Check out RacerXOnline social media for the next two weeks for daily reports from the Dakar Rally, as we get inside access to the Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally Team. This is a team running three Americans in the event, Ricky Brabec (two-time winner), Skyler Howes (former podium finisher) and rookie Preston Campbell.

Here's the Stage 5 recap, penned by Pat Schutte.

Dakar rookie, Californian Preston Campbell (Monster/Honda), continues to lead Rally2 class through race’s 5^th stage
Campbell podiums (3^rd) on Stage 5, leads 2^nd place o/a by 20-plus minutes; Teammate Ricky Brabec 5^th on Stage 5, still 2^nd overall in RallyGP title chase

HAIL, Saudi Arabia – When Honda decided to throw its hat into the Dakar Rally’s wildly competitive Rally2 class mix, they did so for the first time this year by creating 50 of the brand new CRF450RX Rally production bikes – built to mirror, right out of the crate and onto the showroom floor, their proven premier RallyGP class winner – the CRF450 Rally.

A number of lucky souls were able to purchase the bike and two, including American Preston Campbell and Portugal’s Martim Ventura, were tabbed to race the Rally2 class for the Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally factory team at Dakar these next two weeks.

And now one’s leading the class through five rounds.

In his very first appearance at the Dakar Rally, Californian Campbell, the son of American western off-road great Johnny Campbell, has a 20-plus minute advantage over the rest of the field as Dakar nears its halfway point of 13 stages.

“I’m not going to change my strategy,” said Campbell, when asked of his plans following a 3^rd place run on Stage 5 today. “Just going to take it day by day. We still have eight stages left and I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing because it seems to be working out. Keep clicking off the days and try to be the best at my navigation as I can. Keep it going.”

As of the Marathon stage test and a night spent out in a tent in the Saudi desert (set to test the racers like the old days of the Paris to Dakar Rally), Campbell was unfazed and, in fact, thought it was fun  - adding with a smile: “Marathon was good. I had a good time camping out there. Good stars, the weather was nice. Hanging out with all my friends. It was nice.”