

The 3,8km prologue was a hoot showing the locals who flocked to Estoril from nearby capital, Lisbon exactly what the race machines are capable of. The short course allows spectators to experience the sound and fury of the race in a way that would otherwise not be possible. Eric and Alex finished tenth in the prologue. This might be considered disappointing until you realise it put him just 17 seconds behind leader Novitskiy in his X-Raid BMW.

The main point of this 'phoney war' was to determine the start position for the first stage where battle proper for the rally would commence. The team knew that the first stage was not going to be to their liking being both narrow and technical, neither of which suit a very wide, 2 wheel drive car. Nevertheless, Eric had to drive fast enough to stay in touch with the leaders while conserving the car for Africa.

Sounds easy enough, but driving at speed through forests where big, solid trees are brushing your mirrors, make it somewhat less straightforward to play safe. The open cockpit of the Trophy Truck meant Eric and Alex finished the race with bits of forest in the car with them. We were able to identify Pine, Olive and Oak in the car when cleaning it out. Having driven steadily (but fast), they managed to complete the stage without making any mistakes 10 minutes, 4 seconds behind stage winner Filipe Campos, the Portuguese rally specialist in the BMW X Raid team. Something that couldn't be said for Eric's principal rival Novitskiy who made an error and was passed on the course by Eric.

The net result of these two stages is that Eric now lies in fifth place overall 10 minutes, 18 seconds behind leader Campos  but ahead of Novitskiy whose mistake in the forests cost him dear and now lies nearly five minutes behind Eric in eighth place. While he should be able to overcome this gap in Portugal where his car has the advantage, it shpould make him that much closer to Ereic when the rally hits africa. Ahead of Vigouroux, in second position, the JMB Stradale Mitsubishi Lancer driven by van Loon is looking ominously quick also with Oliveira in the Technosport Nissan hot on his heels in third.

Tomorrow the race heads south to Odelouca with 188,9km of special stage to negotiate followed by a second special of 14,8km once the race reaches Portimão. Like today, these stages are not ideal for EVR but the team will be pushing to stay in touch with the lead.

 

 

All Systems Go

05.Jun.2010, 20:44:21

Having safely negotiated their Trophy Truck and support truck to the start of the race, passed scrutineering and administrative checks, the team is now stickered up and ready to go.

Eric loves racing in Morocco and having won here a week ago, who can blame him. However, he has more on his mind than merely having fun. Vigouroux and the entire team are competitors at heart and he has a grand design at the back of his mind.

Realistically, Eric cannot win the FIA World Cup Championship outright, having encountered a rare mechanical problem in the Tunisia Rally which formed round two of the championship. However, Eric's Trophy Truck is a two wheel drive vehicle and he has a very real chance of becoming the FIA World Champion in the two wheel drive class.

Countless fans on the route of rallies have remarked that they cannot believe a two wheel drive vehicle of such size could possibly be competitive but with the right driver, navigator and tires, EVR have a race winning package. Of course in really heavy conditions, the four wheel drive cars have the edge, but the combination of Eric's ability to read the terrain and drive to it ,plus the exceptional skill of Alex pointing him in the right direction blunt that edge somewhat.

The tires too play a role. Eric's TOYO TIRES are the most reliable race tires he has ever used. Since switching to Open Country M/TR, EV Racing have almost forgotten how to spell the word puncture. Not only are the tires incredibly strong,  they also give superb performance across a range of different terrain so Eric always has the right tire for the job. What's more, and this gladdens a sponsors heart, he doesn't use many of them because ice ages come and go quicker than Eric's Tires run out*

Eight stages and over 2.000km stand between Eric and his hopes of potentially lifting the World crown. later this year Three in Portugal and five in Morocco. The stages in Portugal are tight and favour the pure rally driving skills and 4 wheel drive cars so Eric expects a quiet start. The ideal situation is to not lose too much time between the lead in Portugal. Once the rally hits Morocco, the aforementioned driving and navigating skills should propel Eric to stage wins and a potential victory.

