Welcome back everyone, I hope you all had a fabulous new year's weekend.

To get things started in 2006, I thought I'd take a second a post a quick update about Ellen Lohr and the Kwikpower Mercedes-Benz team.

They just wrapped up the European leg of the Dakar Rally, and Ellen Lohr is "truly delighted as yesterday's and today's stages went absolutely as scheduled.”

The Kwikpower Mercedes team is currently sitting in 65th place in the event, after finishing 76th on the second stage.  According to Lohr: "We made it without having to push at any time. Hence, we have achieved what we wanted to. It's our major task to make it to Dakar with all our five cars. That's the challenge we have to cope with."

The next phase of the Dakar Rally, which spans a total of 417.5 miles from Nador to Er Rachiada, will have to be completed by Lohr without the immediate help of her four vehicle support team.  The team will be reunited, however, the following evening at the end of the stage.

We'll be sure to keep you posted as the race progresses; in the meantime, you can check out the full update on the Kwikpower Mercedes-Benz team by clicking here.