The spirit of Safari 2011
Date: 04-Oct-2011
It’s well known that only the toughest survive the gruelling seven-day race that is the Australasian Safari.The annual off-road race for four-wheel drives, motorbikes and quad bikes is set in outback Western Australia across often treacherous terrain that demands the full attention of competitors. Without exception, every year there are mechanical causalities as man and machine come up against Mother Nature.
Despite the competitive nature of the Australasian Safari and the challenges it presents, the spirit of Safari underpins the event and keeps both competitors and officials coming back each year.
Returning for his second Safari in 2011, V8 Supercar legend Craig Lowndes believes Safari is what the V8 Supercars used to be like ten years ago.
“Everyone is friendly and supportive of each other.
“After we turned the car onto its side on Leg 5, car 177 stopped their race to help us tip the car back on to four wheels and then car 127 stopped and towed us 12km to the end of the stage,” Lowndes said.
Murray Young, the driver in car 127 a Mistubishi Pajero, said that it would not have mattered who it was, they would always have stopped to help.
“It’s the gentlemanly thing to do,” Young said. He said that asking for time compensations from the Stewards had not crossed his mind. In the spirit of Safari, just helping a fellow competitor was reward enough.
Moto rider for the Husaberg Rallye Racing team Michael Heuchan sacrificed a top ten Leg finish to assist his team mate Damian Grabham after his stopped for mechanical reasons.
“I saw my team mate on the side of the track and had to stop and help him – it’s the right thing to do,” Heuchan said.
“His bike wasn’t going so we got some fence wire and using that I towed him 4km to the end of Stage 10 and then another 30km back to the Bivouac,” Heuchan said.
Grabham backed up Heuchan’s version of events. “After my engine seized, I was towed back using fence wire by me team mate Mick,” Grabham said.
The following day, a protruding stick penetrated 5cm into Grabham’s lower leg, lodging itself in there for the rest of the stage.
“The stick was sticking out of my leg and I thought, oh that’s not too good, so I broke the stick off. After Stage 12 at the Service, the medics used a scalpel to cut most of the stick out and I rode through Stage 13,” Grabham reported.
“It didn’t hurt too much – I took some panadol and got on with it. Annie Seel did that a couple of years ago and finished the Leg, and if she can do it, I can do it,” Grabham said.
Moto 41, Ben Williams, was a privateer entry – meaning he is both rider and mechanic.
“I’ve not had any dramas being a mechanic and a rider, no problems at all,” Williams said matter-of-factly.
“Each night my girlfriend and I worked on the bike until about 10pm, except for Tuesday night in Laverton when we were up until 11pm because we rebuilt the whole bike. That was pretty tough to do with one hand. I broke my left pinky when a stick got behind the hand guard – I didn’t come off, I kept riding.”
Moto first and second place winners brothers Todd and Jacob Smith said they enjoyed riding in the same team this year.
“We were able to work together on some of the Legs – helping each other open and close gates and the like,” Todd Smith said.
Moto competitor 42 David Burford received an honorary membership to the FIV (First Intervention Team) due to the number of incidents and accidents he has called in on his radio during the competition. Rumour has it that Burford is considering becoming a paramedic!
Auto competitor Steve Riley, said that when he wins a trophy he shares it with his whole team, literally.
“I either break up the trophy or get other ones made up and hold a team presentation evening with everyone around my place. We win things together as a team,” Riley said.
When Safari was over and teams headed home, another example of the spirit of Safari blossomed. Manuel Lucchese, the Italian Husaberg rider who broke his nose and hurt his shoulder during Leg 5, did not have his Perth hotel address and no phone battery to call and find out.
Husaberg mechanic Andrew came to rescue, offering Manuel a bed at his family house where he hosted him for two days, sharing meals and taking him around Perth to see some sights. It is that sort of kindness that resonates the spirit of Safari. It is that spirit that gives this gruelling motorsport event a unique and friendly atmosphere during seven tough days of competition, which etches lasting memories into the minds of everyone involved in the event.
Above photo caption: Murray Young tows Craig Lowndes on Leg 5
Todd and Jake Smith on the last leg of Safari
Steve Riley's crew at the finish line