Tomorrow starts with a 3,8km prologue lap around Estoril before stage one proper, a 170.8km technical and narrow course which he knows will not favour the leviathon Trophy Truck. nevertheless, Eric will be firing on all cylinders to get his car as high up the leaderboard as possible.

*Not really, but they do last an incredibly long time.

 

The Marrakech Express

04.Jun.2010, 09:50:33

Eric Vigouroux Racing continue their marathon tour of Africa with a second visit to Marrakech now in prospect after making a last minute entry to the Rally TT Vodaphone. Hot on the heels of their epic victory in the 24Hours of Morocco last Friday, team principal Vigouroux decided to challenge the team once more before he finally parks the car up for the last time. The Trophy Truck which was due to retire after the Morocco rally will now retire after it reaches Morocco once again (possibly).

However Eric and the team now have to work fast as they need to get team and vehicles to Estoril, near the capital of Portugal in time for scrutineering on Saturday morning, tomorrow! After rushing like an express train to be in position for the start*, Eric and the team will need to go like an express train in the race too as they will be facing the might of top teams such as X-Raid and top drivers such as Novitskiy who leads the FIA World Cup for Cross Country rallies.

All the key ingredients of the team are assembled, the Trophy Truck in in good condition after its recent all conquering performance, navigator Alexandre Winocq will be in the second seat and TOYO TIRES will grace the wheels for the entire rally. As usual 37 x 13.5 R 17 Open Country M/TR tires will be used.

Having brought the Trophy Truck back from Marrakech just a week ago, Eric will be heading back there again as it is the conclusion of this rally which is the third round of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country rallies. Starting in Estoril the rally moves to Portimao and then on into Morocco culminating at Marrakech on June 13.

Follow the rally with all the latest news each day by clicking here

*Not breaking any speed limits, neither Eric nor TOYO TIRES condone speeding or dangerous driving.

Four Tops

28.May.2010, 23:53:06

Eric Vigouroux and Alexandre Winocq made it four out of four wins to take the overall victory in the 24H Off Road of Morocco.

A simply stunning achievement, unprecedented in recent Rally raid history. The team dominated the rally from the start and were the team to beat throughout the rally although no one did.

Today's stage was a 39,5km lap near Ouarzazate commenced with a gentle breeze blowing. An advantage for the team since it was just strong enough to clear the open cockpit of the Trophy Truck of sand and dust. Conditions were perfect, Eric and Alex were in good shape and the car and tires continued to run smoothly.

Eric knew that it was his race to win or lose today and in the event gave an inspired performance leading from start to finish to take the stage win. Eric explained their predicament after his magnificent win. “At the beginning of the race, all conditions to win were there. Even with fewer competitors remaining, it was a real contest. We needed to run at a high pace and stay focused until the end to finish on the top step of the podium."

A commanding victory, explained thus by Eric, "We didn’t have any problems, we only stopped for the 5 minute mandatory breaks and we did not have any punctures”. He thanked his team, especially chief mechanic Bernard Perault adding, “During the 22 hours of the race we actually ran for longer than the Rally of Tunisia, at a real rally-raid pace.”

He went on to add, “The most satisfying thing for us is to be able to show the reliability of our car, a reward for the years of work and the loyalty of the technical partners and loyal people that surround me." Eric concluded’ “I would like to thank our two partners, Chevrolet and TOYO TIRES for their help and faithfulness.”

TOYO TIRES 37 x 13.5 R17 Open Country M/TR covered the entire distance without a single puncture or problem.

Looking to the future, Eric declared, “This result is a very auspicious pointer towards our future (perhaps the Dakar 2011) particularly as we are on the brink of preparing and constructing a brand new prototype for next season. My hope, ultimately, is to build a powerful team of two vehicles, to take new podium positions.”

