The Dakar obsession returns…
The crew of Big Shock Racing team Macík, Tomášek and Švanda proved to be successful in Spain when they won Baja Aragon. Now Czech competitors are looking forward to Baja Poland, the World Cup Cross Country Rally, which starts on 29th August. It will be fun in the cab of a yellow Iveco truck, named Charles. New Dakar truck, made in Sedlčany workshop, will deal only with cars this time. Charles will be the only truck in the starting field. Our rider Jan Brabec will be missing in Poland, he is currently taking a hard time at a specialized Prague clinic, where he taking strict regime after an injury from the Tunisian training. The team rebel is doing bravely and even he rides on a Dakar bike again. The time between races, trainings and workshop work is also being filled by Big Shock Racing by organizing the second year of the project Dakar Obsessed, which will bring Martin Macík and Jan Brabec back to fans as soon as they return from Dakar 2020 hosted in Saudi Arabia. After last year’s unexpected success, when all the cinemas were hopelessly sold out before the start of Dakar, the next year will take place in 9 Czech towns and the tour will also stop in Slovakia.
Charles will measure forces with racing cars
“Baja Poland is another training for Dakar. We drive hundreds of kilometers on a fast, technical and sandy track. We need to continue working on Charles, especially on the details of suspensions, engine and cab. In addition, we enjoy chasing racing cars in a truck. We would like to be in the TOP 10,” says Martin Macik. The new mechanic David Švanda is also tuning his cab to give him a perfect overview of all the important parameters and condition of the team truck while driving. It is important for the navigator František Tomášek to get used to the new truck and to align with Martin and David, although navigating in Poland will be more of a routine for him. The crew also expects to try changing the tire at a racing pace.“ And most of all we are looking forward to plenty of fans in Poland. The best is a grassy arcade passage at the end of the Sundays track, where there are always hundreds of spectators and everyone is waiting for our truck, the biggest car of the race, to pass by,” adds navigator František Tomášek.
Brabec spends holidays in the gym
Big Shock Racing rider Jan Brabec misses the Polish rally due to an injury he suffered while training in Tunisia. In order to be fit as soon as possible, he entrusted himself to the handy physiotherapists at the Prague clinic, where he quickly gets into shape. But hard work is still an essential part of the treatment. Brabčák spends at least 4 hours every day in the gym. Weight training alternates between exercise bike and physiotherapy. “I am in Prague for the second week and we are working hard. My back was fixed, my fingers were good, my strength returned. Now we are working on my knees and trying to remove the sore leg. I have a special tissue recovery diet that should also help. Sometimes it hurts, but I won’t whine. The fans support me so I won’t stop. I’m happy here. It’s going in the right direction. Thank you all,” says Jan Brabec.
Dakar Obsessed Clan will reunite
And Big Shock Racing team is also busy, in between the races and improving the fitness of riders or racing machines, by preparing the second edition of the project Dakar Obsessed. The serie of talkshows will start immediately after the return of Martin Macik and Jan Brabec from Saudi Arabia in January and February 2020. During the previous tour all tickets were hopelessly sold out long before the events dates. Fresh experiences, authentic videos projected on film screens or stories from behind the scenes of the most demanding motorsport race spiced up with the distinctive humor of both Czech racers, all this is waiting for fans also next year. On top of that, a few innovations make the Dakar talkshows even more interesting. “We are already collecting materials and making videos. Especially Brabčák already has a decent supply of extreme experiences. Fans have something to look forward to. And so do we,” says Macík, who will soon announce on his social networks in which cities the Dakar talkshows will take place and how the pre-sale will start. It is scheduled to start in September.
