EVENT LiVE - (updated as often as network coverage will allow)
10:57 WST 10/08/09
Check out the Fifi Box page for pictures and interviews from Safari, and the Sunrise cross where it is all explained.
Also check out ADB Mag website and blog from Andy Wiggan.
10:57 WST 09/08/09
Garland moves to third
After a successful appeal against a two-hour penalty, Isuzu DMAX driver, Bruce Garland, has finished third in the Auto section of this year’s Australasian Safari.
Garland was handed a two-hour penalty for breaching rules governing the acceptance of outside assistance during the sixth leg of the event. On appeal, the CAMS Stewards reduced that penalty to one-hour, moving the New South Welshman and his co-driver, Harry Suzuki, to a podium position.
The Auto section was won by 2008 Champion, Stephen Riley, in his 2008 Mitsubishi Pajero, with Terry Cooper second in his 1995 Nissan GQ Ute.
AUTO
1 Stephen RILEY (Vic)/ John DOBLE (NSW), Mitsubishi Pajero, 26h 22m 24s
2 Terry CONNER (Vic)/ Jodi CONNER (Vic), Nissan GQ Ute, +16m 43s
3 Bruce GARLAND (NSW)/Harry SUZUKI (NSW) Isuzu DMAX, +1hr 20m 16s
16:57 WST 08/08/09
IT OVER! Finishing competitors for the 2009 Australasian Safari have rolled over the Finish Line! Check the results for the 2009 Safari Here!
Safari run and won – Smith, Riley, Machecek the victors
Smith becomes youngest ever Safari winner
Twenty-year old Condobolin rider, Jacob Smith, has become the youngest ever winner of the Australasian Safari after dominating the seven-day event, which finished in the Western Australian gold mining city of Kalgoorlie today.
Riding a Honda CRF 450X, Smith took the lead on the third of the event’s 19 timed stages and finished the 3771 kilometre event 14 minutes and 18 seconds ahead of his brother, Todd Smith, riding a KTM. Defending champion, Ben Grabham, also on a KTM, was third, three minutes 30 seconds further back.
Czech Republic rider, Josef Machacek, has easily won the quad bike category in his first Safari. The five-time Dakar Rally winner showed his skill and experience to head home Victorian Paul Smith, and his countryman, Martin Plechaty.
Leongatha dairy farmer, Steve Riley, claimed his second Safari auto win in the same Mitsubishi Pajero that he drove to victory in 2008. Riley wasn’t the fastest man on each day of the event, but his considerable experience of the marathon paid dividends, finishing 16 minutes 43 seconds clear of fellow Victorian Terry “Tangles” Conner in a Nissan. Veteran Reg Owen was third, another one hour 22 minutes in arrears.
The final day of the off-road marathon saw competitors tackle two stages on a 165 kilometre loop out of the gold mining city of Kalgoorlie. Navigational skills were really tested over a number of tricky station tracks.
Ben Grabham started the event as hot favourite in the bike section after winning the past two Safaris, but his hopes of a third straight win ended on day two when he lost a rear tyre and dropped over an hour to the Smith brothers.
From then on, Jacob Smith controlled the event, and the third year apprentice linesman was elated with his victory.
“It’s fantastic to beat to Ben (Grabham) as he’s the best rider in Australia,” Smith said. “Any time you can beat him it’s a good achievement. It’s my third Safari, so it’s third time lucky – I was second in 2007, and had an engine failure last year.”
While he wasn’t the event favourite, Smith was always aiming for victory.
“I always race to win, I don’t do it for second, but it was such a strong field it was always going to be tough. But after the first few days I knew I could do it.”
Having his 24-year old brother in second place was an added bonus.
“We work together, even though we’re on different teams, and we support each other,” Smith said. “We always wanted to be 1-2, it was just a case of who was first and who was second.”
Anything but a full-time professional rider, Smith will be back at work on Monday morning, less than 48 hours after his historic victory.
Fourth placed Ivan Erceg was the first Western Australian rider home on his KTM, easily taking his best ever Safari result. He finished over half an hour clear of South Australian David Scwharz on a Husaberg.
“Coming into the event I was hoping for a top ten finish, but I never thought I’d be this high. I’m stoked with the result,” Erceg said.
Swedish rider, Annie Seel, relished her first Safari experience, and reaped praise on the event and her fellow-competitors.
“I think if you want to do the Dakar in Argentina then you need to do this event first as a training event,” the 40-year old veteran said. “I’m going to try to sell the event back home and get more competitors for next year.
“I was particularly impressed by how fast the locals ride with the navigation. An Aussie team in the Dakar could do very well. For me, this event was as tough as the Dakar.”
The quad category was made up mostly of international competitors, but in his first Safari, veteran Czech rider Josef Machacek was still expected to take victory
“It has been super training for Dakar, we’re planning on being back,” the 52-year old said.
“The main difference to Dakar was there was no people out there to watch, compared to Argentina where there are hundreds of people watching – it was great to be in the outback.”
Steve Riley was thrilled to take his second consecutive auto category win, despite some last day navigational issues that saw him lose six minutes on the first stage which gave his rivals a sniff of an upset victory.
“It’s a huge relief to get to the finish,” Riley said.
“This has been a day of real highs and lows. The high was obviously winning, but we got bogged 14 kilometres into the first stage of the day and losing that time.
“We tried putting sticks under the car and shovelling, but it wasn’t until Darren Green came along and towed us out that we could continue. That really shows the camaraderie of our fellow competitors.
“We were always confident that we could do well because we’d done our homework and had put a lot of work into the car before the start. However, there are so many variables in this event that you never know what’s going to happen until you cross the finish line.
“To win is a great feeling,” he added.
Final results, 2009 Australasian Safari (provisional)
MOTO
1 Jacob SMITH (NSW), Honda CRF 450 X, 22h 58m 09s
2 Todd SMITH (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +14m 18s
3 Ben GRABHAM (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +17m 48s
4 Ivan ERCEG (WA), KTM 450 EXC, +1h 58m 57s
5 David SCHWARZ (SA), Husaberg, +2hrs 32m 25s
QUADS
1 Josef MACHACEK (CZ), Yamaha Raptor, 29h 26m 03s
2 Paul SMITH (VIC), CAN AM Renegade 800 R X, +3h 04m 55s
3 Martin PLECHATY (CZ), Borile Bory FM 700R, +4h 21m 02s
AUTO
1 Stephen RILEY (Vic)/ John DOBLE (NSW), Mitsubishi Pajero, 26h 22m 24s
2 Terry CONNER (Vic)/ Jodi CONNER (Vic), Nissan GQ Ute, +16m 43s
3 Reg OWEN (Vic)/ Russell CAIRNS (Vic), Nissan Patrol, +1h 38m 39s
4 Beau ROBINSON (WA)/ Dieter ALLEN (WA), Mitsubishi Pajero, +1h 56m 23s
5 Darren GREEN (VIC)/ Wayne SMITH (VIC), Nissan Patrol, +2h 13m 52s
LEG 7 SPEC GUIDE HERE - Kalgoorlie Area - Saturday 8th August 2009
17:31 WST 07/08/09
INTERNATIONAL CREWS LAPPING UP SAFARI CHALLENGE
The international competitors in this year’s Australasian Safari are enjoying the challenge of the rugged Western Australian outback, and are vowing to return to the event again in 2010.
There are nearly 20 overseas drivers and riders in this year’s event, representing China, USA, Sweden, South Africa, Japan, Hungary, the Czech Republic and New Zealand.
The list includes five-times Dakar Rally quad bike winner Josef Machacek from the Czech Republic, and American Josh Hall, a winner of the famed Baja 1000 desert race on four occasions.
Driving a huge Hummer H2 SUT, Hall has performed impressively over the first five days of the event, setting a number of top three stage times on his Safari debut.
“There are a lot of similarities in the terrain to the US, we also have the same ruts and drainage and sandy stuff,” Hall said after another tough and challenging day in the WA outback.
“The difference we’ve noticed is the beauty of the bushland. The areas we often race on in the US have been raced on many times before. This race presents unique challenges that have not been experienced before.
“We saw our first emu on Wednesday, and luckily it was running away from us!”