 

Triple Triumph

27.May.2010, 23:54:44

Eric Vigouroux & Alex Winocq have made it three out of three, winning the six hours of Zagora, the third stage of the 24H of Morocco  Rally. In complete contrast you yesterdays sand storms, Eric cruised to victory in the TOYO TIRES Trophy Truck under clear blue skies.

The win, two laps ahead of Lansac's Protruck demonstrates Eric's safe hands in a situation where it would be easy 'overdrive' the car. The course is very similar to a Dakar stage and afterwards Eric noted  “The track was easy, with some bumps and stony passages. The path was large, and the other competitors were kind when it came to overtake.”

Today stage was fast and flowing giving Eric the chance to stretch the car a little. He was pleased with the way the Trophy Truck tackled the stage and enthused  “It is really interesting to test the car in a six hour non-stop stage, going fast, at an average speed 110 km/h. Once again, the car  worked perfectly and our tires were also performing. Other competitors ask about our tires, and for us they are just perfect for the situation. We haven´t had any puncture with Toyo Tires. Alex and I, we are able to stay focused with our heads on the race, with the positive emotion of feeling very competitive.”

Unusually, the team made a surprise "Splash and dash" near the end of the race. Eric explained this saying, “Finally, the pace of the race was so high that we decided to fill up the fuel tank a little during the second mandatory break, one hour before the end of the stage. Once more, our mechanical team was very efficient”

After three victories, the goal of the team is firmly focused on winning the Rally overall. Tomorrow, the race concludes with six hours racing around the 39,5km Ouarzazate circuit. At12.00GMT (14.00CET), Eric will set off on the fourth and final stage with the overall victory in sight. While it would be an unbelievable achievement to lock out the rally winning all four stages, Eric's primary goal in the overall win and he will remain focused on that rather than getting sidetracked.

At 18.00GMT we should know the answer. Eric and Alex are at the top of their game. The team, the TOYO TIRES and the Trophy Truck are all prepared for the challenge. Despite all this, and his success so far, Eric is not over confident. In rally raid's you always need a tiny amount of luck to ensure the outcome. Eric will be hoping tom have earned his with his commanding performance so far.

Two Wins from Two Starts

26.May.2010, 21:14:27

Eric Vigouroux and Alexandre Winocq overcame the appalling weather conditions to mark their second stage victory at the 24H of Morocco today. 

Erfoud promised to be a fast flowing stage with simpler terrain than the more challenging Marrakech stage. That was before the weather intervened. A sand storm blew up before today's start and it was to be more than an hour before Eric and Alex could set off in their TOYO TIRES Trophy Truck at the head of the rally.

With the sand storm still blowing through, conditions were less than ideal and, ominously, the sand storm picked up in intensity after the start of the race. With conditions worsening by the minute, the race director had little choice but to terminate the stage two hours ahead of schedule. With the safety of the racers being paramount, the stage concluded at 15.00GMT.

After four hours, eight minutes and 17 seconds of racing, Eric and Alex had completed 14 laps of the 19,2 km course and, crucially, two laps more than the next racer behind them giving them their second stage win of the rally. A truly deserved victory showing their mastery of the challenging weather conditions.

Eric talked about their race strategy. "From the start, it was complicated. Because of the sandstorm, you could not see the markers. In the first lap, we felt a little lonely at the top but during the next three, we tried to learn the circuit well. Then, once we were sure of the course and where the sand was difficult to traverse, we began to improve our lines and our lap times fell."

Eric and Alex were forced to use there considerable skills to find a safe a fast passage through the course in near zero visibility conditions. The open cockpit of the Trophy Truck means the sandstorm creates additional issues over and above the visibility and Eric was keenly aware that a mistake in these conditions could cost more than just the race.

He explained further, 'We continued to drive fast in the second part of the stage, to increase our lead and to give us a cushion against any possible mechanical problem."

