BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Saying the key to success was the Race Touareg, Giniel de Villiers led a Volkswagen 1-2 win in the 2009 Dakar Rally. Third place went to Robby Gordon in a Hummer.
VW's achievement is the second time a manufacturer has claimed the top two spots in the Dakar Rally. In 1980, Freddy Kotulinksy and Patrick Zaniroli raced their VW Iltis machines to a 1-2 finish overall.
The 2009 Dakar Rally will go down in the history books for seeking out new territory in the face of terrorist threats. Organizers skipped Africa this year in favor of racing in South America. In 2008, the rally — one of the biggest competitions in auto racing — was called off. The 2009 race held its start and finish in Buenos Aires and wound through the Andes mountains and the Atacama desert.
Inside Line says: 2009 will go down as a memorable Dakar Rally in a number of respects. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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