Brabec does it – wins WRRC Ruta 40 – with teammates Schareina & Van Beveren rounding out the overall podium
Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally Team sweeps the top three positions at Argentina’s Ruta 40 rally; Monster/Hero’s Branch still leads the o/a WRRC points
Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally Team teammates, the ’24 Dakar Rally champion Ricky Brabec and defending Ruta 40 champion Tosha Schareina – two of the world’s foremost heavyweights of off-road motorcycle racing – were virtually tied heading into Friday’s 5th and final stage of the World Rally-Raid Championship’s YPF INFINIA Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina. And, as expected, the two went toe-to-toe in an epic battle for the overall Ruta 40 win.
Staving off blitzing rushes through the Argentinian countryside by Schareina throughout the entire day (and week for that matter), American Brabec – on an identical Monster Energy-shod Honda CRF450 Rally motorcycle – held off the Spaniard by 15 seconds, over six days and 3,057 kilometers, to win the 12th annual Ruta 40. The win by Brabec gave Honda its tenth win as a factory in the storied history of the event.
“This definitely feels good,” said an elated Brabec at the finish line in Cordoba. “The team rode real well all week and I’m really happy with how things went. And not just me, but the team as a whole. All the riders were 110 percent every single day and the mechanics did a great job. Freakin’ Tosha rode really well, kept me on my toes. We were going back and forth with each other all week, so that was really cool. Really stoked for this. Feels really good to come back from Dakar and do the Ruta 40 and have big success. This is huge for me and huge for Monster Energy and Honda. Definitely looking forward to Morocco. We’re all really happy with the motorcycles and I think the only thing we can do now is to just make it a level better.”
For Schareina, who was last’s year’s Ruta 40 champion and got a Monster Energy/Honda factory ride, in part, because of that, high praise would come for his teammate Brabec and the way the two fought over five stages and a Prologue this week.
“Today we fought with Ricky from the beginning to the end. I got to push and, in the end, we were ten seconds from the lead. But I’m super happy for the Monster Energy/Honda team. We did 1st, 2nd and 3rd. And I’m super happy for Ricky, too.”
In 3rd place on the day, as well as 3rd place overall to complete the Monster Energy/Honda HRC Team Rally podium sweep at the Ruta 40, was Adrien Van Beveren. “I enjoyed the riding today, really nice. A lot of variety of terrain. I’m happy with my riding and my feelings. I enjoyed the Ruta 40 to the maximum.”
Placing 4th overall at the Ruta 40, yet holding onto his overall lead in the WRRC motorcycle division points chase after four (of five) global rounds, was Monster Energy’s Ross Branch (Hero Motosports). The South African was pumped on his effort in Argentina, while also giving credit to the rival Monster Energy/Honda program for its effort.
“So that’s the end of the Ruta 40. It was so great to be back here racing in Argentina. With all the fans along the route it was really good for us, and also the sport. Friday was a long fight. The HRC (Honda) guys were at a different level, and I take my hat off to them. They did extremely well and I didn’t have enough to take the fight to them. That said, I’m more motivated that ever to take the fight into Morocco this October. The racing’s going to be tight and tough – and I think it’ll make for an exciting week of racing. I’m just really extremely proud leading the championship going into the last round and looking forward to doing my homework so I can come back swinging for Morocco. And like I said before, hat’s off to the HRC guys and Ricky for coming back and getting the win.”
In all, Monster Energy-backed teams and riders would capture an unbelievable 1st through 7th overall positions at the Ruta 40. A job well done indeed!
Desafio Ruta 40 Stage 5 Results
1st – Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy/Honda) 2:35:50
2nd – Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda) + 1:12
3rd – Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy/Honda) + 2:17
4th – Ross Branch (Hero/Monster Energy) + 3:43
5th – Pablo Quintanilla (Monster Energy/Honda) + 5:02
Desafio Ruta 40 FINAL standings (after Prologue through Stage 5)
1st – Brabec (18:08:37)
2nd – Schareina (+ 0:15)
3rd – Van Beveren (+ 5:33)
4th – Howes (+ 12:58)
5th – Branch (+ 14:57)
6th – Quintanilla (+ 23:55)
7th – Buhler (+ 25:25)
2024 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (through 4 of 5 rounds)
Overall Standings
1st – Ross Branch (Monster Energy/Hero Motosports), 72 points
2nd – Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda HRC), 63 points
3rd - Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy/Honda HRC), 56 points
4th – Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy/Honda HRC), 45 points
5th – Pablo Quintanilla (Monster Energy/Honda HRC), 37 points
6th – Sebastian Buhler (Monster Energy/Hero Motosports), 29 points
7th – Jose “Nacho” Cornejo (Monster Energy/Hero Motosports), 28 points
8th – Skyler Howes (Monster Energy/Honda HRC), 26 points
9th – Aaron Mare (Monster Energy/Hero Motosports), 25 points
Up next… The 2024 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship takes its summer break before regrouping in Morocco for the fifth and final chapter of this year’s series – the Rallye Du Maroc – Oct. 5-11. For more info on WRRC and Monster Energy’s racers with Honda and Hero, link to: www.worldrallyraidchampionship.com
