and Tom-racer, how about that Dakar being cancelled? I don't know how popular that race is with the country-folk over there but that is one good way of losing the race forever. I heard that China, russia, and a few other countries have expressed an interest in having that sort of race on their territory instead because of this. Maybe China knows how to squalsh terrorists, (since they have so much xperience in doing the same).

A guy who i sit next to at the local counter here in lakeside has raced at dakar once, and his son won one of the classes at our own Baja1000 with their '86 F150.
Now that is some good chat when i share a pizza and suds with those guys.

The papers have quoted Robbie Gordon as being bummed that his team spent many millions that are now essentially wasted because those vehicles can't really be used anywhere else. I suspect he won't die wandering poor thru thru the streets because of that cancellation, but it also annoys me. So don't drive the race thru the terrorist' countries and run it going the other way.
oh well

Yeah FD, that was a shame but kind of how the world turns anymore.