‘Driving smarter not harder’ is the approach being taken by the Isuzu Motorsports trio, after a second day of rough and tumble on the 2014 Australasian Safari.
The Safari is a seven-day cross-country rally across the West Australian outback, open to cars, buggies, bikes and quad bikes.
Day Two was made up of two long stages (171.47km, 255.94km) which took competitors from the remote mid-western agricultural region of Murchison to Gascoyne Junction, around 170km from the coast and nearly 1000km north of the West Australian capital, Perth, where the event started last Saturday.
At the end of Day Two, Isuzu Motorsports’ team leaders Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki were fourth outright in their high-performance Dakar-spec Isuzu D-MAX ute while teammates Adrian Di Lallo and Roger Pedersen and their production-class Isuzu MU-X wagon were in seventh. Thailand’s Olan Sornsirirat and Veerachai Thorangkoon, the third team in the official ‘Isuzu trio’, had brought their production class D-MAX ute into 21st place.
“We’re just taking it steady at this point, because you don’t win events in the first few days, but you can lose them,” Garland says.
“It was a fairly tough day today and we have two more hard days to come, but we are making good progress and I am really happy with the D-MAX. It’s perfect. We’re not at full pace but doing a good clip and I’m happy with that.”
Di Lallo is also happy with his progress, aside from losing some time on Day One with a navigation issue.
“The MU-X is running really well. For a production car, it’s outstanding. We had a super day. This morning’s stage was great but the marathon stage this afternoon was difficult, technical and rough,” Di Lallo says.
“Being a production car, we have to go over the rough area a lot slower than others. The good thing is that we are collecting very important data on the car, which is brand new. We’re learning the life of all the parts and that will help us in future events.”
The crews ran with their tried and proven Toyo Open Country Mud Terrain (M/T) tyres this morning after overnight rain soaked the bivouac and threatened the possibility of a stage cancellation. As it turned out, while there were some muddy patches on the route, the wet weather simply helped to dampen down the dust and didn’t slow the field too much at all.
Thirty-seven cars entered in the ‘auto’ division of the Safari, of which two have already registered as retirements. However, two other Isuzu crews who are receiving technical advice and back-up support from Isuzu Motorsports are doing well.
The MU-X being campaigned by Garland’s long-time mate and another Safari stalwart, Reg Owen with co-driver Russell Cairns is now in ninth. The Thai-entered D-MAX crewed by Vorapot Bunchuaylua and Chupong Chaiwan is in 13th.
Isuzu Motorsports is a performance parts company owned by Garland and his long-time co-driver, Harry Suzuki. They also have support from Isuzu operations in Japan, Thailand and Australia.
This year’s Safari started with a ceremonial start in Perth before competitors drove 424km north to Geraldton, on the mid-west coast, for the cross-country rally’s 10km Glengarry Prologue. Full competition began on Sunday (September 21) and finishes in Kalbarri (592km north of Perth) on Saturday, September 27 after seven days of endurance racing.
The crews now have two nights at Gascoyne Junction, a small town 174km east (inland) from Carnarvon and about 965km north of the West Australian capital, Perth. It’s a centre for mining, pastoral and merino fine wool industries and also serves as a gateway to Mount Augustus National Park.
Four years ago, the town and its surrounds were devastated by floods but the town has been reborn, courtesy of an $8 million rebuilding program. Opened within the last few months are a new 24-hour fuel station, general store, tavern and restaurant, caravan park with pool and playground and a new main street.
After two stages tomorrow (Tuesday: 147.15km; 288.64km) and another night in Gascoyne, the crews will head for Exmouth (two nights) and Carnarvon. The event covers more than 3000km of sand, salt plains, rough desert tracks and dry riverbeds.
Garland and Suzuki are contesting the event for the 18th time and have won it five times. Di Lallo has contested the event three times in the past, finishing each time and earning a class podium position in 2011 on his second attempt.
Isuzu Motorsports also races with support from Toyo Tires, Royal Purple Oils and Disc Brakes Australia.
Overall results after day two of competition:
1. Steve Riley / John Doble Holden VF 07:49:54
2. Greg Scanlon / Liam Nunns Nissan Patrol 07:53:01
3. David McShane / William Hayes Toyota Tacoma 07:56:54
4. Bruce Garland / Harry Suzuki Isuzu D-MAX 07:57:09
5. Terry Pinson / John Fraser Ford BA ute 08:05:23
6. Warren Denham / Aaron Topliff Mitsubishi Triton 08:10:22
7. Adrian Di Lallo / Roger Pedersen Isuzu MU-X 08:16:28
21. O. Sornsirirat / V. Thorangkoon Isuzu D-MAX 10:13:33