A three-car Chinese team is contesting the auto category, and after four days of competition all three of the team’s Changtongs, a derivative of the Mitsubishi Pajero, were running inside the top 15.
None of the Chinese drivers or co-drivers speak much English, which adds to the challenge of the local Perth team who are co-ordinating their program while they’re in Australia.
A similar language problem also limits the amount of contact that the locals and event organisers have with the two quad bike riders from Hungary and two from the Czech Republic.
Swedish motorbike ace, Annie Seel, is also an international veteran, and has loved her Safari experience, as has New Zealander Sarah Twaddle.
“The competition compares with Dakar, the guys in the top of the field are just as competitive as my rivals there,” Seel said. “The terrain in the first couple of legs reminded me of Mali, Senagal and Argentina.”
Twaddle added: “Of course I’m coming back again next year! We’re actually already building the new faster car I’ll be in.”
Chinese driver, Liu Bin, driving for the three-car Changfeng Motor team, is also planning on returning to the Australasian Safari in 2010.
“There’s a very high chance we’ll come back next year, and we plan to build a special car for the Safari,” he said through his translator. “We would also be more prepared with additional spare parts. This year it was all about testing the car and learning from the other competitors.
“Some of the landscape is similar to the Gobi Desert, but the main difference is the trees,” he added. “There are so many more trees to negotiate here. In China, the biggest difficulty in the desert is finding the tracks – it is hard to find the direction.
“We are satisfied with the team’s performance. It’s the first time we have used the cars to run such long distances, and it’s giving us great preparation for next year’s events. We are really pleased that all three cars continue to be competitive.”
Against the cream of Australia’s motorbike, quad bike and four-wheel drive crews, the internationals are putting up a string of impressive performances that are sure to have them adding the Australasian Safari to their event calendars in 2010.
With the increased media coverage of the event this year and support from the Western Australian government, the Australasian Safari looks to be going from strength to strength.
16:52 WST 07/08/09
Check out the Can-Am team blog here.
Some Quotes from:
Annie Seel said the competition compares with Dakar, the guys in the top of the field are just as competitive as her rivals there. The terrain in the first couple of legs reminded her of Mali, Senagal and Argentina. “I hadn’t seen a kangaroo until this morning when a local lady brought me her pet joey to see. She also brought me a honey ant to eat – it was a lovely experience!” Visit : www.annieseel.com and click on the blogg link at the top of the page to read more from Annie.
Sarah Twaddle:
“Of course I’m coming back again next year! We’re actually already building the new faster car I’ll be in and next year I’ll be navigating, I’ll be able to play with the big boys!”
Quotes from Mr Liu Bin, Driver of China Changfeng Motor car 130:
About the course:
Some of the landscape is similar to the Gobi Desert, but the main difference is the trees. There are so many more trees to negotiate here. In China, the biggest difficulty in the desert is finding the tracks – it is hard to find the direction.
About the competition:
The speed of the competitors is much faster in Australia than in China. Because the cars we built in China are to FIA regulations, rather than CAMS regulations, so the capacity of the engine is about half of the Australian cars.
Every event we enter is fun, it is not just about the competition. It feels very relaxed here.
About the China Chanfeng Motor three-car team:
We are satisfied with the team’s performance, it’s the first time we have used the cars to run such long distances, and it’s giving us great preparation for next year’s events. We are really pleased that all three cars continue to be competitive.
About WA:
We actually saw two emus the other day and we managed to stop in time for them to run away! We wish we could spend more time here, but we have to go back and compete in an event the following week.
Next year?:
There’s a high chance we’ll come back next year, and we plan to build a special car for the Safari. We would also be more prepared with additional spare parts. This year it was all about testing the car and learning from the other competitors.
You can keep up to date with the Honda Team reports here...
16:17 WST - 7/08/09
Smith, Riley, Machacek eye Safari titles
With just three stages remaining of the 3600-kilometre Australasian Safari marathon, it seems that only disaster can stop Honda rider Jacob Smith from climbing on to the top step of the podium in Kalgoorlie tomorrow afternoon.
The Condobolin rider holds a 25 minute advantage over his brother, Todd Smith, on a KTM, with two-time winner Ben Grabham third, less than two minutes further back. With 16 of the event’s 19 timed stages, it seems that Grabham’s dream of a third straight title is over.
The Czech Republic’s Josef Machacek continues to lead the quad bike category, although Victorian Paul Smith has reduced his lead by seven minutes during Leg 6. The Czech rider still has a 46-minute buffer, and the wily veteran is unlikely to throw that advantage away.
In the Auto section, Steve Riley has increased his lead to 16 and a half minutes in his Mitsubishi Pajero, with Terry “Tangles” Conner (Nissan) and Bruce Garland (Isuzu) hot on his heels and hoping that the 2008 winner slips up on the run to the finish.
Today’s three stages covered 392 competitive kilometres on many tight and overgrown tracks between Laverton and Kalgoorlie.
The day’s first stage was a relatively short 87-kilometre test, but the following 243 kilometre stage was where most expected Ben Grabham to make his final charge for victory.
While the Bathurst rider was the fastest through the stage, he was only three minutes and 42 seconds quicker than leader Jacob Smith, who finished the stage with a broken fuel line.
Smith endured a mad scramble to fix his fuel problem in the 15 minutes service time following the stage, but remained upbeat and confident he could hold on for victory.
“The first two stages went well, and they were good fun,” Smith said. “We’re gradually getting there. Minimising risks is now vital.”
Todd Smith has so far managed to protect his second placing, however he knows he will be chased all the way to the finish line by Grabham who is less than two minutes behind.
“The long stage was hard and tough,” Todd said. “I’m a bit buggered and my legs are pretty tired, but I’ve had no crashes and a pretty clean run.
“I think I can keep second place if I keep my mind on the job.”
Grabham is still pushing hard despite not making the in-roads to the lead he’d been hoping for.
“The 243km stage was the hardest and most physically demanding of the event,” he admitted. “The bike was good, but there were a few spots where the track was hard to see because of trees, so it was quite difficult.”
Western Australian, Ivan Erceg, is comfortable in fourth place, intent on getting his bike to the finish without problems, while South Australian, David Schwarz, has moved into the top five on his Husaberg.
Swedish rider, Annie Seel, suffered a foot injury on her Husaberg, but after treatment from the event medical team, she continued on in 13th place.
Many agreed with Grabham that the long second stage of the day was one of toughest of the event. It saw most of the four-wheel drives hit tyre problems.
Steve Riley was happy that his car was holding up well, considering the rough roads, but his rivals were dropping back.
“That was the toughest section ever,” second placed Terry Conner reported. “We had to replace a front tyre during the stage and I’m having clutch problems, but otherwise it’s all going okay.”
Third placed Garland wasn’t as fortunate, changing all four tyres during the stage and having to take a fifth from his service crew when he reached the finish.
“We’re not going real well today,” he confessed. “It was murder in that stage.”
Revelling in the long stage was the big American Hummer H2 SUT of Josh Hall and co-driver “Thad” Stump. The 3500-kilogram Hummer loves the long and rough stages, and they took their second stage win of the event.
The big beast doesn’t run a front windscreen, and finished the stage with a cabin full of branches and leaves after a hard charge through the Western Australian outback.
The final day of the event sees competitors embark on a two stage, 165 kilometre loop out of the gold mining city of Kalgoorlie. Navgational skills will be tested over a number of tricky station tracks, which could provide a real sting in the tail.
Following the day’s two stages, the podium finish will take place in Maritana Street from 12.30pm.
