Yadon Gifford
This year’s 44th edition drew 142 classic models at the start; making up nearly 25 percent of the 578 teams that participated in the legendary rally, held for the third time in Saudi Arabia. Other classes include motorcycle, quad, car, SSV, truck, and prototypes. The team is just one of the three all-women teams on the rally that drew 33 women competitors in total.
This was the second appearance of Lerner and Bossaert’s Team AL Rally and their rear-drive 911 that was prepared by GRally as a tribute to Jacky Ickx and Rene Metge, who won the Dakar overall in 1984 in a similar Porsche. The car was upgraded this year to withstand the rigors of the competition by the experienced DeMevius family team of GRally, from Wavre, Belgium, who also provided support on the rally. A top moment on the rally was a surprise visit to Lerner by the world-renowned racer and Dakar-winner Ickx.
I was super excited about our performance this year, with our win out of the 133 vehicles on Stage 9 of the rally, we finished the prologue in 88th place and worked our way to 12th at the halfway point of the rally, but lost valuable time after running out of fuel 3 kilometers from the finish on Stage 7 and becoming stuck on a dune on Stage 8, the terrain was really difficult; I owe thanks to BFGoodrich for their support and amazing tires which enabled me, in a 2WD vehicle, to drive on through many sections that saw multiple 4WD teams getting stuck. I was also appreciative of my Flying Eyes glasses which were the most comfortable glasses I have ever worn with a helmet; the ability to snap on the sunglass lenses was so convenient and much safer.
Amy Lerner
The 2022 Dakar staged in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, beginning along the Red Sea before traveling north to Ha’il and then westerly to capital city Riyadh; it then descended into the Empty Quarter, with a finish at the Formula 1 track in Jeddah. The competitive stages took place over a variety of terrains, including rocky and sandy trails, passages through majestic canyons and towering cliffs and across oceans of desert dunes, as well as liaisons on paved roadways.
Lerner, who is also a film producer, has made a documentary, One More Win, that focuses on her off-road trainer, the legendary Baja-1000 winner Rod Hall who is in the Guinness Book of Records, was just released. Like the Dakar, it heralds the passion of racing and competition and chronicles the spirit of a racer’s heart and life. The film is available on iTunes, Amazon, GooglePlay, and Vimeo. You can learn more at onemorewinfilm.com.
