Dakar Rally 2013

This year, racers in the Dakar Rally are more than halfway through their 8,000-mile journey. They travel via motorcycle, quad bike, car, or truck over extreme terrain in three countries in South America. Competitors and support crews come from more than 50 countries to challenge their mechanical, driving, and orienteering skills. The race kicked off in Lima on Jan. 5 and will wrap up this Sunday with the podium celebrations in Santiago, Chile. -- Lloyd Young (36 photos total)

Salvadoran Jorge Aguilar takes part in the sixth stage of Dakar Rally between Arica and Calama, Chile, on Jan. 10. (Felipe Trueba/European Pressphoto Agency)

Lucio Alvarez and co-driver Ronnie Graue of team Toyota compete in stage 9 from Tucuman to Cordoba during the 2013 Dakar Rally on Jan. 14 in Tucuman, Argentina. (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) #

Mitsubishi driver Francisco Leon, right, of Peru, waves a banner that reads in Spanish "I love you Peru" during the symbolic start of the Peru-Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally in Lima, Peru, on Jan. 5, 2013. The race of over 400 vehicles including cars, bikes, trucks and quads begins Saturday in Lima and finishes in Santiago, Chile on Jan. 20. (Karel Navarro/Associated Press) #

US driver Robby Gordon jumps from the podium in his Hummer during the departure ceremony of the fifth South American edition of the Dakar Rally in Lima on Jan. 5 (Ernesto Benavides/AFP/Getty Images) #

Peruvian fans take pictures of the podium during the departure ceremony of the fifth South American edition of the Dakar Rally in Lima on Jan. 5. (Ernesto Benavides/AFP/Getty Images) #

France's David Casteu rides his Yamaha during the Stage 2 of the Dakar Rally in Pisco, Peru, on Jan. 6. The rally will take place in Peru, Argentina and Chile from Jan. 5 to 20. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images) #

Russian driver Vladimir Vasilyev overturns during the third stage of the Dakar Rally in the Nazca desert, about 450 km south of Lima, Peru, on Jan. 7. (Paolo Aguilar/European Pressphoto Agency) #

Ben Grabham of team HSE KTM Australia competes during the stage from Pisco to Pisco on day two of the 2013 Dakar Rally on Jan. 6 in Pisco, Peru. (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) #

A woman jumps as France's Ronan Chabot and co-pilot Gilles Pillot compete with their SMG truck during the 3rd stage of the Dakar Rally from Pisco to Nazca on Jan. 7. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters) #

Argentinian Lucio Alvarez and Ronnie Graue try to escape from a dune as they take part in the sixth stage of the Dakar Rally between Arica and Calama, Chile, on Jan. 10. (Frederic Le Floc'h /Dakar Rally) #

A man works on a truck during the rest day of the Dakar Rally competition in San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, on Jan. 13. (Felipe Trueba/European Pressphoto Agency) #

Teams work through the night to repair the cars after day one of the of the Dakar Rally on Jan. 5 in Pisco, Peru. (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) #

Carlos Sainz and co-pilot Timo Gottshalk of team Buggy compete during the stage from Pisco to Nazca on day three of the Dakar Rally on Jan. 7 in Pisco, Peru. (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) #

Robby Gordon is pictured next to his overturned truck in the sand during Stage 4 of the Dakar Rally between Nazca and Arequipa, Peru, on Jan. 8. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images) #

Riders compete during the Stage 1 of the Dakar Rally between Lima and Pisco, Peru, on Jan. 5. The rally will take place in Peru, Argentina and Chile from Jan. 5 to 20. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images) #

Chile's Claudio Rodriguez rides his Honda motorcycle during the second stage of the Dakar Rally on Jan. 6. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters) #

Honda rider Gerard Farres Guell of Spain, left, and Honda rider Helder Rodrigues of Portugal, right, talk at the end of the special stage of the 2013 Dakar Rally's 5th stage from Arequipa, Peru, to Arica, Chile, on Jan. 9. (Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press) #