MOTO (after stage 16 of 19)
1 Jacob SMITH (NSW), Honda CRF 450 X, 20h 15m 17s
2 Todd SMITH (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +25m 22s
3 Ben GRABHAM (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +27m 03s
4 Ivan ERCEG (WA), KTM 450 EXC, +1h 46m 16s
5 David SCHWARZ (SA), Husaberg, +2h 17m 05s
QUADS (after stage 16 of 19)
1 Josef MACHACEK (CZ), Yamaha Raptor, 26h 01m 36s
2 Paul SMITH (VIC), CAN AM Renegade 800 R X, +46m 05s
3 Martin PLECHATY (CZ), Borile Bory FM 700R, +12h 40m 37s
AUTO (after stage 16 of 19)
1 Stephen RILEY (Vic)/ John DOBLE (NSW), Mitsubishi Pajero, 23h 02m 34s
2 Terry CONNER (Vic)/Jodi CONNER (Vic), Nissan GQ Ute, +16m 32s
3 Bruce GARLAND (NSW)/Harry SUZUKI (NSW) Isuzu DMAX, +26m 23s
4 Reg OWEN (Vic)/Russell CAIRNS (Vic), Nissan Patrol, +1h 26m 02s
5 Beau ROBINSON (WA), Dieter ALLEN (WA), Mitsubishi Pajero, +2h 01m 11s
16:59 WST - 6/08/09
WE ARE HERE! After 1800km in the Equiptment vans, we have finally rolled into Kalgoorlie, and the first of the competitors is not far away. In the bikes it still J Smith leading T Smith with Grabham holding 3rd with one stage to go for today. Quads have Machacek leading with Smith 2nd and Pletachty 3rd. After SS15 (first stage today) Riley/Doble continue their domanance in 1st place over Conner/Conner in 2nd and Garland/Suzuki in 3rd. Photos and more news soon as the Safari Circus rolls into its final overnight stop.
Some images from out and about today on Safari...
 
Left: Repeater Plane Right: Laverton Township & Bivouac from Eagle 1
 
White Cliffs (near Laverton) from Eagle 1
Winnie 1 & Winnie 2 - Our home away from home
thanks to John Hughes RV Centre
McDonald's pepper rescues Safari leader
Australasian Safari leader Jacob Smith has used his bush mechanic skills and a sachet of McDonald’s pepper to help maintain his lead in the motorbike section of the seven-day, 3600 kilometre motoring marathon.
Smith holed the radiator of his Honda 30 kilometres into the first stage of the day, but added the pepper and rode the remaining 450 kilometres of the day without problems, preserving his well-earned lead over of his brother, Todd.
Two-time Australasian Safari winner Ben Grabham is looming as Smith's greatest threat with two days to go. Riding a KTM, he dominated day five of the Safari, reducing Jacob Smith’s lead by nearly 18 minutes as the event did a three stage loop out of Laverton in the Western Australian outback.
The Czech Republic’s Josef Machacek continues to be the class of the quad bike field and is well on track to take victory on his Safari debut. The five-time Dakar Rally quad bike winner is a commanding 57 minutes ahead of Victorian Paul Smith.
There was big drama in the auto section when former V8 Supercar driver, Paul Weel, saw his 13 minute overnight lead disappear when he retired his Holden Colorado with gearbox problems on the second stage, handing the lead to 2008 winner Steve Riley in a Mitsubishi.
Day five saw the competitors covering over 460 competitive kilometres, including a trip through the Great Victoria Desert, with plenty of sand dunes to negotiate in the rough and rugged country.
After his tyre problems on day two of the event saw him drop to 24th place, over an hour from the lead, most thought that Ben Grabham’s chances of a third straight motorbike victory were gone. However, the factory KTM rider has made staggering progress on the three days since.
He won the massive 250 kilometre stage that started the day, and was then second quickest on the remaining two high speed tests. With just two days to go, he now sits just over 33 minutes behind the Honda of leader Jacob Smith, and just over five minutes behind Smith’s brother, Todd.
While Grabham has been the pace setter, Jacob Smith must now concentrate on staying out of trouble, knowing the reigning champ is now within striking distance.
“It's been a tough day at the office, but I got through it,” Jacob Smith said. “I lost some time to Ben (Grabham) today, but overall the bike was good.
“My plan is to get to the end of tomorrow and take no risks, and hopefully I’ll still be in the lead.”
Smith is suffering from a corked thigh, but says the injury is not slowing him down.
His brother Todd, riding a KTM, won the final stage of the day, but perhaps more importantly he dropped over 24 minutes to the charging Grabham over the day’s stages. With the pair now separated by just over five minutes, Smith will be looking over his shoulder, although one suspects that Grabham has his sights on the number one position.
“There was some tricky navigation today, but that’s the whole point of the race,” Grabham said. “I’ve learned from experience how to deal with that.
“I’ll try and get back more time over the next two days and claw back enough to take the lead,” he added, still confident of winning.
NSW rider Tim Vandenberg was fourth heading into today’s tests, but blew his engine on the first stage and will take no further part in the marathon.
That has elevated the West Australian, Ivan Erceg, into fourth place on a KTM, fourth minutes clear of South Australian Justin Nelligan.
“It’s going great,” Erceg said. “I’m riding like I ride with my mates – flat out. Tomorrow will be tough with difficult navigation as there are lots of bike tracks and mining tracks around Kalgoorlie.
“I’m rapt to be placed where I am as I have a smaller bike than my rivals, with a lot less top speed.”
Machacek won two of the three stages in the quad bike category and once again managed to steer clear of the rocks and sand dunes that make the WA outback such a challenge for Australasian Safari competitors.
The 52-year old off-road legend has used all his experience to set up his lead, despite not always being the fastest rider over the first five days.
His rivals, including team-mate Martin Plechaty, WA’s Heath Young and Victorian Paul Smith, have often been quicker, but have lacked Machacek’s consistency.
New auto class leader, Steve Riley, has made steady progress over the first five days in the car that took him to victory last year. With the demise of Paul Weel, he has his sights set on the Kalgoorlie finish on Saturday, and back-to-back wins.
“Today was a battle between the dairy farmer (Riley) and the Supercar driver (Weel),” Riley grinned. “We both challenged hard, but then Paul broke a transfer case and we were able to back off our pace a little bit from then on.
“The track was fascinating today and there were some great roads. It was tricky going through the old mine sites and I’m expecting another tough day tomorrow.”
American Josh Hall, on his Safari debut, has pushed his 3500 kilogram Hummer H2 SUT hard, and the four-time Baja 1000 winner is learning the intricacies of the course and his well credentialed rivals.
“I’ve had a good day, although we took it easy on the first stage and ended up with two flats,” Hall said. “After that I stood on the gas and did a lot better, so perhaps we just need to go flat out all the time.
“There was some beautiful scenery today, but we didn’t have much time to admire it. These guys are terribly competitive, everybody in the field is smart, the top cars are beautifully built, professionally crewed and have top drivers,” he added, in glowing praise of the event and his rivals.
Tommorrow’s three stages cover 392 competitive kilometres on many tight and overgrown tracks as the remaining cars, bikes and quads make their way from Laverton to Kalgoorlie.
Australasian Safari - Results end Day 5
MOTO
1 Jacob SMITH (NSW), Honda CRF 450 X, 16h 48m 00s
2 Todd SMITH (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +27m 48s
3 Ben GRABHAM (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +33m 06s
4 Ivan ERCEG (WA), KTM 450 EXC, +1h 26m 29s
5 Justin NELLIGAN (SA), KTM 530 EXC, +1h 30m 28s
QUADS
1 Josef MACHACEK (CZ), Yamaha Raptor, 21h 19m 32s
2 Paul SMITH (VIC), CAN AM Renegade 800 R X, +56m 40s
3 Tomas KUBIENA (CZ), 2008 ATV Evolution, +12h 58m 12s
AUTO
1 Stephen RILEY (Vic)/ John DOBLE (NSW), Mitsubishi Pajero, 18h 59m 11s
2 Terry CONNER (Vic)/Jodi CONNER (Vic), Nissan GQ Ute, +10m 23s
3 Bruce GARLAND (NSW)/Harry SUZUKI (NSW) Isuzu DMAX, +17m 54s
4 Reg OWEN (Vic)/Russell CAIRNS (Vic), Nissan Patrol, +1h 09m 06s
5 Beau ROBINSON (WA), Dieter ALLEN (WA), Mitsubishi Pajero, +1h 41m 35s
16:59 WST - 6/08/09
Welcome back to Laverton. Another sensational day in outback WA. The township of Laverton has been so welcoming, and really is testimate to the outback way of life.
Hall Racing has a website that covers their progress during the event, video's, blogs and photos. Check it out at www.rodhallracing.com.au. Josh Hall & Thad Stump had their first stage win today by 13 sec over Garland/Suzuki on SS14 with the more open stages suiting the thunderous Hummer H2. Weel/Weel suffered a broken gearbox approx 45kms into SS13 and were forced to retire for the day. Weather for tomorrow is forcast for another mostly sunny day and 23C. Check out day 5 photos here.