The little luck they hoped for stayed with them and the car had no mechanical issues. Eric does not take this for granted and commented, "Our greatest satisfaction is that the car shows no sign of fatigue, especially since we have not gone easy. We had a lot of fun driving today, but the best thing was seeing the checkered flag lowered on our car . It's a nice feeling, which we never tire of. "

Day Tripper

25.May.2010, 23:55:43

No racing today as the race moves 510km east to Erfoud. This presented Eric and Alex with something of a novelty, the chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery in Morocco. With around eight hours driving there was plenty of time to soak up the sights. Having experienced heavy rainfall during the winter, Morocco now looks verdant with vegetation lining the roads.

Stopping along the way for a lunch of tagine was a far cry from the snatched sandwich of monday's race. Tagine is a Moroccan specialty. A rich spicy lamb stew cooked over a long period in an earthenware dish. Something not to be missed if the opportunity presents itself.

At the finish of the liason, another novelty for Eric, a magnificent hotel to rest in and prepare for tomorrow's race.  Well appointed, discrete and tatstefuly decorated, the hotel is the haunt of all self respecting socialites. Although Eric knows this area well, this particular hotel hasn't been on his radar in the past. However, he and Alex can show their class when they need to and despite the opulent surroundings, they feel quite at home.

Today's report sounds like a holiday brochure but tomorrow the 'holiday' will be very far from Eric's mind as the team step up to stage 2, the six hours of Erfoud.

Erfoud is somelthing of a legend in endurance rally racing. It has hosted the Dakar on a number of occasions in the past when the rally came to Africa along with numerous other rallies. All the major off road teams come here testing and Eric himself was here testing in 2003 preparing his Protruck for the following year's Dakar. On that ocassion Eric teamed up with US racer Mark Miller, now a successful driver for the mighty VW off road team.

Eric's and Alex's knowledge of the local terrain gives them some cause to be confident for the stage. However, the unexpected lurks and mechanical [problems, as in Tunisia can always make an unwelcome visit. To reduce the risk, as soon as Eric completed stage 1, the car was handed over to the mechanics for a thorough check to give the team the maximum time to attend to any issue on the car. Fortunately the car was in great condition and no major work was required but even so, Eric will be acutely conscious that at the moment, the race is his to win or lose. With only 255 of the race gone, there is still, literally, a long way to go.

Stage two kicks off at 10.00GMT (12.00 Central Europe Time) and you can follow the stage live by clicking on the link to the rally official website on the left. Eric has the car, the co-driver and the team around him to win this next stag. Now he has to hope that he has also done enough to earn a small amount of luck so he does not suffer any unforeseen mechanical problems.

Total Control in Morocco

24.May.2010, 23:07:13

Eric Vigouroux and Alex Winocq dominated the first leg of the 24 Hours Off Road of Morocco, finishing a lap ahead of their nearest rival, Lacam and Caze in their Caze Competition Tomawak car. Added to their victory, Eric also set the fastest lap with a blitzing 29minutes, 11.560 seconds lap of the 36km track, a full one minute 52 seconds faster than the next quickest lap. A commanding performance for this first stage.

The course was made up of both twisting and fast sections to challenge the cars with some  particularly narrow sections also thrown in which always cause headaches for the monster sized Trophy Truck. Eric remarked about the course  “The main difficulty today was to overtake other cars. There were many slower cars which were hard to overtake because of the dust clouds. We had to stay focused, taking the least possible risks”.

Eric and Alex completed eleven laps of the 36km course overall in their number 14 car displaying great consistency with each lap taking between 29 and 31 minutes.

The regulations stipulate two mandatory breaks of five minutes, so Eric and Alex stopped after two and a half hours, and again after four and a half hours of racing to garab a quick sandwich. A novelty for Eric and Alex who are well used to pushing on to the end of a stage at full speed and full concentration.

At the Finish Eric was pleased with the win but also the manner of the win “This didn´t seem tiring to us, and we have finished in good shape especially because the temperature was not so high today.”

Commenting on the win, Eric explained “The Trophy Truck didn´t have any problems today, it went like clockwork, and the TOYO TIRES could withstand the entire stage without any problem . We are very happy with this first victory, but we will try to keep a cool head because we have only completed 25% of the race”

Stage two moves to Erfoud on Wednesdaty and another six hours of racing for Eric who despite his calm words will go into the race bouyed up by his first stage victory.

