Volkswagen considers WRC entry

Autosport.com's David Evans reports:

Thursday, January 15th 2009, 15:38 GMT
Volkswagen is considering a move into the World Rally Championship and is expected to make a decision in the near future.
The German manufacturer will finalise plans for its future motorsport activity once it has completed this year's Dakar Rally.
VW motorsport director Kris Nissen revealed that the WRC is an option and said that a global motorsport programme is "important" to VW.
"We want to make a decision after Dakar," he told this week's Autosport magazine. "We have looked at the World Rally Championship and we have been keen to investigate whether this would be possible, as well as the Dakar or instead of the Dakar.
"Volkswagen is one of the world's biggest car manufacturers. International competition is really important - Dakar is international competition but so is the WRC. Nothing is decided yet."

Source: Autosport.com

Ultimate Fighting Championship, heads for the Dublin Ireland

UFC® ANNOUNCES FIRST EVENT IN DUBLIN, IRELAND
2009 KICKS OFF WITH LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWNS
HENDERSON vs. FRANKLIN COLEMAN vs. SHOGUN II Live From the O2-Dublin – Saturday, January 17, 2009 Las Vegas, NV (USA) –

The world’s most exciting sport returns to the Emerald Isle as the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization opens up 2009 with the star-powered UFC 93 card at the O2-Dublin in Dublin, Ireland on January 17, 2009. In the light heavyweight main event, former two-division world champion Dan Henderson will collide with former UFC middleweight king Rich Franklin in three-round war which will set the tone for the 205lbs division in 2009. Then, 2005 PRIDE® Grand Prix Champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua returns to the Octagon™ to throw down with UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman in a rematch MMA fans thought they would never see. The pair last met in Japan in 2006, with the legendary Coleman pulling off a stunning upset by breaking Rua’s arm in the first round.

“Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson is a battle between two great former champions who are both looking to get another chance to wear a world title around their waist,” said Dana White, UFC President. “Franklin is the former UFC Middleweight champion, and he’s a dangerous striker with solid submission skills – he also showed great takedown defense in his September destruction of powerful wrestler Matt Hamill. Dan Henderson is the former PRIDE Welterweight and Middleweight champion. He’s a world class wrestler, known for his great chin and his one punch knockout power. He defeated formidable Brazilian submission specialist Rousimar Palhares in September.

These are two fan favorites with a lot of pride on the line as they want to show that they are still among the very best fighters in the world.”
"We are delighted to be returning to the Emerald Isle again, especially with such blockbuster main and co-main events,” said Marshall Zelaznik, UFC UK Division President.

“The O2-Dublin is a fantastic venue that will create a memorable UFC experience. After smashing box office records in Belfast in June 2007, we promised our Irish fans we would be coming to Dublin, and now on January 17 the world’s most exciting live sports experience travels across the Irish Sea - we know this will be a great night for our fans.

”Ticket on-sale date and purchase information for UFC 93 will be announced shortly. UFC 93 will be available on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available);

UFC fans also have the option to watch the UFC 93 pay-per-view live from Dublin, Ireland at 3pm EST/12Noon PST. The only fighter to ever hold the PRIDE 205-pound and 183-pound titles simultaneously, Temecula, California’s Dan Henderson (23-7) has a body of work which stands favorably against any resume in the fighting world today, with his victories over the likes of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva, Murilo Bustamante and Vitor Belfort just scratching the surface of what he’s accomplished in his 11 year career. A two-time United States Olympian in Greco-Roman wrestling who is fresh off a dominant win over Rousimar Palhares at UFC 88, the 38-year old Henderson’s grappling ability and concussive right hand power has set him in good stead as he looks to take out Rich Franklin on January 17th and continue on his march to his first UFC title.

“This is the fight my fans have wanted for a long time now, and they want to see me fight Rich Franklin,” said Henderson. “I think this will be a great fight for Ireland, it definitely will be exciting because we both like to stand and bang, and we both have knockout power. I’m excited to go to Ireland and to take on Rich; I think he’s a tough opponent and a huge challenge, but I don’t see myself losing to him.”One of the UFC’s most popular fighters, 34-year old Rich “Ace” Franklin (26-3, 1 NC) began his MMA career as a light heavyweight, going 15-1 with 1 no contest in the process.

It was a detour to the 185-pound division that made him a star though, as he won the UFC middleweight title in June of 2005 and successfully defended his crown twice with big wins over Nate Quarry and David Loiseau before losing to current champion Anderson Silva. In 2008, the well-rounded Cincinnati, Ohio native decided to challenge himself at light heavyweight once again, and his third round TKO of highly-regarded Matt Hamill in September sent a clear message out to his fellow 205 pounders that not only was he back, but that he is looking to take care of some unfinished business in his old weight class.

source, UFC, Image/Getty Images

Carlos Sainz retires from the Dakar, De Villiers is back in the lead!...

