We DRIVE a DAKAR Race UTV

UTV Driver

Can-Am invited us to Portugal to try out a Maverick prepared by South Racing for the Dakar Rally! This is the craziest side-by-side we’ve ever driven, but it’s even more unhinged with a pro behind the wheel! Watch us get scared silly in this awesome hand-built race rig!  Check out the full feature at https://www.utvdriver.com/racing/rokas-baciuska-pro-rally-raid-driver-dakar-stage-winner/  For more stories, reviews, and first-looks check out https://www.utvdriver.com/   Want to see even more shenanigans from the UTV Driver team? Give us a like and follow:   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UTVdriver/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utvdriverma... Twitter: https://twitter.com/utvdriver/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@utvdriver

Transcript

00:00 I'm in Portugal, outside South Racing, where they build the Can-Am Maverick X3s that run

00:05 in the Dakar Rally and the Rally de Morocco.

00:07 These are rally-raid cars that are completely different from what we see in the States in

00:11 desert racing.

00:12 These things can be certified to run in the United States, but they're primarily built

00:16 for big events, global events like the Dakar.

00:19 Now, the United States, a lot of people aren't really sure what that means.

00:22 We're going to go over one of these cars in detail, and then I'm going to get to drive

00:26 one so that we can find out exactly how a fully race-prepared Can-Am compares to a stock

00:32 X3 like the ones you and I drive every weekend.

00:35 Now, these have a little bit less horsepower, thanks to the Dakar's strict rules, but that

00:39 doesn't mean that they're not fast.

00:40 We can't wait to get behind the wheel of one of these things.

00:43 We're going to show you what that's like.

00:44 We're going to show you everything that goes into building one, and we're going to meet

00:47 the drivers.

00:48 I can't wait.

00:49 We are in Chareche, Portugal now.

00:51 We've come a couple hours north from the South Racing Can-Am shop, and behind me, somebody

00:55 else is getting their turn to drive the South Racing Can-Am Dakar Can-Am Maverick X3.

01:01 I am itching.

01:02 We are being taken around by a pro driver called Rokas Pacuska.

01:06 You may have heard of him.

01:07 He's kind of a big deal in Dakar circles.

01:09 He's going to be driving a T3 car for Can-Am and South Racing this year.

01:13 This kid is wild.

01:15 He's a baby.

01:16 He's 23 years old.

01:17 He's from Lithuania, and as you can hear, he can really make a side-by-side sing.

01:22 He's going to show me the ropes for a couple laps, and then it's my turn to hopefully not

01:26 embarrass myself too bad.

01:27 I can't wait to take you all along.

01:29 Let's jump right in.

01:30 I'm going to start the engine.

01:57 (engine rumbling)

02:01 (chattering)

02:03 (chattering)

02:06 (chattering)

02:08 (engine rumbling)

02:28 (engine rumbling)

02:31 (engine rumbling)

02:54 (engine rumbling)

02:57 (engine rumbling)

03:23 (chattering)

03:26 (engine rumbling)

03:32 (engine rumbling)

03:37 (chattering)

03:43 (engine rumbling)

03:48 (chattering)

03:53 (laughing)

03:55 - We are absolutely getting that thing.

03:58 (engine rumbling)

04:00 (engine rumbling)

04:11 (engine rumbling)

04:14 (engine rumbling)

04:41 (engine rumbling)

04:44 - This is how professionals drive.

04:50 This is professional only driving.

04:53 This is not for babies or the faint of heart.

04:56 Goodness gracious, goodness.

04:59 Hang on a minute guys, before we get to more of the action

05:01 I need you to do me a favor.

05:02 Pause the video, go down below, like it, comment on it

05:05 and subscribe to our channel.

05:06 We've got new content every week, more stuff like this.

05:09 You're not gonna wanna miss it.

05:10 - Hello guys, I'm Rokas Vacuska from Lithuania,

05:13 23 years old, two times world champion in T4 category.

05:18 And this year we will move in T3, in the big step.

05:22 And yeah, we will see how it's going on.

05:24 I did two times Dakar in T4, two times world champion.

05:29 And yeah, to move T3 is a little bit, not a big step

05:34 because it's the same buggy, just a little bit wilder,

05:37 a little bit, how to say, more speed you can adjust

05:41 because the restrictor is more bigger.

05:43 And yeah, the T4 I finish because two times world champion

05:46 I need to move forward.

05:47 And yeah, the team opportunity makes the car in T3,

05:51 it will be not easy, you know.

