Australasian Safari

[prado4x4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado4x4]

Hey all,

Over the last week (1-8th August 2009) I was lucky enough to be on the support crew for one of the cars
racing in the Austrlasian Safari. Think Dakar racing through the West Australian outback. Aprox 3000km of
competitive racing over 7 days from Perth to Geraldton, Mt Magnet, Leonora, Laverton and Kalgoorlie. Many
bikes and quads, but importantly for us, a number of cars too (no Prado's though - That would be good to see.
Anybody feel like setting one up :shock: ).

There were a number of Evo Pajero's, an Isuzu and Colorado ute, a number of Patrols, a H2 Hummer and a Landrover
Defender amongst others. Teams came from WA as well as the rest of the country, and around the world (Hummer
and team from the states, 3 Evo Pajeros and teams from China, etc).

I was on the support crew for car #188 (The red Landrover Defender with a Holden 5.7 V8 motor), driven and navigated
by some local WA guys - so that why a few more pics of them.

Anyhow, enough with the preamble, here's a few pics.

John

Winning vehicle - EVO Pajero with a 6Litre V8


The defender I was support crew for.


H2 Hummer (6.3litre V8 and over 3.5 tonnes)


Night Time Service


After Aussies showed the Chinese crew how to use fencing wire. :lol:


Good corner control - this time

[ronb1002 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close ronb1002]

Re: Australasian Safari

We were on the same event as officials (start and finish crew). We normally take our Prado to this event but flew to W.A. this year. This is our favorite event we work on. Worked on it since 2001. Fabulous!
BTW. A Prado competed in the 2007 event. Did reasonably well.
Ron.

[prado4x4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado4x4]

Re: Australasian Safari

We were on the same event as officials (start and finish crew). We normally take our Prado to this event but flew to W.A. this year. This is our favorite event we work on. Worked on it since 2001. Fabulous!
BTW. A Prado competed in the 2007 event. Did reasonably well.
Ron.

Cheers for the info Ron, Wish I'd been around to see the Prado compete.

John

[jarrah7rally Member Find all posts View Profile Close jarrah7rally]

Re: Australasian Safari

Pity I couldn't go this year - considered to be conflict of interest. Won't say why.

fantasic scenery & pics !

I have a few pics from the Prologe including those of the Steve's landrover spinning at the spectator point :wink:

The Chinese team are "chinese clones" of the Mitsubishi Evo pajero - looked the same and sure sounded the same as well, no pics of them all 3 in a row and more dust than from a WRC car.

Hummer brought it own dust supply - and promptly got bogged for 5 hours on day 1 - alledgedly

The standard Prado was run by the Flood brothers when it was truely a "dakar style" from Kunanurra down to perth 15,000 back in 2007. Think it was the v6 petrol variant.

Considering Bruce Garlands Isuzu Imax (turbo diesel) or whatever it called is basically stock standard I think a prado should do really well, maybe not outright top speed but would certainly be "reliable"


Heres hoping it continues next year when my Prado is truely "rally ready"

[prado4x4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado4x4]

Re: Australasian Safari

Pity I couldn't go this year - considered to be conflict of interest. Won't say why.

fantasic scenery & pics !

I have a few pics from the Prologe including those of the Steve's landrover spinning at the spectator point :wink:

The Chinese team are "chinese clones" of the Mitsubishi Evo pajero - looked the same and sure sounded the same as well, no pics of them all 3 in a row and more dust than from a WRC car.

Hummer brought it own dust supply - and promptly got bogged for 5 hours on day 1 - alledgedly

The standard Prado was run by the Flood brothers when it was truely a "dakar style" from Kunanurra down to perth 15,000 back in 2007. Think it was the v6 petrol variant.

Considering Bruce Garlands Isuzu Imax (turbo diesel) or whatever it called is basically stock standard I think a prado should do really well, maybe not outright top speed but would certainly be "reliable"


Heres hoping it continues next year when my Prado is truely "rally ready"

I wouldn't mind a few pics of the two 'Davids' (not Steves) spinning the Landrover on the prolog if you can send
them over (or post them up here. Feel free to PM me for an email address, etc. They also were running a camera
inside the vehicle and got some great race footage when it was turned on.

We were always setup next to the Chinese guys in the overnight service areas and they were an interesting
bunch. Nearly no english language skills, and an interpreter that wasn't very car knowledgable. Conversation
between some of thier Australian support and the team was a laugh to hear. Very correct on the EVO pajeros
being Chinese copies, right down to some of the carbon fibre pannels. I got to say thier method of fueling up
is awkward. The fuel filler is on the roof, so to fuel up you have to climb onto the roof, and pour the fuel in
out of jerry cans. I do wish I'd got a photo of some of thier team fossicking around the Mt Magnet tip getting
old Pajero suspension bushes/rubber, lol.

I'm not sure how 'standard' Bruce's Isuzu Dmax is, but one things for sure, he's a very skillful driver.

Cheers..............

John

[VKPrado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close VKPrado]

Re: Australasian Safari

There is nothing "standard" about Garlands D-Max. Fully built to do the Dakar Rally.

Having competed in the Safari myself in 2001 on a bike, I have to say it is a great event and the friendship between competitor and service crews is fantastic.

[MUMSRIG Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MUMSRIG]

Re: Australasian Safari

Hey John, my mate was on the same support crew as you.

Steve Leerson. He was support for the defender last year also.

[prado4x4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado4x4]

Re: Australasian Safari

Hey John, my mate was on the same support crew as you.

Steve Leerson. He was support for the defender last year also.

A really nice guy - small world eh.

John