How quickly things change on the Dakar, with victory in their grasp,Volkswagen driver Carlos Sainz of Spain, left, and KTM rider Marc Coma of Spain speak during meal time at the Argentina, with Saniz now out, Coma will push on in his bid to win the bike catagory. (AP Photo)

Thursday January 15th, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Dakar Rally leader Carlos Sainz abandoned the race Thursday after his Volkswagen careened into a ravine. He was uninjured.
Sainz, a two-time world rally champion, and French co-pilot Michel Perin were taken by helicopter to Fiambala, where the 12th stage had begun, Dakar Rally spokesman Emilie Poucan told the Associated Press.
Sainz missed a sharp turn and tumbled 13 feet into a ravine, flipping his car at the 49-mile mark of the 157-mile stage from Fiambala to La Rioja.
Poucan said Sainz wasn't hurt and could have continued the race but Perin slightly injured his shoulder, forcing the pair to quit.
Thursday's stage has been the most difficult since the rally began on Jan. 3 in Buenos Aires, said Poucan, with drivers struggling through sand dunes and rain in western Argentina.

After a day of almost forced rest due to fog on Stage 11, the contenders still in the race were given a short but demanding day: 213 km including the last sand dunes to be crossed in this 31st edition. That was certainly enough to provide for an unexpected turn of events. On the bikes Marc Coma did damage control on his adversaries. Cyril Despres wins his 20th special stage victory in a Dakar and reaches 2nd place in the general standings.
At the start in Fiambala, Marc Coma, comfortable leader in the general standings with more than 90’ lead, had enough margin for maneuver. The Catalan therefore raced wisely. Not taking any inconsiderate risk either to come back on one of his adversaries, Cyril Despres who had started 2’ before kept a sufficiently high pace not to be overtaken by his lieutenant David Frétigné who was right behind him. In a nutshell, this race was the right race for a probable future Dakar winner. And in the sand of the Catamarca Province, the most inspired was - again - Cyril Despres. His tyre problems from the early stage, which might turn out to have been fatal for him when it comes to final victory, seem very far away now that he is back in Argentina. The KTM rider had no concern for the others; he took the lead of the stage right after the first CP (km 62) and kept it till the finishing line. A lone race that allows the Frenchman to get his 4th stage victory in this rally, i.e. a third of all stages of the raid. In total, his Dakar stage victory counter is not at 20 special stages won in all his participations. Despres finally wins over Marc Coma by 1’23" and Farres Guell by 9’47". Moreover, the title holder benefited from oil problems for David Frétigné who lost more than 10 minutes on today’s stage and David now ranks second in the general standings. Marc Coma now has a 1h29’ lead over Despres and a 1h33’ lead over Frétigné.

source, AP, Dakar.com

L'Estage moves to Mitsubishi for 2009

Montreal (Quebec), January 14 2009.- Quebec driver Antoine L’Estage, co-driven by Nathalie Richard, both from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu (QC), will return to the Canadian Rally Championship and the North American Rally Cup at the wheel of a brand new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.
This new partnership will see the current North American champions start the 2009 season at the Rallye Perce-Neige (Maniwaki, QC) on February 7th with the Mitsubishi, currently being built by rally legend John Buffum at his Libra Racing shop in Vermont.
“This is big news for our entire team, the biggest and most exciting project I have ever taken part in since the start of my rally career ” explains Antoine L’Estage, “the new addition of Rockstar Energy Drink, who becomes co-title sponsors alongside Mitsubishi and Royal Group, increased support from Yokohama Canada and the addition of Mobil 1 Lubricants are crucial to our programme for the 2009 season ” he adds.
Four-time North American champion co-driver Nathalie Richard will return to Antoine’s side, as will John Buffum and the Coyote Rallye team of mechanics to prepare and maintain the rally car. “Since the car is entirely brand new, I will have very little time to get to know it as much as I would like to prior to the first stage at the Rallye Perce-Neige in only a few weeks but I am confident that I will bring a Mitsubishi to the top step of the podium before too long ” adds the Quebec driver.
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X is the latest version of the Lancer Evo line, cars that are particularly efficient for rally competition around the world.For Antoine, two-time Canadian and North American champion, the goals with the new car are set very high.
Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2009 Canadian Rally Championship with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Mitsubishi Canada, Yokohama Tires, Mobil, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, OMP Racewear and MBF Racing. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit Coyote Rallye