 

The Adventure Begins

23.May.2010, 17:00:12

Many of you will know that Eric moved with his family to San Fransisco a couple of years ago. As such, it is a long commute for him to take part in African Rallies. Having flown from LAX to Paris on Friday, Eric arrived at his Paris workshop to spend Saturday making last minute preparations for the rally. Already suffering the effects of  a ten and a half hour flight and nine hours worth of jet lag, Eric had no chance to rest before getting on another plane from Paris to Marrakech earlier today

On arrival, Eric immediately located the rest of the team who had cruised over from Sète with the car and support truck. Having arrived 48hours earlier, the team had been working continuously to make sure the trophy truck was in perfect condition for stage one of the race tomorrow.

However, before racing can take place, the important matter of scrutineering and administrative checks has to take place. Having remembered to pack his drivers licence, Eric could rely on the skill of the team to make sure the car was fully ready for the checks. Once approved to race, the car needed to be stickered up with the official race number panels and fuelled up for the start. A quick trip to the gas station for a tank of unleaded proved popular with the locals who like the sheer scale of the Trophy Truck as well as its impressive livery. Announcing its presence well before the car comes into view, the engine has to be heard to be believed also. Whilst fully complying with the rules, if a great engine make a great car then Eric's is the greatest. The fat 37 x 13.5 R 17 TOYO TIRES Open Country M/TR tires also add to the visual spectacle as well as giving no nonsense performance when it counts.

In one of the pictures below, Eric is posing with some fruit. Whilst not locals, - they were promoting a new fruit drink- they could not resist staring at the Trophy Truck and jumped at the chance of a photo opportunity with Eric.

Eric talked about the coming race saying "Tomorrow, our strategy is quite simple because I chose to drive alone. Our vehicle is equipped with a fuel tank which should allow us to complete the six hours without refueling. However we will be closely monitoring the fuel consumption because it is always possible to have a nasty surprise given the terrain.

 While optimistic and highly motivated for the coming stage, Eric added a note of caution. "This race is a discovery for everyone and it  is therefore difficult to make a prognosis. Since we plan to carry a very heavy fuel load, we'll start at a reasonable pace and will increase our pace in the second stint as the fuel load diminishes.

Whilst he would never say so before the race, Eric is in fact quietly confident of a win here so expect a good result in tomorrow's stage 1.

Tunisia part 2 - (Morocco)

18.May.2010, 09:31:09

Disappointed with his broken drive shaft in Tunisia, Eric Vigouroux will take his trophy Truck to Morocco for the 24 hours Off Road which starts on May 23rd, just 15 days after the finish of the Tunisia rally.

Eric explained the last minute decision saying  “This entry in the 24Hours Off-Road of Morocco is part of the continuity of our participation in the rally of Tunisia”

Eric really wants to win this to show the true capability of the Trophy Truck and having missed out on a potential African victory due to a broken drive shaft, he is very highly motivated to acheive the win in Morocco.

The 24Hours of Morocco has been organised this year for the firt time by the same team that brings the 24H Off Road ofFfrance every year. Eric is no stranger to this race having won it in 2001 with co-driver Alexandre Winocq in their Trophy Truck. Howevr, the morocco edition is a little different with the race taking place in four separate locations around marocco to add variety and to challenge the crews with their setup for the race.

With each round lasting six hours and the winner of each stage completing the most laps when the clock stops, it promises to be a most fascinating race. Taking in the cities of Marrakech, Erfoud, Zagora and Ouarzazate, the competitors will face stages who laps compriose between 19km and 39km with a change of terrain every six hours to a new city and a new challenge.

Scheduled to end on May 28 in Ouarzazate which will be familiar to anyone who has followed the Dakar in the apst, Eric is hoping to be on the top step of the podium when the dust settles.

