Dirkie Baard on www.hookit.com

Dirkie Baard
Age
22 Years Old
Location
Moreland, GA
Main Sport
ATV > Off-Road

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Winning Streak Continues as we head to the USA!

I'm a Pro 450cc ATV racer from Namibia who will be relocating to the US for the 2011 racing season.

I raced in California during March 2010 for the first time on a loaned TRX.

I was totally stoked with two podium positions, a win at Horizon MX Park, a second at the Dockin Rooster Desert Race. I came 8th at the WORCS race at Racetown 395. This was my first WORCS race and the first time at Racetown 395 in Adelanto CA . The course was quite different from what I have raced on in southern Africa , jumps were much higher and more technical. I had a blast!!”

Won the following:

2010 Lesotho Off Road Spectacular

2010 AMU Continental Off Road Championship

2009 Toyota 1000 Desert Race Botswana

2009 Quad Roof of Africa Challenge

2009 SA Pro 450cc Quad Motocross Championship

2009 Namibian Pro 450cc Quad Motocross Championship

2009 SA Pro 45cc Off Road Championship

2009 Namibian Pro 450cc Off Road Championship

Currently leading in points for the 2010 SA Pro 450cc Quad and Motocross Championships.

I am very confident and consistent and my goal is to win, become the best and continue to promote this awesome sport by being a good example to the youth and fellow competitors. I value my sponsors and promote them at every opportunity I get, without them I have no backing and there is no team. I do whatever it takes, work hard and always give everything I've got.

I have always raced Honda TRX450Rs, they're reliable, powerful and can handle a good beating.

See Ya'll Soon!!

Baard winning the Grass Factory & Eco Organics 400

www.horus-equusedi.com/sitebuilder/images/Dirkie_Brits-429x285.jpg

Dirkie takes a podium win at the Grass Factory & Eco Organics 400 km Off Road race held in Brits South Africa. With 27 quads competing in the Pro 450cc class, only 6 made it to the finish line. This win put Dirkie in the lead for the 2010 South African Quad Pro 450cc Off Road Championship.

Next Off Road event will be held in Ceres in the Western Cape South Africa on the 1-2 Oct.

Baard winning the Lesotho Spectacular

With all the soccer action in South Africa, the 2010 National Off-road Motorcycle and Quad Championships had to be moved to a cold Lesotho where the Lesotho Off-road Spectacular, the fourth round of the 2010 season, took place on 18 and 19 June.

The 2010 Lesotho Off-road Spectacular was a unique race and differed completely from the traditional Roof of Africa. Even though the course was still demanding, the race consisted of shorter distances and only some sections of the route were the same than previous years.

The Lesotho Off-road Spectacular started with a short time-trial on Friday (18 June) that determined the starting positions for the main race on Saturday (19 June). Quad racers did a 95km loop twice. The race started at 07h30 from Roma where it will finished as well.

Top four-wheeler finisher Baard, who lost time with two flat tyres, was chased by his younger brother and team mate, Philipie, who eventually finished 41 seconds behind to make it a 1-2 for the Namibians.

The Hluhluwe race has been cancelled so only two rounds remain in the 2010 SA Off-Road championship with the next race in the Brits area of the Northwest Province on August 21. Baard will return to the US during October this year to compete at two races in California.

Another podium and spectacular racing for Dirkie Baard!

2009 - The end of a GREAT Race Season!

2 Championship wins in South Africa (2009 SA National Pro 450 MX Champion, 2009 SA Pro 450 Off Road Championship), Winning the 800 km Quad Roof of Africa (Lesotho), 2 Championship wins in Namibia (2009 Namibian National 450 Pro MX Championship, 2009 Namibian National Pro 450 Enduro and Off Road Championship), 2^nd in the Toyota 1000 km Race (Botswana).

Thank you to all my sponsors: Race Nation Honda, Pupkewitz Honda, Quad Revolutions, Castrol, Fox Clothing, Shark Helmets, and everybody else in Namibia not mentioned here.

Timberland, 400 Km Off Road Race

Ermelo Toyota 400 km Off Road Race

CALEDON 400 - What a nightmare!

