DASH-The Dakar Rally, Life and Happiness

I wanted to be a professional off-road racer since 1982 but I made a critical decision that year to go to college and then became a stockbroker. I thought that was the right decision for a long time. It wasn’t that long ago that I worked as a money manager. I spent my twenties and most of my thirties building hedge funds at a time when few people had heard of the term. I was very successful, but wondered what I might have been had I not given up my dreams.



Each January, I compete in The Dakar Rally, the world’s largest motorsports event. As a factory driver for Volkswagen Motorsport since 2005, I pilot a VW Race Touareg through some of the world’s most rugged terrain over a grueling 3-week rally. Land mines, crashes, and getting lost in the desert are just a few of the challenges the race presents. For many years the rally was held mostly in Africa. That was before terrorist threats in 2008 forced its relocation to Argentina and Chile, which speaks volumes about the nature of Dakar.



I got a second chance in my life and I found my way back to racing and pursuing the ultimate goal: winning The Dakar Rally.



This book is about rediscovering passions, second winds, and racing through life at high speeds while being happy. It’s about the realization that sometimes you have to slow down in order to go faster. Most of all it’s a story about grabbing opportunities and holding on for dear life.



It’s been a hell of a ride. I hope you enjoy it.