Kolomý Blessed by Bishop and Kissed by Lucie Bílá before Dakar
The Dakar racing special of the Tatra Buggyra Racing team left for Dakar 2015 from Venceslas Square in Prague yesterday. Tatra 815 Buggyra and its crew consisting of Martin Kolomý and Kilián brothers were blessed by the Prague Bishop Mons. Karel Herbst. Good luck was wished to Kolomý by Sagvan Tofi, Jiří Šlégr, Vávra Hradilek, Michal Suchánek, Richard Genzer, as well as by the holder of 16 Golden Nightingales, the singer Lucie Bílá.
The 37th Dakar Rally will start on 3 January by a ceremony in Buenos Aires. The finish in the same city is scheduled for 17 January. The crews will have to cover over 9,000 kilometres. The exact route and the list of enrolled crews is to be published by the organizer at the press conference in Paris on 19 November.
Last year media published photographs of Tatra running on three wheels, but this year Tatra prefers to be seen among the top ranks in the results table, as noted at the press conference by the Buggyra team manager Jan Kalivoda. "Of course the goal is to be seen, but we have done our best to be seen thanks to our racing results above all. On the other hand media and marketing policy is an integral part of success. I would therefore like to express my thanks to the Tatra Trucks a.s. company for choosing us and relying on us," said Kalivoda. Another speech was delivered at the press conference by the speaker of Tatra Andrej Čírtek, who praised the professional approach of the Buggyra team, explaining the circumstances around the non-homologated Tatra.
"Of course I would like to thank to all our sponsors. We go to Dakar to write a story, for Dakar is a great event. That is why we are pleased with out cooperation with the Ministry for Regional Development and the CzechTourism organisation. We are proud to be able to promote the colours of the Czech republic with the logo "Czech Republic - Land of stories", added Kalivoda.
Since the end of this year ´s Dakar the racing special followed exactly the scheduled testing programme, covering thousands of kilometres in the process. "We may say to have improved virtually everything. We have a higher-performing engine, quicker gear changing, better steering properties and increased reliability of the truck. Although we sacrificed some of the races attended by our opponents to development we believe our choice was correct. But the ultimate answer will only be given by Dakar itself," said the technical director of the Buggyra team Robin Dolejš at the press conference in the Ambassador hotel in Prague.
The greatest interest of course focused on the driver of Tatra 815 Buggyra with the starting number 506. Kolomý believes that this very number will be his lucky one at this Dakar. "We declare war to Kamaz trucks every year," said Martin Kolomý with a smile, adding: "Every year we want to occupy one of the front ranks, that is clear, but to achieve this we need not only a reliable and high-performing truck but also a professional team of good and devoted people, which we have found in Buggyra. And another thing we need is good luck, and this is meant to be an expression of thanks to all people thinking about us while we are there," added Kolomý, drifting across Venceslas Square with his Tatra before symbolically leaving directly for the port.
The whole team pack luggage now and on Wednesday the racing and accompanying technology will leave for the French harbour Le Havre, where on Thursday and Friday the European teams will embark a ferry to head towards South America. Tomorrow the elite pilots of Buggyra Kolomý, Vršecký and Lacko will accept an invitation to China for an exhibition truck race.
"To try the local technology will certainly be interesting experience. Our expectations are great," said David Vršecký at the press conference. In the context of the grouping called Buggyra Dakar Forces, which is for all fans of Dakar and the Czech team, an exhibition ice hockey match will be held in Roudnice nad Labem, where Martin Kolomý, the Kilián brothers, other team members and popular figures will be involved.
"Did you know that Martin and the brothers play ice hockey? I did not and am extremely curious to see them," said Kalivoda. "Talking about Buggyra Dakar Forces, it is in fact a community for all fans and adherents of Dakar and Buggyra, active every day not only in social networks but also in personal meetings with clapping on the back and wishing good luck which we will all need at Dakar. The same can be done by anybody by a personal video recording sent to us. Martin will answer selected messages and all will be published in our networks. Some have already done so and that was our surprise at the end of the press conference," commented Kalivoda on messages sent by popular figures including Lucie Bílá, who kissed Martin from a distance. You can watch the whole video on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKzC19YpmXw&index=5&list=PL4BA32B0A6F9E2B8C
We again prepare detailed text reporting from Dakar 2015 for you, including photographs and videos, published both on the web site http://www.buggyra.com, and on the social networkshttp://www.facebook.com/BUGGYRA and https://www.youtube.com/user/BUGGYRAbrand.