Each race is different and has its own levels of difficulties and challenges but the Caledon 400 broke this Honda, literally. Dewetsdorp is situated 600 km from Johannesburg. Terrain is very flat, very dusty which makes for a very fast paced track with poor visibility.
This was the second last leg of the 2009 National Off Road Quad Championship. Problems started as early as the time trails. Early during the time trails Dirkie had a flat and had to complete the 50km stretch with a hind flat tire resulting in Dirkie getting out of the gates for the first loop in 15th position, 5 min. behind the leader. Having to pass esp. the top 10 riders on a very fast track with poor visibility was not going to be an easy task.
Dirkie had to pass 14 quads to get within the top 10. The first 100km went well with Dirkie passing and moving up to the within the top 10, but after the 150km mark the troubles started. The Honda’s tyrod broke and after Dirkie managed to temporarily fix it himself, he managed to make it to the check point where Charl, his father waited and fixed it. The next stretch the exhaust and the rear light came off, the heel guards and nerf bars broke. Spare parts were taken from his second Honda and fitted but this put Dirkie back in 18th place. At the 250km mark Dirkie came in 8th position but with more damage to his Honda. After all the repairs he pulled out at 17th position.
At the 300km mark his Honda just did not hold up at all anymore, the frame had a crack in it with another 200km ahead of him. At the 350km mark most of the riders already had to withdraw due to irreparable damages to their quads. 2 riders were airlifted to Bloemfontein in serious condition. With the last 50km still to go Charl Baard strapped the TRX together and prayed that it would hold out the last 50km. Dirkie had to finish this race in order to remain in the lead for the 2009 National off Road Quad Championship and got the checkered flag in 7th position.  The Honda made it till there but that was it, it was beyond repair!
The last leg of the 2009 National Off Road Quad Championship will be held in Ceres in the Cape Province on the 16th of October 2009. With heavy rains, snow and a very rocky terrain this might just become the hardest race of 2009!!

Q&A - Favorites

Favorite Car: Mercedes Bus 4x4 to travel from race to race
Favorite Magazine: Dirt & Quad
Favorite Movie:
Favorite Trick: Heal clicker
Favorite Event:
Favorite Rider: Joe Byrd

Q&A - Personal

What inspires you to compete?

To be the best

Why do you like this sport?

It's extreme, fast, competitive and it keeps you healthy and in shape.

Describe your style...

Style? I like to try silly stuff that normally works, pushing my limits but always have safety in mind.

Do you train? What does your schedule look like?

I train every day, both on my quad and off. When I am in Namibia I do a lot of training in the desert. When in Johannesburg (South Africa) I train on the MX track. You can never be good enough. Other than that I Mountain Bike a lot and spend many hours in the gym.

Why do you compete?

Because I absolutely love this sport and I am good at it. It's a fast growing industry and there is a lot to learn and a lot to be taught to younger riders.

Q&A - Competition

How did you get started?

I started racing at 18 years of age. From my mother’s side all my family raced. My Uncle Doolcie Engels was also a Namibian champion and all my nephews raced two wheels. As a boy I started riding in the dunes, and with practice I got better and better until I decided to do motocross. Quads are easy to ride but to go fast is something else. You need to be extremely fit because it’s heavy and also techniques differ. There are different riding styles but fitness is one of the biggest requirements.

List your competitive highlights:

Winning the grueling 800km Off-road "Quad Roof of Africa" race in Lesotho southern Africa (Pro 450cc). I was the first Non - South African to win this event. Winning the 2009 South African Quad MX & Off Road National Championship. Winning the 2010 AMU Continental Championship

What are you planning for next season?

I am hoping to travel to the US to train and race there in preparation for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

What has been your biggest accomplishment?

Winning the 2010 Lesotho Off Road Spectacular. Winning the 2010 AMU Continental Championship Winning the 2009 Roof of Africa Quad Challenge Winning the 2009 South African National Pro 450cc Quad off Road & Motocross Championships. Winning the 2009 Namibian National Off Road & Motocross Quad Championships