France's Vincent Guindani rides his Yamaha during the 9th stage of the Dakar Rally from San Miguel de Tucuman to Cordoba, Argentina, on Jan. 14. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters) #

Brazil's Guilherme Spinelli is seen stuck in a flooded river during Stage 8 of the Dakar Rally between Salta and Tucuman, Argentina, on Jan. 12. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images) #

A man cleans a vehicle during the rest day of the Dakar Rally competition in San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, on Jan. 13. (Felipe Trueba/European Pressphoto Agency) #

Brazil's Guilherme Spinelli, left, observes his Mitsubishi stuck in a river below, as a helicopter passes with an unidentified motorcycle, during Stage 8 of the Dakar Rally between Salta and Tucuman, Argentina, on Jan. 12. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images) #

A view of a road book before Stage 2 of the Dakar Rally in Pisco, Peru, on Jan. 6. The rally will take place in Peru, Argentina and Chile from Jan. 5 to 20. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images) #

Thomas Bourgin, of France, competes in the 6th stage of the Dakar Rally from Arica to Calama, Chile. Bourgin died on Jan. 11, 2013, in an accident before the 7th stage of the Dakar Rally between Calama, Chile, and Salta, Argentina. (Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press) #

Dakar Rally competitors hold a minute of silence out of respect for France's Thomas Bourgin in Cachi, Argentina on Jan. 12. Bourgin died on Jan. 11 before the start of Stage 7 when he collided with a police car. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images) #

Kees Koolen of the Netherlands rides his Honda quad through a river basin that was flooded rapidly due to heavy rains during the 8th stage of the from Salta to Tucuman, Argentina, on Jan. 12. The 8th stage was canceled due to the flash flood. (Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press) #

Riders race their motorcycles through dunes during the 6th stage from Arica to Calama, Chile, on Jan. 10. The race finishes in Santiago, Chile, on Jan. 20. (Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press) #

Mini driver Stephane Perterhansel of France competes during Stage 8 of the Dakar Rally between Salta and Tucuman, Argentina, on Jan. 12. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images) #

Robby Gordon, bottom, and co-driver Kellon Walch, top, of the United States, rest in their Hummer before the start of the 6th stage from Arica to Calama, Chile, on Jan. 10. (Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press) #

An unidentified biker competes during Stage 8 between Salta and Tucuman, Argentina, on Jan. 12. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images) #

A policeman directs traffic towards a motorcyclist during the untimed 7th stage of the Dakar Rally from Calama to Salta, Chile, on Jan. 11. (Ivan Alvarado/Reuters) #

Yamaha rider Lkhamaa Namchin of Mongolia sits on the sand after falling with his motorcycle during the 6th stage from Arica to Calama, Chile, on Jan. 10. (Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press) #

South African pilot Giniel de Villiers, right, gets past French driver Ronan Chabot during the ninth stage of the Dakar Rally between San Miguel de Tucuman and Cordoba, Argentina, on Jan. 14. The stage was won by Spanish pilot Nani Roma. ( Felipe Trueba/European Pressphoto Agency) #

Husqvarna rider Joan Barreda Bort of Spain competes in the stage one as a helicopter flies above during the Dakar Rally between Lima and Pisco, Peru, on Jan. 5. (Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press) #

Ronan Chabot and co-driver Gilles Pillot of France race across a creek during the 9th stage from Tucuman to Cordoba, Argentina, on Jan. 14. (Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press) #

South Africa's Riaan Van Niekerk rides his KTM during the 5th stage of the Dakar Rally from Arequipa in Peru to Arica in Chile, on Jan. 9. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters) #

An unidentified biker competes during Stage 4 of the Dakar Rally between Nazca and Arequipa, Peru, on Jan. 8. The rally will take place in Peru, Argentina and Chile from Jan. 5 to 20. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images) #