On January 3, 2009, America's most competitive cross-country rally team, Rally Pan Am, will take the start of the Dakar Rally in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After 30 years in Africa, the prestigious Dakar has moved to South America for 2009. In January 2008, the event was cancelled due to violence in Mauritania.

Nicknamed "El Dakaro" the event's new location will be as exciting as the deserts of North Africa. The rally will be just as long and just as challenging as it loops from Argentina to the Atacama Desert of Chile and back. The organizers promise, "Same Adventure - New Places." Hundreds of thousands of South American rally fans eagerly anticipate seeing the world' premier off-road event in person.

Motorcycle racer Jonah Street looks forward to the event as well. After an impressive string of wins and championships in North America, Jonah turned his attention to international rally racing three years ago. Jonah notes, "North Africa is

the back yard of the European teams. The move to South America evens the playing field a bit."  The race will run through cactus forests familiar to the Americans rather than the camel grass of the Sahara. Jonah and his California-based team have steadily improved their skills, organization and equipment to become true contenders for a top finish in South America.