With an uprated drive shaft to overcome the issues on the Tunisia rally, Eric is confident the car and the team can win this rally and win be going all out on his TOYO TIRES to achieve this.

Follow the 24H Off Road of Morocco here as we bring you all the news from the team during the race.

 

A Hard Charging Final Stage

07.May.2010, 17:43:41

A blistering day behind the wheel for Eric as he charged from 28th place this morning up to 3rd place in today's final stage.

At one point Eric and Alex were second placed and pushing for the win but a problem with water and oil temperatures meant a close eye had to be kept on all things mechanical. Having to stop twice in the space of a few minutes to investigate dashed any hope of the victory that would surely have been his if the car had not encountered problems.

Even so, Eric tore into the time deficit and despite a two hour penalty imposed yesterday, he managed to take sixth place overall.

Eric and Alex were pleased to have charged past so many competitors on the road especially as they were caught by a sandstorm from the rear which the front runners didn't have to contend with.

Finishing third despite all the issues just 5minutes 45 seconds behind the mighty Novitskiy in his BMW X3CC was a real result.

Despite his obvious disappointment at not winning today 's stage or the rally overall, Eric remained positive.  "We showed once again that we are competitive, and that the potential of the car is there. The first few days have proved this."

Eric would like to thank all his partners, as well as the many fans who have followed him into the adventure of Tunisia 2010. Watch out for exciting announcements about Eric Vigouroux Racing in the next few months ...

Transmission overload

06.May.2010, 16:48:37

Eric and Alex had a bright start to the days stage. Knowing the stage would favour the Chevrolet Trophy Truck, Eric put the hammer down and after 30 miles was on the rear bumper of Chabot who had started two minutes earlier on the stage.

With all to play for in the last two stages, Eric and Alex were determined to reduce the gap in their time to the lead today to set up a thrilling finish to the race.  If they could bring their  time within five minutes of the lead today, the overall win would still be a possibility on tomorrows final stage. If nothing else, the spectators would be treated to a nail biting finish as the top teams slugged it out for the title.

After catching up to Chabot's buggy, a tremendous vibration announced that all was not well with the truck and Ericand Alex were forced to make a stop to prevent the universal joint in the transmission from exploding. Having moved to a strengthened universal joint over a year ago, transmission issues had ceased to be a problem. The additional performance coaxed from the truck since upgrading the joint proved too much and today the transmission was the weakest link. Eric and Alex could only wonder what might have been as they replaced a drive shaft over an agonizing two hours.

With the race win gone, Eric and Alex took the trophy truck back to the bivouac at a fast but controlled pace. There was no sense in causing more damage so whilst pushing on, they both kept a watchful eye on the control gauges in the now punishing Tunisian heat.

Having stormed up to third place by the first waypoint, arriving at the bivouac 2 hours and 17 minutes behind  stage winner Lavieille was not what either Eric or Alex had expected but at least both were unharmed and the truck lives to drive again another day.

Eric Vigouroux Racing now stand in seventh place overall after their nightmare day. In sixth place, 12 minutes and 38 seconds ahead of him is Jean Luc Blanchemain. The Tunisia rally concludes tomorrow with a short 130km special and Eric will be pressing to do the impossible and catch up to sixth place in this very short stage.
 
 

Sometimes even racing takes second place

05.May.2010, 16:35:55

Eric Vigouroux stepped away from the race this morning to assist Francois Lethier and Jean Marie Lurquin after their buggy was involved in an accident.

Following immediately behind, Eric and Alex could only watch as the buggy missed a right turn and barrel rolled. It soon became apparent that this was a serious accident as the buggy caught fire.

Jean-Marie Lurquin suffered burns to his hands and back and required the intervention of the helicopter medic. Eric and Alex stayed with him giving what assistance they could and making sure he was drinking before the medic arrived. They were then able to assist the doctor in attaching a drip before his eventual evacuation.

With Lurquin properly looked after, Eric was given permission to continue the race.

