Tag Archives: sympathy

2024 Africa Eco Race: Cerutti And Aprilia Still In The Lead After Stage 9

You need to really feel slightly little bit of sympathy for Yamaha racer Alessandro Botturi. Sure, he is been using within the high three all all through the 2024 Africa Eco Race to date. He’s gained a number of levels, too. In reality, he is carried out so effectively that he was the uncommon rider who hadn’t had any time penalties assessed in opposition to him throughout this occasion; that’s, till Stage Nine.

For the stage, the 2024 Africa Eco Race subject did a loop across the metropolis of Amodjar in Mauritania. An exquisite place, but in addition a sizzling and difficult one for the riders. Technically, Botturi did end forward of his two closest rivals. However, a six-minute velocity penalty knocked his time again down, and it was Jacopo Cerutti on his Aprilia Tuareg 660 that picked up the official stage win.

Leading from the entrance of the pack is one factor, however one of the crucial enjoyable issues to observe in racing is redemption runs. When you might have a rider begin from someplace within the again, after which they’re in a position to steadily overtake till they end in a significantly better spot than they began, it is what makes racing enjoyable. No one likes a parade, proper?

Remember Joan Pedrero and his Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250? It’s a large machine in comparison with lots of his rivals, however Pedrero has been cementing each his and the Pan America’s bona fides in rally raids for the previous couple of years. At the start of Stage Nine of the 2024 AER, he began in twenty third place. Even although he briefly crashed through the stage, he someway managed to maintain his eyes on the prize and end in ninth place for the stage. That’s a 14-place bounce. Impressive, if we do say so ourselves.

Here are the highest 10 riders within the 2024 Africa Eco Race for Stage Nine.

Racer Team Time
Jacopo Cerutti Aprilia Racing GCorse 04:27:14
Pol Tarrés Yamaha Tenere World Raid Team 04:29:19
Alessandro Botturi Yamaha Tenere World Raid Team 04:31:15
Marco Aurelio Fontana Honda Genuine Oil 04:43:52
Marco Menichini Solarys Racing 04:47:28
Alexandre Vaudan Casteu Trophy 04:55:40
Attilio Fert France Road Book 04:56:17
Giovanni Gritti RSMoto Racing Team Honda Oil 04:58:41
Joan Pedrero Garcia Harley-Davidson 05:20:52
Kevin Durand RS Moto 05:25:08

2024 Africa Eco Race Overall Rider Standings After Stage Nine

The penalty assessed in opposition to Botturi for Stage Nine signifies that Cerutti and Aprilia are within the lead as soon as once more. It’s nonetheless not an enormous hole between him and Botturi, but it surely’s getting slightly bit greater at simply over seven minutes.

Here are the general rider standings after Stage Nine.

Racer Team Time
Jacopo Cerutti Aprilia Racing GCorse 35:42:01
Alessandro Botturi Yamaha Tenere World Raid Team 35:49:05
Pol Tarrés Yamaha Tenere World Raid Team 36:06:28
Giovanni Gritti RSMoto Racing Team Honda Oil 39:27:45
Alexandre Vaudan Casteu Trophy 39:58:02
Marco Aurelio Fontana Honda Genuine Oil 41:07:32
Attilio Fert France Road Book 41:10:55
Marco Menichini Solarys Racing 41:20:42
Francesco Montanari Aprilia Racing GCorse 42:21:06
Nicolas Charlier Yamaha Tenere World Raid Team 43:15:11

With solely three levels remaining within the 12-stage route that’s the 2024 Africa Eco Race, there’s nonetheless loads that may occur.

Muscle Car Owner Describes his 2008 Porsche 911 as “Fun” to Drive

When it comes to American muscle car owners, they usually have little respect for European sports cars because they believe that car manufacturers from the Old Continent rarely produce vehicles that can match the power and affordability of US-made muscle cars. However, the opinion of muscle car owners can change when they come across a well-maintained used car like a Porsche 911, as shown in the video above.

The video, posted on the Gearbox Geek YouTube channel, showcases a well-preserved 2008 Porsche 911 Targa 4S. This video channel is known for providing detailed reviews, such as a 40,000-mile review of a Jeep Wrangler.

This particular Porsche 911 is a 997-gen model, equipped with all-wheel drive and a 3.8-liter flat-six engine in the rear. It delivers 355 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The car features a Tiptronic automatic transmission, which the owner isn’t completely thrilled about. Nevertheless, considering that it’s a second-hand car in mint condition, he understands that he can’t be too picky about it.

When it was brand new in 2008, the car had a price tag of $114,035. It stands out from other 997 models due to its unique features, such as red tinted tail lights, the Sport Chrono package, and a full-leather Sand Beige interior.

In 2020, the car was sold to the current owner, who equipped it with reproduction Fuchs black wheels. He proudly states that in his three years of ownership, the car has never gotten dirty enough to require a wash. Additionally, the car has never been exposed to rain, further demonstrating how well it’s been taken care of.

When Gearbox Geek purchased the car in 2020, it had only 8,200 miles on the odometer. As of last month, it has only reached 9,700 miles. In other words, on average, this red 997 has traveled just 646.6 miles per year since it was first bought back in 2008.

But how does it compare to driving a muscle car? According to the video, the actual owner initially found it difficult to get excited about driving a Porsche. However, after spending some time behind the wheel of the German-made sports car, he realized that the experience was unlike anything else, even with the automatic gearbox.

The 997 generation of the Porsche 911 was launched in 2004, following the controversial 996-gen, which introduced water cooling for the first time in this iconic two-door coupe. Manufactured until 2013 at the company’s factory in Stuttgart, Germany, the 997 was available in various versions, including the base Carrera, Targa, Turbo, GT2, and GT3.

As always, the viewers of the video are encouraged to share their thoughts in the comments section.