17:59 WST - 5/08/09
Some Quotes from Today
STEVE RILEY
“We went out as fast as we could today and battled our way past the Hummer which was a bit of a challenge. It was a fairly non-eventful day, but hard concentrating for 200kms at a fast pace. The tracks were good and there was some great scenery, lots of large boulders.
On the first stage we had clutch slippage and I thought we might have lost more time than we did, but no-one caught us.
We’ve got a few fuel pump problems, its just being inconsistent and we don’t quite know what’s wrong with it.
The big question now is who is first out tomorrow, I think you’re better off being first out, and I do know that the pace will be fast and hard.
We’ve got 2 days now to win the event and you can lose it really easily.
It’s all going to end in tears for someone, there’s nothing surer than that.”
JOSH HALL
We had a good day today and trouble-free stages. For the first couple, we didn’t push too hard because of the size of the trees we had to weave the car through. We did push hard in the final stage and felt good about that.
Thad is developing into a fantastic navigator.
In terms of similarity of terrain:
There are a lot of similarities in the terrain to the US, we also have the same ruts and drainage and sandy stuff.
The difference we’ve noticed, particularly today, was the beauty of the bushland. The areas we often race on in the US has been raced on many times before. This race presents unique challenges that have not been experienced before.
We saw our first emu today, and luckily it was running away from us!
PAUL WEEL
We had a good first stage – we caught the dust of the first cars out and passed them.
There was plenty of stuff out there that could take you out today. We hit a lot of stuff we probably could have avoided!
We got lost in the last stage, and gave the Adventure Tour guys something to laugh about!
There are two long days ahead and that’s good for us. Hopefully we should be able to survive it. And my back’s holding up well. If we’re first or second on the road tomorrow, then we just have to keep up the pace.
All we have to do now is the best and whoever’s car is out on top deserves that place.
I definitely plan to do some more off road after the Australasian Safari, it’s been a good event for us.
17:50 WST - 5/08/09
GRUELLING COURSE NARROWS THE SAFARI FIELD
The gruelling 3600 kilometre course of the Australasian Safari has started to take its toll on riders and drivers as day four of the seven day marathon took competitors from Leonora to Laverton in outback Western Australia.
Honda’s Jacob Smith has increased his lead in the motorbike section of the event to over 20 minutes after his team-mate, AJ Roberts, crashed heavily and dislocated his shoulder on the second stage of the day.
On the quad bikes, Czech Republic’s Josef Machacek continues to lead the way with a 14 minute advantage over Western Australian rider Heath Young on a KTM.
While the Dakar winner is mastering the local conditions, the other three members of his Czech team are struggling to come to terms with the treacherous terrain. Third placed Martin Plechaty may be forced to withdraw before the start of day five with mechanical problems.
Former V8 Supercar driver Paul Weel continues to lead the auto category in his Holden Colorado after a stirring drive over the day’s three stages. Weel and his co-driver, father Kees Weel, hold a lead of over six minutes over last year’s winner Steve Riley, with Terry “Tangles” Conner third.
Today saw the field cover 301 competitive kilometres as the event passed its half-way mark. Western Australia’s spectacular outback scenery played a prominent role today with some magnificent views, although riders and drivers had little time to take their eyes off the road.
The battle for the top bike honours has turned into a purely local affair with the internationals unable to match the pace of their homegrown rivals.
With only 10 seconds separating the GHR Honda team-mates Jacob Smith and AJ Roberts overnight, the Condobolin rider was hoping to keep his Queensland rival at bay. Roberts dropped a further 19 seconds on the day’s first stage, but on the 204 kilometre second test came off his bike, injuring his shoulder and giving Smith some breathing space.
This also enabled Smith’s brother, Todd, riding a KTM 530 EXC, to move into second place, well clear of the hard charging third placed man, Ben Grabham, on another KTM.
“When I saw the results, I’d done better than I thought I would have,” Jacob Smith said. “I had a pretty good run today, but made a little navigational error on one stage, but didn’t lose much time.
“The second stage was very tough and very rough, it was really easy to hurt yourself on a track that wasn’t very well defined.”
His brother, Todd, had bike problems, but was glad to finish the day relatively unscathed.
“I had a few bike troubles today, with a muffler that fell to bits and carburettor problems, so I wasn’t getting enough top speed,” he said.
“But I’m still here and in once piece. I was completely shattered after losing my chain and dropping time yesterday, but today has been much better.”
Grabham, the winner of the previous two Safaris, dropped over an hour on the second day when he punctured a rear tyre and fell to 24th place. Since then he’s been consistently setting top two stage times, but with a gap of over 51 minutes still to bridge, he’ll need the Smith brothers to strike problems if he’s to take his third consecutive victory.
However, he still sees himself in with a winning chance.
“I led all the way today on stages that were tough and difficult to navigate,” Grabham said. “I never gave up when I had problems and got behind on the second day – I just keep looking straight ahead and trying to make up for lost time.
“Each day I’ve moved up places, and I plan to continue to do that,” he added.
New South Wales riders hold the top four positions in the bikes, with Tim Vandenberg fourth, followed by the leading West Australian rider, Ivan Erceg, on another KTM.
Five-times Dakar Rally quad bike winner, Josef Machacek, is still the man to catch in the quads after a relatively troublefree day on his Yamaha Raptor.
Western Australian rider, Heath Young, was slowed by clutch problems on his KTM today, but has moved up to second place. If his troubles can be rectified, he stands a real chance of moving into the top spot over the final three days of the event.
Another Czech Republic rider, Martin Plechaty, may be forced to retire from his current third place.
Plechaty doesn’t speak any English, but on arriving at the Laverton rest halt, he pointed at his bike and said “kaput”, indicating that his machine was on its last legs.
That gives Victorian Paul Smith a big chance to move into third place on his CAN AM, although he still trails the category leader by over 53 minutes.
“I had more tyre problems today, but nothing like yesterday,” Smith said. “Today I just had to stop and pump them up.
“It was a demanding course with pretty hard navigation, but it was quite enjoyable just the same.”
The Weel combination had another good day in their Holden Colorado ute and stayed clear of defending champion Steve Riley in his Mitsubishi Pajero.
Weel’s endurance driving experience from races such as the Bathurst 1000 is really paying dividends as he heads towards his first Australasian Safari crown.
Riley knows how to win though, and with three tough days still to go he can’t be discounted.
“The roads in this area were some of the best I’ve driven on,” Riley said. After steering rack problems early in the event he seems to be well and truly back on track.
“Tangles” Conner, from Boundary Bend in Victoria, dropped back from second to third today, but his ageing Nissan ute is coping well with the rugged conditions that the Western Australian outback is throwing up.
“We have been consistent since the first day,” he said. “The conditions suit us, because our car is probably tougher than the others – we have beam axles not independent suspension, which can make a difference in the rough.”
Day five is one of the most difficult of the event, with three stages covering over 460 competitive kilometres, including a trip through the Great Victoria Desert, with plenty of sand dunes to negotiate. Rough and rugged road conditions are guaranteed for much of the day, so it will once again be a real survival of the fittest.
MOTO
1 Jacob SMITH (NSW), Honda CRF 450 X, 12h 19m 46s
2 Todd SMITH (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +20m 33s
3 Ben GRABHAM (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +51m 19s
4 Tim VANDENBERG (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +1h 07m 29s
5 Ivan ERCEG (WA), KTM 450 EXC, +1h 16m 53s
QUADS
1 Josef MACHACEK (CZ), Yamaha Raptor, 15h 55m 32s
2 Heath YOUNG (WA), KTM XL, +14m 53s
3 Martin PLECHATY (CZ), Borile Bory FM 700 R, +41m 18s
4 Paul SMITH (VIC), CAN AM Renegade 800 R X, +53m 34s,
AUTO
1 Paul WEEL (Qld)/Kees Weel (Qld), Holden Colorado, 14h 03m 33s
2 Stephen RILEY (Vic)/ John DOBLE (NSW), Mitsubishi Pajero, +6m 03s
3 Terry CONNER (Vic)/Jodi CONNER (Vic), Nissan GQ Ute, +20m 58s
4 Bruce GARLAND (NSW)/Harry SUZUKI (NSW) Isuzu DMAX, +26m 27s
5 Reg OWEN (Vic)/Russell CAIRNS (Vic), Nissan Patrol, +53m 01s
15:45 WST - 5/08/09
WELCOME to LAVERTON! We have just bumped in with power and internet up and running. Another big day out on the stages, and some new photos here from the morning. A few more spills and many riders and drivers enjoying the more rocky conditions of today. More details as they come to hand.
