Can-Am Nextel was the only team to finish the Morocco Rally in the UTV division.
The Morocco Rally was a couple weeks ago, but the 2012 Dakar Rally is right around the corner and we can’t wait to see all the rally-raid superheroes attack the long, grueling tracks of South America. One of the top motorcycle competitors is local Chilean hero, Francisco Lopez. Chaleco, as he is known, has had stunning success in the Dakar aboard his twin-cylinder Aprilia dirt bikes. Recently he spent time in another Twin-powered vehicle, this one with four wheels, at the Morocco Rally. Lopez drove the Can-Am Commander 1000 UTV for six days at the helm of the Can-Am Nextel team alongside co-pilot Claudio Tronscoso. The race proved as a test bed for the Commander side-by-side which is going to be one of the vehicles attempting to survive 17 days of arduous conditions at Dakar.
The Commander was the only SxS to finish the Morocco Rally and placed 21st in the car division. It was prepped and supported by Jaton Racing, from Spain.
“Our starting objective for the race was clear: test the Can-Am Commander SxS’s capacity in difficult terrains to ensure a solid performance in the 2012 Dakar. We weren’t aspiring to win,” Lopez commented after the race. “By the last day, we had a new objective: become the first SxS vehicle in the history of the UTV class to finish the Morocco Rally.”
