As part of his latest round of donations, Benediktas Vanagas and his Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics team have sent 40 tires from the Dakar Rally to Ukrainian soldiers defending against Russian invasion.

Rally raid tires are stronger than traditional off-road models since they’re built to withstand tougher environments across multiple weeks of racing each day. Dakar competitors nowadays use the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KDR3, which come in 37- (Ultimate and Stock classes) and 30-inch (Challenger and SSV) versions. BFGoodrich has raced at Dakar since 1993 and is currently the race’s official tire supplier.

Wednesday’s donation comes a week after he partnered with TRELO to send heavy-duty trailer tires to the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine. TRELO is a Lithuanian trailer and truck repair company that has sponsored TGR Baltics. While the tires head to Ukraine, the rims stay behind in Lithuania where Vanagas is signing and selling them for €250 apiece.

“Ukrainian soldiers love our sports tires because they are much more durable than standard ones,” Vanagas explained. “The mud treads help them grip on rougher roads, while the reinforced sidewalls are more resistant to concrete blocks and metal ledges.”

Like most Lithuanians, Vanagas is staunchly supportive of Ukraine and has been long before the 2022 full-scale invasion. He had a Ukrainian flag riding with him during the 2017 Dakar and included the blue-and-yellow pattern on his Hilux’s A-pillar during the 2023 FIA European Baja Cup.

Vanagas often encourages his compatriots to donate to charities like Blue/Yellow, a domestic NGO that has raised money for the AFU since the start of the war in 2014. During summer 2023, he and fellow rally raiders Antanas Juknevičius and Vaidotas Žala were ambassadors for “Milijonas vaistinėlių Ukrainai”, an initiative that encouraged Lithuanians to donate their cars’ first aid kits to Ukraine; 115,223 kits were sent in total.

Besides vehicles and equipment, Vanagas has also donated proceeds from auctioning off rally merchandise like his Toyota Hilux’s bodywork and a Red Bull cap autographed by then-TGR colleague Nasser Al-Attiyah. Team sponsors like Vostok Europe, Ginalas STIHL, Skaylink, and Tokvila have also raised money for Ukrainian aid.

“It doesn’t matter what Trump does. What matters is what we do,” Vanagas said after the United States cut off aid to Ukraine. “Now, let’s stop whining and start preparing, loudly demanding efficiency from those responsible. Lithuania can be a hedgehog that serves death to uninvited guests.”

His 13th Dakar Rally in January was cut short after four stages, bowing out in Stage #5 with a broken differential and transmission from a rock. Outside of racing, Vanagas is a member of the Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Forces.

Featured image credit: Benediktas Vanagas