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Since the season opener in Mid-March the King Price Xtreme pairing of Schalk Burger and Elvene Vonk have seen little of their car, with a bigger focus on planning and logistics as they ready themselves for their assault on Dakar 2020.
After the Dullstroom event the big world and local news was the final announcement of the Dakar 2020 venue. With Peru being a ‘Short’ Dakar the Ultimate event was launched to full race distance once again and with a new venue of Saudi Arabia.
After starting its life as the Original Paris to Dakar or Paris Dakar with the majority of stages and racing happening in upper Africa, then in recent times has seen the event based in South America with extreme and challenging altitudes and conditions for both organisers and competitors alike.
Image: MotorPress
The Single Country Dakar of 2019 based solely in Peru was the shortest distance and days raced in the history of the event and now Saudi Arabia takes up the reigns.
Image: MotorPress
With the location and event now confirmed it puts even more emphasis on preparation with the ‘behind the scenes’ work really building. The logistics and planning are now clicked up to high gear top prepare both driver, navigator and vehicle for the challenge that lay ahead.
For Schalk it is a very pragmatic approach to taking on the Ultimate race as he is happy to play out the early part of the season on the domestic front before changing focus entirely from the half year marker of the season. Then it will be a concerted effort of focused dune and dessert testing and training in the last 6 months of the year to peak for Dakar 2020.
Image: MotorPress
For the races he and the King Price Xtreme team have chosen to take on it will be yet another new challenge. Dullstroom has been used for the last two seasons and the terrain around the area would have been familiar to both Schalk and Elvene from their Rally days.
The next event on the calendar though is a blank page as far as anyone’s experience goes. A brand-new venue of the Berg 400. The event will be held just outside of the town of Winterton close the Champagne Valley in KZN. Taking place smack bang in the middle of May should guarantee chilly conditions. Hardly what the team will be experiencing at the Dakar, but then again, those deserts can get rather fresh overnight.
Image: MotorPress
For the pairing of Schalk and Elvene in their King Price Xtreme entry it is simply a case of continuing development and getting used to each other and the car, keep the eyes focused and speed up. Wins are not what Schalk is pushing for at this stage of the game, but each kilometre is a victory in readiness for Dakar.
Image: MotorPress
Following on from the Berg 400 it will be the next threshold to cross.
Another new venue but a familiar event and one that Schalk and Elvene both have some history with and a score the settle. The Botswana Desert 1000.