At the finish of the days special, Eric commented  "Of course, it was hard to leave under these circumstances. It's a pity, because the stage really suited us but the race went into the background. We especially hope that Jean-Marie will recover as soon as possible. "

Whilst finishing 14th in the stage, some 1 hour and 14 minutes behind stage winner Novitskiy, Eric and Alex were awarded 4th place by the race director. Analysis of the Iritrack data was used to identify the time devoted to supporting the crew of car number 305. Iritrack continuously monitors every vehicle in the race to ensure rules are followed and emergency aid can be directed to the exact location if necessary. 

Their fourth place means they retain their 3rd position in the overall standings, 16 minutes and 30 seconds behind Lavieille, but today was a day when racing took second place to humanity.

Tomorrow's stage is another loop back to Qasr Ghilan with 180 km of special stage including dunes, some off-piste with the finish on an old metalled road.

Boulevard of Broken Rims

04.May.2010, 16:54:15

Starting from the front can be a blessing but it can also be a curse. Today, Eric and Alex had to overcome a sandstorm which blew over them immediately after they started at the front of the field.

Now while Alex is one of the best navigators in Rally Raid, even he cannot see in a sandstorm.  After just 40 kilometers, Eric and Alex were forced to stop no less than two times to replace rims smashed by sudden and severe contact with big rocks which loomed up out of the sandstorm.

Even without this, navigating when you cant see is a challenge and Eric described the first section of today's stage as a true Rally Raid.

The loss of both rims meant an inevitable stop by the service truck to take on two more in case of further problems and another minute or two lost. However, after taking on two new rims, the Trophy Truck could push on to the finish without further incident.

Arriving home fourth was a real result considering Eric had been languishing as low as ninth place at the third waypoint. Eric and Alex could console themselves that they held on to their third place overall just 5 minutes 45 seconds behind Schlesser who won today's stage after a blitzing run.

The lead of the race goes back to Lavieille however as a serious navigation error cost the pre race favorite Novitskiy dearly and he now sits in 7th place, 50 minutes behind Lavieille and with it all to do.

Tomorrow, the race heads North with 280 km of special between Eric and the bivouac at Ksar Ghilane. Another grueling session awaits where mental and physical toughness will be required. The race is far from over with conditions suiting the Trophy Truck some of the time but favoring the opposition at other times. In a close duel with all the top teams charging hard, the final positions are a long way from decided.

Eric wins Stage 2

03.May.2010, 17:53:22

After yesterdays thrilling race and the disappointment of narrowly missing what would have been a superb win in stage 1, Eric Vigouroux and co-pilot Alexandre Winocq have driven their TOYO TIRES Trophy Truck to victory in stage 2

“The key of the day were the tires” explains Eric at the finish line. “On this stony and fast, you really needed to have confidence on your tires to attack without any apprehension. So I am very happy to dedicate this victory to our partner: Toyo Tires.”

Eric Vigouroux Racing use TOYO TIRES 37 x 13.5 R 17 Open Country MTR. 

Today's stage included some high speed sections where the trophy truck lost out to the the faster cars. Although driving flat out, the Trophy truck does not have the ultimate speed of some of the competition. However, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. In the heavy going, Eric's driving skill, combined with his tire advantage and Alex's navigation proved a winning combination.

At checkpoint 1 with the speed merchants having the advantage, Eric was only 4th  with Schlesser, driving the super quick Schlesser buggy 1 minute 57 seconds out in front. Checkpoint 2 saw the lead change to Novitskiy while Eric clawed his way to third place, 1 minute 42 seconds behind but the game was coming to Eric as the more difficult terrain is where he excels.

After an attacking drive of 2hours, 54 minutes and 44 seconds, Eric brought the Chevrolet trophy truck home first , 40 seconds ahead of the X Raid BMW driven by Novitskiy. With a 5.03 second advantage over race leader Lavieille, Eric's position in the overall standings improved to 3rd place, just 15 seconds behind Lavieille and 1minute 37 seconds behind new race leader Novitskiy.