05:53 It's not like a lot of difference.

05:55 It's like more wilder, a little bit suspension.

05:58 I like that in T4 is you need to, in Dakar

06:01 you need to drive 125 per hour.

06:04 In T3 you can drive 135.

06:07 It's a little bit 10K more.

06:09 The drivers like speed, you know, and yeah.

06:12 Suspension, we have a Räger.

06:14 Before we had two years ago, Ochlins,

06:17 we tried Rägers a couple of things, you know,

06:21 suspension different and we choose the Räger.

06:23 I think the best suspension.

06:26 The most important, the buggy, the Can-Am,

06:29 that South Racing made, actually is incredible

06:32 because in Dakar it's important.

06:34 You can make the car fast, but you need to finish.

06:37 If you don't finish Dakar, the result is nothing, you know.

06:40 You can make two, three days fast,

06:43 but finish is finish, you know.

06:45 And yeah, last year we had leading every Dakar

06:49 and in the last stage we had a little problem.

06:53 But yeah, you know, sometimes you lose, sometimes you win.

06:57 But yeah, we can go inside a little bit car.

07:00 Yeah, important thing that you have a comfort seat from Sparco.

07:05 I got to go to Italy, to Turin,

07:08 to manage all seat, you know, with the factory guys

07:11 and they manage everything, you know, you can see my name.

07:14 It's like fit on my body, you know,

07:17 that's important thing to feel comfort

07:19 because in Dakar you do a lot of kilometer,

07:21 liaison and you need to be, you know, fit.

07:25 How it's going fit and comfort

07:27 because if you are not comfortable,

07:29 you have a problem with the neck, with the asset and everything.

07:33 Yeah, we have a bottom here.

07:36 It's nothing special, you know, ignition start,

07:41 the fuel pump, everything is automatic.

07:44 We have a new ones now this year, speed limiter,

07:48 which one will help, you know, in liaison

07:51 and in the stage that you don't need to play with the throttle

07:54 because it's really boring and you put a speed limiter

07:57 and that's all, you can sleep and you can go to the stage.

08:00 And yeah, we can go to the back a little bit.

08:03 Actually, we have now one tire, but in Dakar we use two tires.

08:08 It's compared T4 and T3, we have a stronger arms, back arms.

08:14 Yeah, we have Joanne brakes.

08:17 Actually, it's engine completely like standard Maverick,

08:24 just a little bit maybe modification.

08:27 But yeah, nothing to tell about a lot.

08:31 We have a fuel tank big under the seat,

08:34 which ones today we had not a lot of fuel,

08:37 but if you have full tank, it's more heavier.

08:41 You drive, you know, you feel that the car,

08:44 you can, after corner, you don't need to scare,

08:47 you can push the throttle because I have a standard buggy,

08:51 in the corner you cannot come faster, you know, you can roll out.

08:55 But with this Can-Am, you can drive easy like a rally car, you know,

08:59 that's incredible.

09:01 And yeah, I'm happy you to enjoy with me.

09:04 Yeah, today was, I think, good day.

09:07 And yeah, we will get now in the evening dinner and proper drink.

09:13 You've got a long career ahead of you.

09:15 What are your ambitions? What are your goals?

09:17 What do you want to achieve in rally raid?

09:19 I already achieved two times T4 world champion.

09:22 This year I want to win Dakar and again, one T3 world champion.

09:26 The main target to get T1 plus.

09:29 That's I think for the young people is the target, you know,

09:32 to fight with the Dakar legend.

09:34 Yeah, and I hope, you know, the generation has changed

09:36 and the young people need to come.

09:38 Are you going to come see us in America?

09:40 Are you going to race Baja?

09:41 Yeah, I want to guys will invite every time, every time and every second,

09:45 just invite me and I want to competition with you guys.

09:48 Thank you. Cheers.

09:49 We are back at Cherish Gin Distillery.

09:51 We're going to go inside and have a drink.

09:53 That is the end of our day in the South Racing Can-Am Red Bull T3 car.

09:57 What an incredible experience.

09:59 This thing is like nothing I've ever driven before.

10:01 I can't think except in cliches right now.

10:04 Don't forget we're on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok every day of the week.

10:08 And then you can come to UTVdriver.com for all of our news, reviews,

10:12 buyer's guides and stories about stuff like this.

10:15 We'll see you there.

10:16 Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.

10:21 Wow.

10:22 (engine revving)

10:25 (slow motion yelling)

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