The 31st Dakar Rally took place in 2010 between Argentina and Chile, covering over 9,000 kilometers over 14 stages. 362 teams participated in the rally in motorcycles, cars, and trucks. The race began and ended in Buenos Aires and was halfway completed, with winners expected to finish on January 16th. The document featured photographs from the first 8 stages showing various racers and spectators along the route.

1. DAKAR RALLY 2010 ARGENTINA - CHILE

2. DAKAR RALLY 2010 The 31st running of the Dakar Rally is being held in South America for the second year, instead of the traditional African route, due to ongoing security concerns. This year's race began and will end in Buenos Aires, covering a looping 9,000 kilometers between Argentina and Chile over 14 stages. 362 Teams began the race with 176 motorcycles and quad bikes,134 cars, and 52 trucks. The race is just over halfway completed now, the winners expected to cross the finish line on January 16th. Collected here are several photographs from the first 8 stages of this year's rally.

3. Aerial view of the Parc ferme of the Dakar 2010 in Buenos Aires on December 31, 2009

4. The Volkswagen Touareg of South African driver Giniel De Villers and co-driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz of Germany attends the symbolic start of the Dakar 2010 in Buenos Aires on January 1, 2010.

5. Spanish KTM rider Jordi Viladoms greets onlookers during the opening presentation of the Dakar 2010 on January 1, 2010 in Buenos Aires.

6. Poland's Krzysztof Holowczyc in his Nissan passes race fans on a hillside during the Dakar 2010 between Colon and Cordoba, Argentina, on January 2, 2010.

7. Chile's Francisco Lopez Contardo guides his Aprilia through water during Stage 1 of the Dakar 2010 between Colon and Cordoba, Argentina, on January 2, 2010

8. People watch Nissan's Jean-Pierre Strugo and co-driver Yves Ferri, of France, splash their car through a river crossing during stage one in Rio Cuarto, Argentina, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010.

9. France's Jean Claude Mazet falls from his KTM during the 2nd stage of the Dakar 2010 between Cordoba and La Rioja, Argentina, on January 3, 2010.

10. Manuel Jamett of Chile climbs a rocky road on his Yamaha motorcycle during the sixth stage of the Dakar Rally 2010 from Antofagasta to Iquique January 7, 2010.

11. Spectators lie on the ground, hurt after the Desert Warrior of Germany-Swiss drivers Mirco Schultis and Ulrich Leardi careered off the road into a crowd, in Alpa Corral, Cordoba on January 2, 2010. One spectator was killed and four other fans were also hurt in the incident.

12. BMW's driver France's Stephane Peterhansel and co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret cross a valley during the seventh stage between Iquique and Antofagasta, Chile, Friday, Jan. 8, 2010.

13. Russia's Leonid Novitskiy crosses dunes in his BMW during the 7th stage of the Dakar 2010, between Iquique and Antofagasta, Chile, on January 8, 2010.

14. Volkswagen's Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz, of Spain, compete during stage six of the Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally 2010 between Antofagasta and Iquique, Chile, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010.

15. Italy's Luca Manca throws water over his head during the 3rd stage of the Dakar 2010 between La Rioja and Fiambala, Argentina, on January 4, 2010.

16. Yamaha's rider France's David Fretigne crosses a dune during the eighth stage of the 2010 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Antofagasta and Copiapo, Chile, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010.

17. Carlos Sainz of Spain in his Volkswagen is followed by a helicopter during the seventh stage from Iquique to Antofasgasta in the 2nd South American edition of the Dakar Rally 2010, January 8, 2010.

18. Frans Verhoeven of the Netherlands approaches the photographer across rocky terrain on his BMW during the 8th stage of the Dakar 2010, between Antofagasta and Copiapo, Chile, on January 10, 2010.

19. France's Stephane Peterhansel in his BMW glides past a road sign during the 7th stage of the Dakar 2010, between Iquique and Antofagasta, Chile, on January 8, 2010.

20. A rider climbs a riffled sand dune during the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally between Iquique and Antofagasta, Chile, Friday, Jan. 8, 2010.

21. Russian BMW driver Leonid Novitskiy and German co-driver Andreas Schulz try to escape after becoming stuck in the sand during the 8th stage of the Dakar 2010, between Antofagasta and Copiapo, Chile, on January 10, 2010

22. A mechanic wakes up in the early morning of the rest day of the 2nd South American edition of the Dakar Rally 2010 in Antofasgasta January 9, 2010.

23. A mechanic works on a truck in the Dakar encampment on the only rest day of the Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally in Antofagasta, Chile, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010.

24. Helder Rodriguez of Portugal rides his Yamaha motorcycle during the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally from Antofasgasta to Copiapo, January 10, 2010.

25. An aerial view shows the site where a Robinson 44 helicopter crashed in Fiambala, Catamarca province, January 4, 2010. The pilot, co-pilot and two reporters who were following the Dakar Rally sustained injuries when their helicopter crashed, local media reported.

26. A racer crosses desert terrain in stage six of the Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally 2010 between Antofagasta and Iquique, Chile, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010

27. China's Wenmin Su rides his Jincheng past cheering onlookers during the 4th stage of the Dakar 2010 between Fiambala, Argentina, and Copiapo, Chile on January 5, 2010

28. Yamaha's rider Argentina's Alejandro Patronelli climbs a dune on his quad bike during the seventh stage of the Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally 2010 between Iquique and Antofagasta, Chile, Friday, Jan. 8, 2010

29. South African Giniel De Villiers drives his Volkswagen during the 8th stage of the Dakar 2010, between Antofagasta and Copiapo, Chile, on January 10, 2010.

30. Italy's Silvia Giannetti falls from her KTM during the 5th stage of the Dakar 2010 between Copiapo and Antofagasta, Chile, on January 6, 2010.

31. THE END Press ‘Esc’ To Exit