UPDATE 3: Kwikpower Mercedes-Benz Team In The Dakar Rally

Posted by www.eMercedesbenz.com on January 5, 2006 at 4:50 AM CST

Day six of the Dakar Rally just wrapped up, and once again Ellen Lohr  
and the Kwikpower Mercedes-Benz team have made up ground on their  
competitors.

After finishing 29th on the 492 mile stage from Tan Tan, Morocco to  
Zouérat, Mauritania, Lohr and her team have moved into 28th position  
overall.  According to Ellen Lohr:  “We're absolutely delighted to  
have moved up to the twenties, in the overall standings – that nearly  
exceeds our expectations. Our rally prototype runs flawlessly and we  
are confident to make it to the finish – the coastal city Dakar."

Stage seven, which spans Zouérat to Atâr, will be a demanding one.   
The 310 mile special stage will feature dunes, gravel and camel grass  
and perfect navigation will be a key factor for successfully  
mastering this challenge.

We'll keep you posted as the race progresses; in the meantime, check  
out the press release by clicking the link below for a full recap of  
day six.

http://emercedesbenz.com/ 
Jan06/05Update3KwikpowerMercedesBenzDakarRally.html

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Ellen Lohr now in the top-30 – no problems during stage six
Zouérat/Mauritania – In their Kwikpower Mercedes-Benz M-Class rally  
prototype, Ellen Lohr and Detlef Ruf successfully completed the sixth  
stage of the Dakar Rally without experiencing any problems. At the  
end of the day, the pairing finished 29th in the 792-kilometre stage  
from Tan Tan, Morocco to Zouérat, Mauritania, thus moving up to 28th  
position in the overall standings.

The sixth day of the desert marathon was a truly demanding one. In  
the middle of the night, at 03.19hrs, the competitors had to start  
into a 336-kilometres liaison to the start of the 444-kilometre  
special stage, featuring several challenges. The first half was an  
extremely fast section, while the dunes and the camel grass the  
drivers had to cope with in the second half made them reduce their pace.

Ellen Lohr: “We're absolutely delighted to have moved up to the  
twenties, in the overall standings – that nearly exceeds our  
expectations. Our rally prototype runs flawlessly and we are  
confident to make it to the finish – the coastal city Dakar. During  
the first, fast section we were hampered by a slight lack of top  
speed, but when the track got more demanding, we once again succeeded  
in making up ground.”

During tomorrow's seventh stage – from Zouérat to Atâr – both Ellen  
Lohr's driving skills and Detlef Ruf's skills as a co-pilot will be  
vital. The 499-kilometre special stage will feature dunes, gravel and  
camel grass and perfect navigation will be a key factor for  
successfully mastering this challenge.

Detlef Ruf: “During the course of the stages so far, the organisers'  
road-book suited me rather well. Quite obviously, it's not that  
simple to stay focused all the time. Hence, a good preparation is  
crucial. I'm really excited to see what we will have to cope with  
during tomorrow's stage but I'm convinced that we are going to make  
the best of it.”

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