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Back to September 2012 Motorsports News Archive
| 29-09-2012 at 09:00: Penultimate Day Tests Safari Teams | |
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Stage wins in the motos by Rod Faggotter, Brett Cummings and Todd Smith have not changed the overall results with Jake Smith banking a 29-minute lead going into today’s final stage. The Auto story paints a similar picture with two convincing stage wins today by Geoff Olholm and Gordon Trigg and one by Venezuelan team of Nunzio Coffaro and Daniel Meneses. Second position outright has been held by Rob Herridge but there is only three minutes between third and fourth place in the autos. South African rider Brett Cummings has an impressive four-hour lead in the Dakar Challenge over Dutchman Melchoir van Heertum. It is a huge achievement for Cummings as this is his first multi-day event. Jake Smith said he just took it steady and enjoyed the ride. “I didn’t push it at all. It was fun riding – good tracks, good scenery, I could see the water at one stage – it was pretty nice. Everything’s going to plan, I’m feeling a bit tired, but if I get through Saturday I’ll be feeling even better.” Todd Smith had no issues on the course and loved the ride. “They were some of the best stages of the event with nice flowing tracks, it was fun to ride and the bike went strong today.” Brett Cummings said he performed well in the first and second stages but had issues in the last stage of the day. “100km into the third there was a big bang in the motor. It stayed running and I nursed it home. I’m disappointed as I was trying for third outright.” The tracks caused more difficulty for the cars with tight tree lines and deep sand to tackle. Olholm in the Mitsubishi Pajero said the last 40km was great. “It was high speed and sandy flowing stages that required high concentration because of ruts and drifts, we were sliding around hitting 200km, and it was a lot of fun. We left first and we were in first – it was brilliant.” Despite winning a stage, Coffaro in the Toyota Hilux said they had a hard time in the rocky areas. “It was hard for the car and the stages were very close to the trees – just millimeters. We punctured two tyres, lost our mirrors and our front grill. But otherwise the car is running great” Still holding second place, Herridge in the production class Subaru Forrester was philosophic about their game plan. “I’m between the devil and the deep blue sea – we’re nursing our position at the moment, we don’t want to be too foolhardy, but we want to go fast but we can’t. “For Saturday we’re crossing our fingers, crossing our T’s and dotting our I’s. We’re wrapped to be doing what we’re doing,” he said. Wayne Park and Myles Newbon in their Toyota Hilux nudged into third place overall in the autos after Friday’s Leg. Park said they were now really pushing. “The first few days we were just cruising around waiting for people to drop out but now we’re trying harder and hoping for third.” Still in the overall lead Hederics is focused on the finish line. “We had a really good run today, the last 40km was beautiful, the car’s going fine and we’re consolidating now, not pushing hard and preserving our lead.” Paul Smith continues to hold the top place in the quads and unlike the moto and auto leaders he said he couldn’t hold back. “The first stage was like a rollercoaster in and out of sandy tracks. I should have been taking it easy but I was having too much fun passing bikes.” Today is the final Leg and the eighth day of the Australasian Safari. Competitors have two short stages to bring it home to Geraldton. After crossing a paddock they will drop into the beach, blasting south to the finish line. Spectators are welcome to the finish at Geraldton Senior College. First bikes are expected at 11.45am local time with podium presentations from 1pm.
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Competitors arrived in Kalbarri tired and battle weary but happy with the penultimate Leg of the Australasian Safari. They completed the 429kms through cattle country along the Murchison River and finishing at Murchison House by the stunning Kalbarri National Park.
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