In the fourth stage of the Dakar, the driver Martin Macik with navigator Frantisek Tomasek and mechanic David Svanda won an excellent 4th place and moved to the valuable 2nd position in the overall ranking in the truck category. In total, the first four trucks reached the finish line only 22 seconds apart. After a series of varied performances, the private Sedlcany Big Shock! Racing team proves that they can compete even with the seemingly invincible Kamaz and Maz. This stage was demanding in terms of navigation, but Frantisek Tomasek managed it well. The yellow truck had to go back a little only once. Moreover, the Czech racers drove more carefully than they had to in the dunes because they still vividly remembered the trucks flipped on their sides in the previous stage. The team’s excellent result thus confirms that a thoughtful ride pays off. Macik and Tomasek and Svanda did a good job in the previous stages as well, they are enjoying the rally and the cheerful atmosphere in the cabin of their truck, Charles.

We drove as fast as we could!

The crew of the Big Shock! Racing team scored in one of the longest stages – 476 connecting and 337 racing kilometres. Nevertheless, the Czech crew did not seem to be overly tired in the finish. Martin Macik, Frantisek Tomasek and David Svanda are clearly enjoying the long drives through treacherous terrain and chases with rivals who are also at the top in the truck category. However, the track is sometimes very challenging. “We are at the finish line! The big advantage was that there was not much dust, we started in 2-minute intervals, so that also helped us. We drove as fast as we could, practically flew right through. Navigation-wise, it was a demanding stage, in the canyons, but Ferry gave a great performance, we only had to go back a bit once. We drove more carefully in the dunes. Technically, we could have gone faster there, but I was scared after three trucks flipped over there yesterday. The rest of the stage was brilliant. We are a bit tired from the jumping and rattling of the cabin, the truck had to withstand a lot because we send it through that kind of terrain at a speed of 140 kilometres. I don’t understand how everything can still be holding together,” the driver Martin Macik confessed at the finish of the stage.

How to chase the Kamaz?

Martin Macik’s crew is doing well in this year’s Dakar and is delivering excellent performances. “I think it’s a lot of things combined. You need to have great technique, good strategy and, most of all, skilled people. In our case, we managed to find them and put them together. I dare say that we have one of the most capable teams of mechanics, Frantisek turned out a really good navigator, each of the boys knows what their task is. At the same time, someone needs to manage everything efficiently, that’s what my dad does well. Martin Pabiska is an experienced team manager who can really help. There’s a system in everything, and experience helps us, too. Experience taught us what to do in the race, but is also indispensable in technology development,” Martin Macik explained. Nevertheless, another crucial factor comes into play in the Dakar that cannot be influenced: coincidence. On the over 7000-kilometres-long track, things happen that cannot be predicted even after the nineteenth Dakar start. “Of course, some luck is always needed at Dakar. Unpredictable things happen all the time to everyone here. The only question is what happens next and how the crew can handle it,” the team boss Martin Macik, Sr. concluded.