2008 Central Europe Rally
{{Short description|Off-road motorsport event in Hungary and Romania}}
{{for|the World Rally Championship event held in Central Europe|Central European Rally}}
{{Infobox rally raid
|name = 2008 Central Europe Rally
|native_name =
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|country = {{HUN}}
{{ROM}}
|image =
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|rallybase =
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|stages = 7
|stagekm = 1092
|stagekm_note =
|overallkm = 2671
|overallkm_note =
|surface =
|category1 = Cars
|driver1 = {{flagicon|ESP}} Carlos Sainz and {{flagicon|FRA}} Michel Périn
|team1 = Volkswagen Race Touareg 2
|category2 = Bikes
|driver2 = {{flagicon|FRA}}David Casteu
|team2 = KTM
|category3 = Trucks
|driver3 = {{flagicon|NED}}Hans Stacey, {{flagicon|BEL}} Eddy Chevaillier, {{flagicon|NED}} Bernard der Kinderen,
|team3 = MAN
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}}
The Central Europe Rally was a rally raid endurance race held in Romania and Hungary following the cancellation of the 2008 edition of the Dakar Rally, marking the debut of the Dakar Series.[http://www.centraleuroperally.com/2008/CER/presentation/us/r3_5-le-parcours.html Central Europe Rally 2008: 2008 Edition > The Route] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080428075332/http://www.centraleuroperally.com/2008/CER/presentation/us/r3_5-le-parcours.html |date=2008-04-28 }}
The Amaury Sport Organisation created this event to fill the gap created by the cancellation of the 2008 Dakar Rally after 2007 killing of French tourists in Mauritania less than two weeks before the originally scheduled start of the race.[http://www.centraleuroperally.com/2008/CER/presentation/us/r3_2-aspects-sportifs.html Central Europe Rally 2008: 2008 Edition > Sporting Aspects] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423064302/http://www.centraleuroperally.com/2008/CER/presentation/us/r3_2-aspects-sportifs.html |date=April 23, 2008 }}
In the Cars category, Carlos Sainz Sr. won his first Dakar by 2:01 over Stéphane Peterhansel.
In the Trucks division, Hans Stacey won his second Dakar.
In the Bikes division, David Casteu won his first Dakar.
Route
The event began in Budapest on April 19 and finished at Lake Balaton in Hungary on April 26, 2008.
Below is a table with the locations of the start and finish points of each stage of the Rally, as well as each stage's distance.{{cite web |url=http://www.centraleuroperally.com/2008/CER/presentation/us/r3_5-le-parcours.html |title=The route |accessdate=2008-04-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080428075332/http://www.centraleuroperally.com/2008/CER/presentation/us/r3_5-le-parcours.html |archivedate=2008-04-28 }}
| class="wikitable" | ||||||
| rowspan=2| Date
! rowspan=2|Stage ! rowspan=2|Start ! rowspan=2|Finish ! rowspan=2|Special Stage (km) ! rowspan=2|Road Section (km) ! rowspan=2|Total ! colspan=4|Stage winners | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bikes
! Quads ! Cars ! Trucks | ||||||
| 20 April | 1 | {{flagicon|HUN}} Budapest | {{flagicon|ROM}} Baia Mare | 63 | 468 | 531
| {{flagicon|ESP}} M. Coma | {{flagicon|HUN}} L. Szabo | {{flagicon|ESP}} C. Sainz | {{flagicon|NED}} H. Stacey |
| 21 April | 2 | colspan=2| {{flagicon|ROM}} Baia Mare | 152 | 140 | 292
| {{flagicon|FRA}} D. Casteu | {{flagicon|ROM}} R. Irimescu | {{flagicon|FRA}} S. Peterhansel | {{flagicon|NED}} H. Stacey | |
| 22 April | 3 | {{flagicon|ROM}} Baia Mare | {{flagicon|HUN}} Debrecen | 152 | 285 | 437
| {{flagicon|SVK}} J. Katriňák | {{flagicon|ROM}} R. Irimescu | {{flagicon|RSA}} G. de Villiers | {{flagicon|CZE}} A. Loprais |
| 23 April | 4 | {{flagicon|HUN}} Debrecen | {{flagicon|HUN}} Veszprém | 150 | 430 | 580
| {{flagicon|FRA}} C. Despres | {{flagicon|FRA}} H. Deltrieu | {{flagicon|ESP}} C. Sainz | {{flagicon|NED}} H. Stacey |
| 24 April | 5 | colspan=2| {{flagicon|HUN}} Veszprém | 210 | 107 | 317
| {{flagicon|FRA}} D. Casteu | {{flagicon|HUN}} N. Nemeth | {{flagicon|ESP}} C. Sainz | {{flagicon|NED}} H. Stacey | |
| 25 April | 6 | colspan=2| {{flagicon|HUN}} Veszprém | 210 | 107 | 317
| {{flagicon|FRA}} C. Despres | {{flagicon|FRA}} H. Deltrieu | {{flagicon|ESP}} C. Sainz | {{flagicon|NED}} H. Stacey | |
| 26 April | 7 | {{flagicon|HUN}} Veszprém | {{flagicon|HUN}} Balatonfüred | 155 | 42 | 197
| {{flagicon|SVK}} J. Katriňák | {{flagicon|FRA}} C. Declerck | {{flagicon|ESP}} C. Sainz | {{flagicon|NED}} H. Stacey |
| 1,092 | 1,579 | 2,671 |
Results
=Motorcycles=
1. David Casteu (KTM) 12:21:14[http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/26042008/58/central-europe-rally-victory-sainz-casteu.html Central Europe Rally – Victory for Sainz and Casteu - Yahoo! Eurosport UK]
2. Francisco López (KTM) +2:58
3. Alain Duclos (KTM) +19:39
4. José Manuel Pellicer (Yamaha) +21:20
5. Cyril Despres (KTM) +22:50
=Cars=
1. Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn, Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, 11h18m08s{{Cite web |url=http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2593&Itemid=2 |title=RallySport Magazine – Sainz wins Central Europe Rally |access-date=2008-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801031546/http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2593&Itemid=2 |archive-date=2017-08-01 |url-status=dead }}
2. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret, Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution, + 2.01m
3. Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk, Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, + 6.34m
4. Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard, Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution, + 7.28m
5. Carlos Sousa/Andreas Schulz, Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, + 33.45m
6. Bruno Saby/Alain Guehennec, BMW X3 CC, + 46.30m
7. Robert Baldwin/Kevin Heath, Hummer H3, + 56.02m
8. Philippe Gache/François Flick, SMG, + 1h07m08s
9. Miroslav Zapletal/Valdimir Nemajer, Mitsubishi L200, + 1h12m19s
10. Robby Gordon/Andy Grider, Hummer H3, + 1h25m38s
=Trucks=
1. Hans Stacey, Eddy Chevaillier, Bernard der Kinderen, MAN TGA, 11:43:20{{Cite web |url=http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=286831&FS=DAKAR# |title=Motorsport.com: News channel |access-date=2008-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606160259/http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=286831&FS=DAKAR# |archive-date=2011-06-06 |url-status=dead }}
2. Wulfer van Ginkel, Daniël Bruinsma, Richard de Rooy, GINAF X2222, +0:33:43
3. Aleš Loprais, Ladislav Lála, Milan Holáň, Tatra T815-2, +0:53:18
4. Marek Spáčil, Jiří Žák, Zdeněk Němec, LIAZ 151154, +1:27:42
5. Marco Dono, Andrea Bettiga, Angelo Fumagalli, Iveco, +1:28:27