11:55:32 WST - 4/08/09
A selection of Day 3 Photos is now up here. Thats it from a tired crew at Safari Village. We hope for a quieter day tomorrow and will get a bit more news up throughout the day. Over and Out.
10:43 WST - 4/08/09
Terry “Tangles” Conner Report
“We have been consistent since the first day, we drive as hard as the others but our old car is a bit rougher. The conditions today suited us, because our car is probably tougher than the others – we have beam axles not independent suspension.
“I also had really good navigation thanks to my daughter Jodi who lives and works in Pannawonica
“Jodi hadnt navigated for us until three days ago! She was the one who suggested we enter.
“We are getting on well – although she’s a bit worried about my eye sight, especially coming in in the dark tonight.
I’ve been in these events since 1987.
“We’re doing really well, we’re working on a low budget. We came on the event with just 6 mud terrain tyres. We decided to buy and fit 6 rock tyres yesterday, and it paid off.
“Our theory all the way is for the front runners to eventually come back to us.
18:32 WST - 4/08/09
Safari Village is alive and well, tunes are go go and Day 3 highlights are showing on the Safari at the Safari outdoor cinema.
18:22 WST - 4/08/09
The ADVT Moto guys had a stopover in Sandstone today that turned into an impromptu School visit. All 15 of the students that make up Sandstone School trooped down to where the ADVT guys were brewing a cuppa, and the students got to sit on the bikes and chat with the guys. There was much picture-taking from both sides, presents (Safari hats & posters) were handed out to the kids, and we left a very happy bunch of young people, all of them asking for us to come back next year and be sure to stay in Sandstone.
 
17:51 WST - 4/08/09
Honda riders dominate day three of Safari
Condobolin’s Jacob Smith leads the field in the motorbike section of the Australasian Safari, having moved ahea
d of his brother Todd on the run between the West Australian towns of Mt Magnet and Leonara on day three of the motorsport marathon.
Jacob Smith holds a narrow 10 second lead over Queenslander, AJ Roberts, with Todd Smith having fallen back to third, 16 minutes 46 seconds behind after setting the pace on the opening two days.
Jacob Smith and Roberts are both on Hondas’ who now have a handy break over the field after eight of the event’s 19 timed stages. However, KTM riders hold the next four positions, and they are sure to challenge over the remaining four days.
Multiple Dakar Rally winner, Josef Machacek from the Czech Republic, has taken the lead in the Quad bike category after overnight leader, Paul Smith, struck trouble and lost nearly an hour.
Andy Brown, has seen his chances of victory disappear in the Auto class, but fellow Victorian Terry “Tangles” Conner has put his Nissan Ute into the lead, four minutes ahead of 2008 winner Steve Riley in a Mitsubishi Pajero.
Leg three of the 7-day, 3600 kilometre epic journey saw competitors tackle four competitive stages, the longest being the 173 kilometre Noondie Loop stage. Road conditions were rough, sandy and overgrown over much of the route, with vehicle preservation at the forefront of most competitors’ minds.
Jacob Smith didn’t win a stage on his way to taking the lead on his Honda CRF 450X, but consistency is everything on the Safari and he moved into the lead, but with his Honda team-mate, Roberts, so close by, there is growing confidence in the Honda camp that they can secure the title for the Japanese manufacturer.
The other Smith, Todd, lost his lead on stage five after striking trouble. Leading West Australian rider, Ivan Erceg, in fourth.
The leader was pleased to get to Leonora after a difficult day in the West Australian outback.
“It was tough being out front today, because I had to make all the calls on finding the right track,” Jacob Smith said.
“AJ (Roberts) was behind me most of the time, but the bike was good and I had no problems, so it was generally a good day.”
Roberts had endured a tough time following Smith.
“I pulled some good time on Jake (Smith), but I ate his dust all day,” Roberts said.
“You had to travel pretty fast and I’ve never had to hold a bike so fast for so long. The bike has been fantastic, but the course was very easy to stuff up and the navigation was critical.”
Defending champion, Ben Grabham, continued his fight back after Monday’s tyre problems and has moved into fifth place, albeit still nearly an hour off the lead. His brother Damien is out of the event with a suspected broken leg.
The Czech Republic’s Josef Machacek came to the Australasian Safari with a big reputation, having won the gruelling Dakar Rally five times on his Quad. Machacek’s Yamaha Raptor wasn’t the fastest bike over the first two days, but on day three he has proved that experience may well be the key to victory.
As early pacesetters Paul Smith (CAN AM) and Heath Young (KTM) both hit problems, Machacek moved ahead and now holds a commanding 40 minute lead over his countryman, Martin Plechaty, riding a Borile Bory.
Last year’s Quad bike champion, South Australian John Maragozidis, lost any chance of a repeat victory on the first stage of the day when he dropped over an hour and a half.
With Brown’s demise in the Auto category, Terry and Jodi Conner drove brilliantly in their Nissan Ute to set the pace, but they will be well aware that they have a string of Safari veterans on their tail as the event nears its half-way mark.
Riley had set up a lead of around 30 minutes yesterday, but the reigning champion hit a patch of water and hit a tree, damaging the steering rack on his Pajero and dropping a lot of time.
But with the car fixed, he set about making up lost ground and now sits less than four minutes behind Conner, with former V8 Supercar driver, Paul Weel, third in his ex-factory Holden Colorado.
In fourth is NSW veteran, Bruce Garland, in the same diesel-powered Isuzu D-MAX that he drove to 11th outright in this year’s Dakar Rally in South America. The wily Garland is only 23 minutes off the pace, and with four days still to run, he can’t be discounted as a possible victor.
Tomorrow sees the Australasian Safari head north-east from Leonora to Laverton over three stages and 301 competitive kilometres. Western Australia’s spectacular outback scenery plays a prominent role tomorrow with some magnificent views, although riders and drivers will have little time to take their eyes off the road.
Condobolin’s Jacob Smith leads the field in the motorbike section of the Australasian Safari, having moved ahead of his brother Todd on the run between the West Australian towns of Mt Magnet and Leonara on day three of the motorsport marathon.
Jacob Smith holds a narrow 10 second lead over Queenslander, AJ Roberts, with Todd Smith having fallen back to third, 16 minutes 46 seconds behind after setting the pace on the opening two days.
Jacob Smith and Roberts are both on Hondas’ who now have a handy break over the field after eight of the event’s 19 timed stages. However, KTM riders hold the next four positions, and they are sure to challenge over the remaining four days.
Multiple Dakar Rally winner, Josef Machacek from the Czech Republic, has taken the lead in the Quad bike category after overnight leader, Paul Smith, struck trouble and lost nearly an hour.
Andy Brown, has seen his chances of victory disappear in the Auto class, but fellow Victorian Terry “Tangles” Conner has put his Nissan Ute into the lead, four minutes ahead of 2008 winner Steve Riley in a Mitsubishi Pajero.
Leg three of the 7-day, 3600 kilometre epic journey saw competitors tackle four competitive stages, the longest being the 173 kilometre Noondie Loop stage. Road conditions were rough, sandy and overgrown over much of the route, with vehicle preservation at the forefront of most competitors’ minds.
Jacob Smith didn’t win a stage on his way to taking the lead on his Honda CRF 450X, but consistency is everything on the Safari and he moved into the lead, but with his Honda team-mate, Roberts, so close by, there is growing confidence in the Honda camp that they can secure the title for the Japanese manufacturer.
The other Smith, Todd, lost his lead on stage five after striking trouble. Leading West Australian rider, Ivan Erceg, in fourth.
The leader was pleased to get to Leonora after a difficult day in the West Australian outback.
“It was tough being out front today, because I had to make all the calls on finding the right track,” Jacob Smith said.
“AJ (Roberts) was behind me most of the time, but the bike was good and I had no problems, so it was generally a good day.”
