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/
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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/
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SportsTranscript
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)