“The Dakar Classic is a 50th birthday gift!”

It would be hard to find a bigger Toyota enthusiast than Michal Horodenski. The Polish driver, who works in communications for Toyota Central Europe, is one of the co-founders of the Toyota Team Classic, which was set up in 2016. Its mission: to compete in various motorsport disciplines with historic Toyota models. When the Dakar Classic was launched in 2021, it didn’t take long for Michael to decide to take part... with a Toyota, of course. It took him three years to prepare the Land Cruiser HDJ80 that he will drive in Saudi Arabia this year. The car is a replica of the famous vehicle from the 90s that was the pride and joy of Toyota Auto Body. On his right will be his faithful co-driver Arkadiusz Salacinski. Together, they already had a good time and good results on some Polish historic rally and cross-country tracks. Taking on the dunes of the Dakar will be a different challenge, but they are ready to face it.

M.H.: “My desire and decision to take part dates back to the creation of the Dakar Classic in 2021. I’m a Dakar lover and very interested in classic cars, so I thought it was the perfect competition for me! It’s a very good idea, a different kind of race based on navigation and regularity. I’m a big fan of the Toyota Auto Body team, and the car we will use is a kind of remember of the first class victory of the team, back in 1996. Arkadiusz and I started taking part in rallies a few years ago. We won the Polish historic rally championship before moving on to cross country. Participating in the Dakar Classic is a great adventure, and a 50th birthday gift!”

A.S.: “Classic motoring with a sport twist is what I like the most. I have been participating in sports competitions for many years now. Michal and I have known each other for over twenty years. I treat participation in the Dakar Classic as another challenge and a great adventure with him.”