Roberts had endured a tough time following Smith.
“I pulled some good time on Jake (Smith), but I ate his dust all day,” Roberts said.
“You had to travel pretty fast and I’ve never had to hold a bike so fast for so long. The bike has been fantastic, but the course was very easy to stuff up and the navigation was critical.”
Defending champion, Ben Grabham, continued his fight back after Monday’s tyre problems and has moved into fifth place, albeit still nearly an hour off the lead. His brother Damien is out of the event with a suspected broken leg.
The Czech Republic’s Josef Machacek came to the Australasian Safari with a big reputation, having won the gruelling Dakar Rally five times on his Quad. Machacek’s Yamaha Raptor wasn’t the fastest bike over the first two days, but on day three he has proved that experience may well be the key to victory.
As early pacesetters Paul Smith (CAN AM) and Heath Young (KTM) both hit problems, Machacek moved ahead and now holds a commanding 40 minute lead over his countryman, Martin Plechaty, riding a Borile Bory.
Last year’s Quad bike champion, South Australian John Maragozidis, lost any chance of a repeat victory on the first stage of the day when he dropped over an hour and a half.
With Brown’s demise in the Auto category, Terry and Jodi Conner drove brilliantly in their Nissan Ute to set the pace, but they will be well aware that they have a string of Safari veterans on their tail as the event nears its half-way mark.
Riley had set up a lead of around 30 minutes yesterday, but the reigning champion hit a patch of water and hit a tree, damaging the steering rack on his Pajero and dropping a lot of time.
But with the car fixed, he set about making up lost ground and now sits less than four minutes behind Conner, with former V8 Supercar driver, Paul Weel, third in his ex-factory Holden Colorado.
In fourth is NSW veteran, Bruce Garland, in the same diesel-powered Isuzu D-MAX that he drove to 11th outright in this year’s Dakar Rally in South America. The wily Garland is only 23 minutes off the pace, and with four days still to run, he can’t be discounted as a possible victor.
Tomorrow sees the Australasian Safari head north-east from Leonora to Laverton over three stages and 301 competitive kilometres. Western Australia’s spectacular outback scenery plays a prominent role tomorrow with some magnificent views, although riders and drivers will have little time to take their eyes off the road.
17:35 WST - 3/08/09
ABC Radio Josh Hall Interview. Click here for MP3 audio (4.3MB)
16:41 WST - 3/08/09
Hello from Leonora! Sorry about the delay. It been a long day with a large road trip from Mount Magnet. We have now bumped in and the net is up and running. More updates will follow soon, including the thrills and some spills from Leg 3 of Aust Safari. After SS8 with only few Motos finished, J Smith still leads by 10 seconds over Roberts. Dakar winner MACHACEK is now leading the Quad section by a large margin. Latest Auto results show Conner/Conner in the lead. Photos and more stories as soon as they come to hand.
17:51 WST - 3/08/09
SERVICE PARK SHOTS
Mark McConnell's Team Servicing Bike
Dirty Dave brings in Safari Wing.
MSR "Harry" tunes the FIV's!
17:51 WST - 3/08/09
SMITHS STILL DOMINATE SAFARI
There continues to be a domination of Smiths at the head of the Australasian Safari as the second day of the 3600 kilometre marathon took crews from Geraldton on the coast to the inland town of Mt Magnet.
KTM factory rider Todd Smith is still out in front of the motorbike category with a solid one minute and 28 second lead over his brother, Honda’s Jacob Smith. AJ Roberts is in third place a further 13 seconds back. Meanwhile two-time winner, Ben Grabham, may have lost his chance of victory after tyre problems cost him more than an hour.
CAN AM’s Paul Smith has increased his lead in the Quad bike section to over six minutes, with the KTM of Heath Young and Czech star Josef Machacek pushing hard in pursuit.
In the Auto category, Andrew and Danny Brown lead the way in a 1999 Holden Frontera. They were rewarded with a clean run while others struggled with the testing terrain. Motorsport identity Paul Weel is in second place with his father Kees, two minutes and six seconds behind in their 2009 Holden Colorado. Overnight leader Des Harrington slipped to fourth after getting bogged.
Monday’s two stages, conducted in perfect weather, totalled over 380 competitive kilometres and offered crews a variety of fast station roads along fence lines and rough sections, where care was needed to avoid damage to man and machine.
The second stage also presented a unique problem, with quicksand around the edge of a lake needing to be avoided.
While Todd Smith has established a handy lead over his two-wheel rivals, with over 2500 kilometres still to run, the NSW rider knows that his lead means little. Nevertheless, he was satisfied with his ride to Mt Magnet.
“I’m not feeling too bad - it’s been a good day,” Smith said. “It was tough on the first stage today with water and puddles because it was hard to see the track,” he admitted.
“It’s also hard when you’re in a leading position because you’re the first through and the others follow you. I lost some time on the second stage because my stand broke, but overall it was a good. My plan is to keep surviving, be consistent and get to the end.”
His brother, Jacob, believes the competition with his brother is both friendly and competitive at the same time.
“I’m competitive with my brother, but perhaps not quite as much with the other riders,” Jacob Smith said.
“Everyone has to help each other out in this type of race. It’s only day two and I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and hope it pays off in the end.”
Twenty-six year old Roberts meanwhile, is in with a big chance of causing an upset victory on an event that he hasn’t contested for nine years.
“It’s the first time I’ve competed in the Safari since 2000 when I was a 17 year old, so I’m still absorbing it all,” Roberts said.
“I had a good run on the second stage, but I’m trying not to get too crazy. It can get scary if you are going at an incredible pace. I’m just enjoying myself, having good fun and learning lots as I go along. It’s great being in the same team as Jacob Smith as he’s helping me out a lot.”
Disaster struck defending bike champion, Ben Grabham, on the massive 244 kilometre first stage of the day when he punctured a tyre.
“I broke a spoke, which is normally a pretty minor problem, but it can cause you big problems when you’re out in the desert,” a philosophical Grabham said.
“The spoke then punctured the tyre and I was forced to take it off and ride on the rim until the end of the stage. I fixed that and just had to get on with in the second stage. These things are typical of the Safari - it’s not the end of the world and I’ll push on.”
Undeterred, Grabham then took over a minute off his rivals on the next stage as he aims to get his title defence back on track.
Quad leader Paul Smith is sticking strictly to his pre-event plan, but admits that the competitive juices are starting to flow as the event moves into its third day.
“Things are going well in terms of my strategy and I won’t change anything. The plan is to get the bike to Kalgoorlie on Saturday,” Smith said.
“I had a bit of competition in the second stage today and it was a bit tougher. Heath (Young) got in front of me so I had to go pretty hard to catch him. Then he missed a turn and I was able to get in front and he had to eat my dust. I got a bit competitive then.”
Brown was delighted to grab the auto lead.
“Today was great because we finished and it really suited the car,” Brown said.
“The stages were a bit faster than yesterday, but there were a few surprises, including a bit of mud which was hard to see.
“We came across a few other drivers and tried to help Des (Harrington), but he was already getting out by that stage. We’re trying to finish every day, and while it’s great to be leading, it’s more fun chasing than being chased.”
17:42 WST - 3/08/09
Quotes from Andy Brown
“The course was great today because we finished! It was a bit faster than yesterday and there were a few surprises – there was a bit of mud that was hard to see.
In terms of the next few days, all we’re trying to do is finish. The car suited the conditions today.
“It’s great leading the day, but it’s more fun chasing than being chased.”
16:02 WST - 3/08/09
Quotes from Stephen Riley - AUTO 100
"We started great and were the first car on the road. We’d pulled about half an hour on everyone, got a massive lead, and then it all turned around.
We got bogged, and the track was like looking for landmines with your big toe because the area was wet but it didn’t look like it.
We blew a tire, then skidded and hit a huge tree – it actually made the car ricochet backwards, the tree fell down and we had to drive around it.
If that wasn’t enough we then managed to totally smash the steering rack – but still managed to start it. We probably lost half an hour.
The boys couldn’t believe I got in at all. They managed to change the rack at service and it was amazing they could do it. One of the guys has practiced changing it so we should be ok. I’m just annoyed that we had such a good lead and then lost it and we haven't gained what we wanted to. But we did a great job in getting through with a smashed rack.
