After a run lasting some 29 years this year’s Australasian Safari event in Western Australia was the last.

The reason is that this  group of 127 competitors are likely to be the last entrants to race the iconic motorsport event, a few of whom such as Bruce Garland, Steve Riley and Jim Cairns were also entrants in the first Safari in 1985. Therefore the finish line celebrations on Kalbarri Foreshore in north-west WA on September 27 this year were a mixture of happiness, relief and sadness for Australasian Safari competitors and organisers today.

Though providing an unmatched canvas on which to promote the state, WA authorities this year declined to sign a three-year contract extension with the organisers, making this year’s event the last…unless another state stumps up a budget for the now iconic event.

In typical fashion this year’s was one if the best with cars, bikes, and side by side buggies being put through their paces in a variety of terrain, from the harsh red desert of Western Australia’s Mid-West and Pilbara, to the sandy dunes and coastal scrub of the Coral Coast. As such the route was a true test of endurance, with competitors and event officials travelling over 3,500 kilometres in seven days.

From Leg 1, it was a tight and highly competitive race for the Auto category, with the vehicles of Steve Riley and John Doble (Holden ute), Dave McShane and Bill Hayes (Toyota Tacoma), Greg Scanlon and Liam Nunns (Nissan Patrol), and John Purshouse and Murray Hynes (Ford Ranger ute) all exchanging top three places at some point.
 

Auto

It was in the Auto section where the real drama was, however, withonly 45 seconds separating race leaders Riley and Doble and event-long rivals McShane and Hayes as they started the final leg.

Riley and Doble built that lead to a minute early on only to leave the track at high speed and get stuck in some mud.

 “I said at the beginning it would end in tears and those tears are mine,” said Steve. “We were all driving way too hard.”

The off caused the team who had been leading for most of the week to end up with third place on the podium.

Second place was secured by Greg Scanlon and Liam Nunns in the ARB Bendigo Nissan Patrol by just ten minutes over third place Riley Motorsports.

“We were consistent this week and that’s all we needed to do,” said Scanlon. “ Safari has been one of those goals I’ve had for a long time, not only to race in the event but to get on the podium. Today was unexpected.”

It was an emotional win, therefore, for Dave McShane and Bill Hayes in the DMack Desert Racing Toyota Tacoma. Dave had a tear in his eye as he stepped onto the podium. “I can’t put it into words. It was such a battle to get here.  It still hasn’t fully registered. I’m so glad to finally achieve this,” said Dave.

SxS

West Australians Robert Williams and Michael Hawkins sharing the latest Polaris RZR 1000 XP won the title of outright side-by-side champions by a comfortable three hours, leading home a Polaris RZR 1-2-3.

In second place was Dylan Minear and Steve Syson also from Western Australia, in a Polaris RZR 900 with solo driver Simon Clifford in the Polaris RZR 900 third.

Crossing the finish line was a special moment for side-by-side pilot Jim Cairns. Jim had competed in the first Australasian Safari in 1985 as a moto rider, but was unable to finish the event due to an incident which made him a paraplegic. This year, he came back to finish what he started all those years ago.

The Australasian Safari was Australia’s version of  the ‘Dakar Rally and over the years attracted a who’s who of top international rally raid aces as well as Australasia’s best.

This year’s seven-day event started on September 19, and travelled over 3,500kms through the Western Australian outback before crossing the finish line on Kalbarri Foreshore on September 27.

2014 Australian Safari

Results

Autos

1. McShane-Hayes (Toyota Tacoma) 26.17.25
2. Scanlon-Nunns  (Nissan Patrol) 27.25.48
3. Riley-Doble (Holden ute) 27.35.03

Safari  Challenge

1. Brogan-Barkley (Jeep Wrangler) 38.20.00
2. Raudonkis-Wheeler (Jeep Wrangler) 46.53.10
3. Streatfield-Streatfield (Jeep Wrangler) 72.19.46

Motorcycles

1. Rod Faggotter (Yamaha WR450F) 24.30.12
2. Quinn Cody (KTM450RR) 25.08.44
3. Ian Blythe (KTM450RR) 25.42.08

Quads

1. John Maragozidis (MMR Interceptor) 30.37.45
2. John Iuliano (Polaris Scrambler) 35.13.28
3. Heath Young (KTM 690) 43.14.27

Side by Side

1. Williams-Hawkins (Polaris RZR 1000 XP (33.21.59)
2. Minear-Syson (Polaris RZR 900) 36.56.44
3. Simon Clifford (Polaris RZR 900) 49.01.39

FACTS & FIGURES – SAFARI 2014

• The Australasian Safari is an annual off-road rally for Four-Wheel Drives, Side-by-Sides (small buggies), Motorbikes and Quad bikes which has been going since 1985.
• Considered Australia’s answer to the Dakar, the event is renowned as one of the toughest and most challenging motorsport events in the world.
• Over the years it has attracted competitors from Brazil, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, France, Sweden, UK, South Africa, Botswana, USA, Italy, Germany, Venezuela and the Netherlands.
• Past competitors include the late and great Peter Brock, Craig Lowndes and five-time Paris-Dakar winner Cyril Despres.
• The inaugural race held in 1985 saw the event start in Sydney and end in the Northern Territory and later incorporated the famous Mt Panorama Circuit in Bathurst. In 2007, the Australasian Safari ventured to its new home in Western Australia where it has been held for the past seven years.

For more stories see the December issue of NZ4WD