The Australasian Safari was an off-road motor sport racing event held in Australia between 1985 and 2014.
History The Australasian Safari was first run in 1985 and held under the International Sporting Code of FIM and from 1999, the General Competition Rules of Motorcycling Australia.MotorSM.com - Australia Safari 2007 Australian Safari Entry Form
It was usually held around the end of August, in the Australian winter, and covered approximately 5,500 kilometres, mostly through the Outback in just over a week.Motorcycling Australia - Australian Safari, the ultimate off-road adventure Like the Dakar Rally, the vehicle classes involved were motorcycles and cars, however there were no truck class. From 2008, a quad class was introduced.
The event grew in size and scope for the first few years. In 1988, Australia's Bicentennial year, the event was tagged "The Big One" and was expanded to cover 10,000 km in 15 days, with a start in Alice Springs and traveling across the Tanami Desert, through the Kimberley region into Darwin, across the Gulf Country of far northwest Queensland and an eventual finish in Sydney. Out of 196 starting vehicles, only 96 finished the race.
Initially known as the Wynn's Safari for commercial reasons, the event was renamed in 1989 to the Australian Safari, and to the Australasian Safari in 2008.Wynn's Safari schedule extended by one day Truck & Bus Transportation April 1985 page 110 From 2007 the event was hosted in Western Australia.
Between 1994 and 1997 the event was included in the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup. It was last held in 2014 after Tourism Western Australia withdrew its funding for the event.Western Australia to pull plug on safari Speedcafe 25 June 2014
Results YearAuto - WinnerMoto - WinnerQuad - WinnerRef1985 Andrew Cowan Mitsubishi Pajero Steve Chapman Honda XR600 - 1986 Andrew Cowan Mitsubishi Pajero Allan Cunnynghame Yamaha XT 600 - 1987 Doug Stewart Mitsubishi Pajero Steve Chapman Honda XR 600 - 1988 Ross Dunkerton Mitsubishi Pajero Michael Goddard Honda NXR 650 - 1989 David Officer Mitsubishi Pajero Steve Chapman Honda XR600 - 1990 Kenjiro Shinozuka Mitsubishi Pajero John Hederics Honda XR600 - 1991 David Officer Mitsubishi Triton John Hederics Honda XR600 - 1992 Reg Owen Nissan Patrol John Hederics Honda XR600 - 1993 Ian Swan Nissan Patrol Michael Goddard Kawasaki KLX 650R - 1994 Jean-Pierre Fontenay Mitsubishi Pajero John Hederics Honda XR600 - 1995 Doug Manwaring Nissan Patrol John Hederics Honda XR600 - 1996 Bruce Garland Holden Jackaroo John Hederics Honda XR600 - 1997 Mikhail Naryshkin Mitsubishi Pajero Andy Haydon KTM 640 LC4 - 1998 Cancelled - 1999 Bruce Garland Holden Jackaroo Stephen Greenfield Honda XR600 - 2000 Bruce Garland Holden Jackaroo Andy Caldecott KTM 660 - 2001 Bruce Garland Holden Jackaroo Andy Caldecott KTM 660 - 2002 Bruce Garland Holden Jackaroo Andy Caldecott KTM 660 - 2003 John Hederics Nissan Patrol Andy Caldecott KTM 660 - Australian Safari 2000 Division Winners 2004 John Hederics Holden Rodeo J Cunningham Honda XR650 - 2005 Cancelled - 2005 Australian Safari cancelled 2006 Cancelled - 2007 Hederics/Williams Holden Rodeo Grabham Honda CRF450X - Australian Safari 2007 Results 2008 Riley/Doble Mitsubishi Pajero Grabham Honda CRF450X John Maragozidis Polaris Outlaw IRS Australian Safari 2008 Results 2009 Riley/Doble Mitsubishi Pajero Jacob Smith Honda CRF450X Josef Machacek Yamaha Raptor 700R Australian Safari 2009 Results 2010 Craig Lowndes/Kees Weel Holden Rodeo Ben Grabham KTM 530 EXC Paul Smith Honda TRX 700XX Australian Safari 2010 Final Classifications 2011 Riley/Doble Mitsubishi Pajero Todd Smith Honda CRF450X John Maragozidis MMR Interceptor 850 Australian Safari 2011 Final Classifications 2012 Hederics/Weel Holden Colorado Jake Smith Honda CRF450X Paul Smith Honda TRX700XX Australian Safari 2012 Final Classifications 2013 Trigg/Olholm Toyota Hilux Rodney Faggotter Yamaha WR450F Heath Young KTM 690 Rally Australian Safari 2013 Final Classifications 2014 McShane/Hayes Toyota Tacoma Rodney Faggotter Yamaha WR450F John Maragozidis MMR Interceptor 850 Australian Safari 2014 Final Classifications
See also Baja 1000 Budapest-Bamako Dakar Rally Finke Desert Race Offroad racing Plymouth-Banjul Challenge
References
External links Australasian Safari Homepage Detailed Report of 2002 Event - Off-Road.com