It was great landscape – we had 2 emus go across us at the same time – they wanted to sit in each of our laps. There were unbelievable wildflowers but the carpet of colour was a bit hard to drive through as you couldn’t tell whether it was hard or soft underneath".
STEVES RACK!
16:02 WST - 3/08/09
Ben Grabham suffered a flat tyre after a loose spoke caused a puncture. Grabham was understandably dissapointed when he arrived at the finish of SS3. He has started to rebuild his challenge by winning SS4.
15:25 WST - 3/08/09
Moto competitors have completed Leg 2 and J Smith provisionaly leads Roberts by 13 Sec. In Quads Smith leads Young by 4min 47sec. With one Stage to go (after SS3) Riley/Doble hold a 6.28 Sec lead over Brown/Brown.
15:02 WST - 3/08/09
Winner of the Mount Magnet Aust Safari coloring competition is Katie Anaro. Check out Katie's great work below. Congratulations Katie!
14:25 WST - 3/08/09
A few photos from this mornings action are in Day 2 Gallery. Click here to check them out...
13:46 WST - 3/08/09
We have arrived and bumped into Mount Magnet. The sun is out and approx 26C. The first Moto competitors have just booked into Control (about 10 mins ago). Some photos from Day 1 will be up in the next 30 mins.
22:27 WST - 2/08/09
GARLAND 7th OR AFTER SEVENTH OUTRIGHT
Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki are seventh outright and first in class after Day One of the 2009 Australasian Safari.
The pair and their Isuzu D-MAX ute were sixth fastest on Special Stage One and 10th quickest on Special Stage Two.
Racing started this morning after the crews left the West Australian capital of Perth, travelling a total of 575.03km – including 101.41km of competitive stages – to the coastal city of Geraldton (see map below). The event finishes in the gold mining city of Kalgoorlie next Saturday, August 8.
“We just took it pretty easy today, just cruised basically,” says Garland.
“Some wise old driver once said that if you want to finish first, first you have to finish. Today was Day One so there was no point trying to be a hero when we have another six days to go.
“The new engine is going really well, so we’re pretty happy for the moment.”
At the end of the first day, Safari veteran Des Harrington had a narrow 15-second buffer over fellow Nissan Patrol driver, Adrian Parker, with defending champion Steve Riley third a further five seconds back in a Mitsubishi Pajero.
Garland and Suzuki, who have won the Safari five times, are using the West Australian event as preparation for the 2010 Dakar Rally, to be run in Argentina and Chile next January. The pair finished 11th outright and first diesel ute home in the legendary event in January this year.
They finished third in last year’s Safari with the same vehicle they are using this year, which was the prototype for their Dakar car. The vehicle has been up-specced to match the Dakar vehicle, and has also had some further improvements in terms of suspension and diesel engine technology.
Before these latest improvements, the D-MAX – hand-built in Garland’s Sydney workshop – was putting out around 160kW of power which was an increase of 33 per cent on the standard vehicle, and 500Nm of torque (@2000rpm; up 39 per cent), but Garland says it now has more pulling power and top-end speed.
PLACINGS AFTER LEG ONE: AUTO
1.Harrington/Harrington Nissan Patrol 1h19m37s
2. Parker/McGilvray Nissan Patrol + 15 seconds
3. Riley/Doble Mitsubishi Pajero + 20 seconds
7. Garland/Suzuki Isuzu D-MAX 1h23m43s
20:41 WST - 2/08/09
As Leg 1 of Aust Safari draws to a close. there is action aplenty in the service park as crews ready their machines for Leg 2 tomorrow. The weather has again been sensational today with a max temp of approx 21C.and 24C. Photos from today have been delayed and we may get up later tonight, otherwise will be tomorrow. Thats it for today. More updates tomorrow when we arrive in Mount Magnet. Oh, check out the videos!
17:38 WST - 2/08/09
Smiths common at top of Safari leaderboard
The Smiths have dominated the leader board at the end of the opening day of the Australiasian Safari that took competitors across nearly 100 competitive kilometres from Perth to Geraldton.
The motorbike section is being lead by young New South Wales rider, Todd Smith, with his brother Jacob holding down second place just 12 seconds behind.
In the quadbike competition, Victorian Paul Smith has made an exceptionally strong start to the seven-day marathon, having opened up a three minute 11 seconds over West Australian, Heath Young.
The only competition not headed by a Smith is the car competition, with Safari veteran Des Harrington holding a narrow 15 second buffer over fellow Nissan Patrol driver, Adrian Parker, with defending champion Steve Riley third a further five seconds back.
The day’s stages were sandy affairs with some difficult water crossings to make it a challenge for both riders and drivers. Crews knew that while the first day was tough, it was only a precursor to what lies ahead over the following six days on the epic 3600 kilometre journey to Kalgoorlie on Saturday.
A consistent ride over the two stages has seen Todd Smith take a slender lead on his KTM over Jacob on the leading Honda. Mathew Fish is third in the bikes also on a KTM.
“It was a day where consistency and map reading was very important,” Todd Smith said. “There was a fair bit of track that was unmade and hard to see, but it all went well for me. The bike also performed well.”
His brother, Jacob, agreed that it was a difficult day.
“The course is pretty tough, so I took it easy and didn’t take any risks,” Jacob Smith explained. “Overall though it’s been a good day.”
Last year’s winner, Ben Grabham, had a “massive crash” on the first stage of the day, but still ended the day in fourth and only 53 seconds off the pace.
“I was trying to make up time and hit something on the flat and went over the handlebars,” a relaxed Grabham explained. “There’s no real damage and there’s still plenty of days left to make up any time lost today.”
The wild men of the Quad bike category were at it again today. Considered to be the bravest of all competitors, their job is made even more difficult on the bucking and lurching machines.
Paul Smith heads a pack of well credentialed riders, including last year’s winner John Maragazodis, and four overseas stars, including Dakar winner, Josef Machacek.
“I’m stoked to be leading,” a surprised Smith said. “I’ve had an awesome day. The stages were short but it was easy to make a mistake and you had to be very precise with your navigation.
“The bike held up well, although I had a drive belt break crossing the finish line of the second stage, so I was a bit lucky.”
Harrington is a seasoned Australasian Safari competitor, but is a surprise Auto class leader at the end of the first day. Experience is the key to success in marathon events, and Harrington knows that consistency, rather than outright speed, is what counts.
“I’m very surprised to be leading,” Harrington said. “I’m really pleased though; we had a fantastic day with no car problems, so it’s shaping up to be a great event.”
Western Australian, Adrian Parker, is just as big a surprise in second place, while Riley has started his title defence well.
“It’s been a good day today. I made amends for yesterday’s slow time on the prologue,” Riley said. “There was quite lot of deep sand which made it quite interesting today, and a few guys seemed to have clutch and overheating problems, but our car held up well.
“We caught up to a couple of guys but couldn’t quite get past them, and the navigation was pretty tough, so having a good navigator really pays off.”
Day two of the Australasian Safari will see competitors tackle another two stages between Geraldton and Mt Magnet. The day starts with a daunting 244.75 kilometre stage, followed by another 137 kilometre stage that is certain to sort out the contenders from the pretenders.
Australasian Safari - Results after Day 1
AUTO
1.Des Harrington (VIC) / Richard Harrington (VIC), Nissan Patrol, 1h19m37s
2. Adrian Parker (WA) / Alan McGilvray (WA), Nissan Patrol, +15s
3. Steve Riley (VIC) / John Doble (NSW), Mitsubishi Pajero, +20s
4. Paul Weel (QLD) / Kees Weel (QLD), Holden Colorado, +1m02s
5. Terry Pinson (NSW) / Richard den Brinker (NSW), Ford Falcon, +2m42s
MOTORBIKES
1. Todd Smith (WA), KTM 530 EXC, 1h11m06s
2. Jacob Smith (NSW), Honda CRF 450X, +12s
3. Mathew Fish (VIC), KTM 530 EXC, +38s
4. Ben Grabham (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +53s
5. Damien Grabham (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +1m44s
QUADS
1. Paul Smith (VIC), CAN AM Renegade 800 R X, 1h24m20s
2. Heath Young (WA), KTM XL, +3m11s
3. Josef Machacek (CZ), Yamaha Raptor, +4m51s
16:14 WST - 2/08/09
Provisional Results, Harrington/Harrington leading Auto, Todd Smith leading Moto & Paul Smith leading Quads.