Stage three tomorrow is a 265km loop from Nekrif  back to Nekrif. Like today, it will feature some fast smooth sections where only speed is important but from the half way mark, Eric will be digging deep into his and the cars resources to make his skill count as the course becomes more technical.

Fourth in a close fought stage

02.May.2010, 17:59:45

First off, Eric should have won this race - no question - he was running very fast. Unfortunately a puncture just 6km from the finish robbed him of a victory he truly deserved after a flying stage where his speed and co-pilot Alex's navigation had earned them the right to challenge for the lead when at one point it had seemed lost.

 

Whilst this is just one of those things, caused by running at too low a pressure in the sand, it gave Eric and co-pilot Alexandre the opportunity to demonstrate they could get a job in the F1 pits with their wheel changing speed.

 

The 180km stage is a riot for the driver but a navigators' nightmare with dozens of crossings and turns to decide on. Fortunately Alexandre Winocq has done this a few times before and is a bit of a secret weapon for Eric Vigouroux Racing. Although the sheer size of the trophy truck was a handful on cactus lined tracks, Eric didn't put a wheel wrong because of the navigation skills of co-pilot Alex.

 

Having been passed in the cactus by eventual stage winner Lavielle, Vigouroux Racing proved t have superior navigation when a wrong turning by Lavielle allowed Eric to catch the leader. This set up a frantic dash to the stage end with the race wide open and victory in sight.

 

A large rock outcrop and a resulting puncture from the tires which were only pressured fro sand and Lavielle went on to take the first stage win. After a breathless dash to fit a spare Open Country MTR, Eric an Alex roared off to finish just 5 minutes and 18 seconds behind Lavielle in 4th place.

 

Tomorrow see stage two and a big jump to 289 km of special stage as the race heads south. With only enough liaison to get to the edge of the bivouac, it will be be go go go all day for Eric and Alex. Special stage two finishes at the bivouac in Nekriff when Eric will be hoping to have caught up to the lead overall. As with their reversals of today, Eric Vigouroux and his whole team have demonstrated they are a never say die operation and will be charging as hard as they can throughout the stage.

The African Adventure Begins at 301

29.Apr.2010, 14:18:55

Its not quite the begining, there has been a bit of work to get to this point, even before the Rally starts. As well as getting the finance in place to contest the Tunisia Rally, Eric Vigouroux has had the minor matter of tuning and preparing his ProTruck for what might be its last outing. Watch out for Eric's stunning new top secret project for future races. Not allowed to say more but it will be big news if it comes off. (Details are still being worked out but remember you heard it here first).

Despite impending retirement for the car, Eric does not want it to go quietly. The Chevrolet ProTruck has been a powerhouse in off-road racing having competed in The Dakar, the Tunisia rally, Moroccco rally and the Transorientale from Russia to China winning stage after stage on the way. The faithful car, fettled ready for the race and in faster trim that it has ever been could well surprise a few of the big teams in what is the second round of the FIA World Cup.

The Pro Truck and support wagon left for Marseilles and the sea voyage to Tunisia earlier this week and you can see a couple of pictures from the departure below along with a couple of cool action pics from last year's rally.

This year the Tunisia Rally takes place only in Tunisia with the Libyan stages of last year having to be foregone because of the necessity to make the competition affordable to teams. Eric wont miss Libya as his 2009 race nearly ended there last year after a mechanical failure. A piece of outrageous good fortune (his only good fortune of his race) meant the team collected the exact part they needed the night before after a marathon drive to the capital, Tripoli to collect it.

As usual, Eric will be using TOYO TIRES 37 x 13.5 R 17 Open Country M/T R race tires and as usual, we will be keeping you in touch with the race daily with all the inside stories and team talk. Brand new videos and images of Erics race should be available every day as well as a blow by blow account of the days stage.

The race starts on sunday May 2 but it starts for Eric and navigator Alenandre Winocq at 301 as this is their car's race number for the 2010 Tunisia Rally.