15:44 WST - 2/08/09
Leg 1 now complete. Some more Prologue Photos up on the site. Remember if you are on Facebook to check Off Road Images Photos throughout the event. Some Photos from Day 1 will be up later.
17:47 WST - 1/08/09 - Team Release
GARLAND TAKES VICTORY IN SAFARI PROLOGUE
Australian Dakar star Bruce Garland has sounded a warning to his rivals by posting the quickest time in the Prologue to decide starting order for the 2009 Australasian Safari.
Garland and co-driver Harry Suzuki and their Isuzu D-MAX (diesel) ute crossed the finish line of the 15.84km stage four seconds ahead of Kerry Turley and Naomi Tillett in a Nissan GQ Patrol with former V8 Supercar driver Paul Weel and his father Kees – a former Safari winner – a further 12 seconds behind in their Holden Colorado.
The Prologue stage was held in the Mundaring forest, north-east of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, and used some of the roads made famous by the World Rally Championship round previously held in WA. It included a range of roads, from fast and flowing, to tight and narrow, keeping all drivers and riders [the event is also open to bikes and quads] on their toes.
Garland and Suzuki will start first car on the road when the event kicks off in earnest tomorrow. It covers more than 3500km of the WA outback from Perth to Kalgoorlie, finishing in the gold mining city next Saturday, August 8.
“There’s a lot of guys driving Generation 3 V8s who are shaking their heads,” laughs Garland, who has won the Safari five times in a petrol vehicle. He hopes to be the first driver to win it in a diesel.
“They’re wondering what happened, so I hope we can keep them wondering all week! We’ll be first on the road tomorrow and while that is not always the best place to be, we’ll try to use it to our advantage.
“At this stage I have no idea what the conditions will be like out there, aside from the fact we can probably expect plenty of sand and rocks. They have changed the course a bit from last year, and they’re not telling us much, so we’ll just go out and drive it as we see it.”
Garland and Suzuki finished 11th outright and first diesel ute home in the legendary Dakar Rally in January this year and are using the Safari as part of their preparations for the 2010 event.
They finished third in last year’s Safari with the same vehicle they are using this year, which was the prototype for their Dakar car. The vehicle has been up-specced to match the Dakar vehicle, and has also had some further improvements in terms of suspension and diesel engine technology.
Before these latest improvements, the D-MAX – hand-built in Garland’s Sydney workshop – was putting out around 160kW of power which was an increase of 33 per cent on the standard vehicle, and 500Nm of torque (@2000rpm; up 39 per cent), but Garland says it now has more pulling power and top-end speed. However, he’s not predicting victory just yet.
“The Safari is a hard race and lots of things can happen. You can be prepared to within an inch of your life and things can still go wrong, so we can just hope luck goes our way. It’s all in the lap of the race gods now!
“There are some very good cars and very good drivers in the event. I would see about 10 of them as serious rivals including Paul (Weel), Des (Harrington, fourth in the Prologue) and Steve Riley (last year’s winner), and they’re all in petrol vehicles.
“We have a hard job ahead of us, but I’m pretty confident in this car. We’ll see where we are this time next week.”
16:44 WST - 1/08/09
PROLOGUE STAGE GETS AUSTRALASIAN SAFARI UNDERWAY
The Isuzu D-MAX of Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki has set the pace in the Auto section at the prologue for the Australasian Safari in Western Australia today
But the veteran pair are well aware that the real challenges will come over the next seven days when the field of around 100 competitors face over 3600 gruelling kilometres.
Other pace-setters at the prologue were Honda rider, Jacob Smith, who heads the motorbike field, while local rider Heath Young has taken the top spot among the quad bikes.
The 15.84 kilometre prologue stage was held in the Mundaring forest, north east of Perth, and used some of the roads made famous by the World Rally Championship event in Western Australia.
Under beautiful clear skies with a temperature of around 20 degrees, the Safari competitors tackled a range of roads, from fast and flowing, to tight and narrow tracks that kept riders and drivers on their toes.
After finishing 11th outright in this year’s Dakar Rally, Sydney’s Bruce Garland used his diesel-powered Isuzu to good effect, heading a strong field of four-wheel drives.
He finished four seconds clear of fellow NSW driver Kerry Turley in a Nissan Patrol, with former V8 Supercar driver, Paul Weel, third quickest in his Holden Colorado, a further 12 seconds back.
2008 Australasian Safari auto winner, Steve Riley, was sixth in his Mitsubishi Pajero, and while he was 54 seconds behind Garland, the Victorian knows the real battle starts tomorrow when the event leaves Perth enroute to Geraldton for the first of seven legs.
Jacob Smith gave Honda the perfect start in the Motorbike category, beating home Todd Smith’s KTM by a solitary second. AJ Roberts put his Honda into the top three, 14 seconds off the pace.
Surprisingly, 2007 and 2008 motorbike champ, Ben Grabham, was a lowly 12th in the prologue, nearly a minute and a half behind leader Smith. The KTM rider was two seconds slower than last year’s runner-up, Rod Faggotter, on his factory Yamaha.
Multiple Dakar Rally winner, Josef Machacek, from the Czech Republic, was expected to set the pace right from the outset in the Quad bike class, but he finished just sixth, over two minutes from the lead.
West Australian Heath Young set a cracking pace on his KTM, finishing the 15 kilometre stage over a minute clear of Paul Smith’s CAN AM, with Czech Martin Plechaty third.
John Maragozidis, the 2008 winner, was a disappointing seventh on his Polaris, three minutes and four seconds behind Young. However the South Australian is aware that the prologue stage isn’t really representative of the outback Western Australian conditions that the crews will face once the event heads north.
After leaving Perth on Sunday morning, the Safari will have overnight stops in Geraldton, Mt Magnet, Leonora and Laverton, before finishing in the gold mining capital of Australia, Kalgoorlie, on Saturday, August 8. Competitors will cover over 3600 kilometres of some of the most beautiful (and rugged) terrain that Western Australia has to offer.
2009 AUSTRALASIAN SAFARI - PROLOGUE
AUTO
- Bruce Garland (NSW) / Harry Suzuki (NSW), Isuzu D-MAX, 12m04s
- Kerry Turley (NSW) / Naomi Tillett (SA), Nissan GQ Patrol, +4s
- Paul Weel (QLD) / Kees Weel (QLD), Holden Colorado, +16s
- Des Harrington (VIC) / Richard Harrington (VIC), Nissan Patrol, +31s
- Geoff Olholm (QLD) / Haydn Redfern (QLD), Mitsubishi Pajero, +49s
MOTORBIKES
- Jacob Smith (NSW), Honda CRF 450X, 11m33s
- Todd Smith (WA), KTM 530 EXC, +1s
- AJ Roberts (NSW), Honda CRF 450X, +14s
- Damien Grabham (NSW), KTM 530 EXC, +18s
- Mathew Fish (VIC), KTM 530 EXC, +27s
QUADS
- Heath Young (WA), KTM XL, 11m58s
- Paul Smith (VIC), CAN AM Renegade 800 R X, +1m11s
- Martin Plechaty (CZ), Borile Bory FM 700 R, +1m40s
12:01 WST - 1/08/09
New Prologue Photos of a couple of the Quads before we left the media point. More to come ASAP- Check here
23:09 WST - 31/07/09
New Pre Event Photos - Check here
22:11 WST - 31/07/09
Watch Video - Pre Event News Report - West TV
21:38 WST - 31/07/09
Prologue Spectator Map available now - Apologise for the delay, but competitor information had to be finalised before Spectator info can be posted. From Perth take the Great Eastern Highway, then the Great Southern Highway, then follow the map provided to the spectator location.
19:35PM WST - 30/07/2009
SAFARI LiVE goes LIVE. YEAH WOOOO! Stay tuned for regular updates here as news, images, results, video and tweets come to hand.
09:42PM WST - 27/07/2009
Check out the Pic of Justin (event Director) & Annie Seel at the Safari Display last Saturday. Annie just met some Aussie Wildlife (oh thats Justin!), Check out a pic Here>>>>!
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