All systems go for Australasian Safari

There’s only one month to go until the 2011 Australasian Safari hits the Western Australian outback dirt from September 22-30.

Australia’s toughest off-road endurance race has attracted a wide array of competitors for its 26th year including three-time Dakar winner Frenchman Cyril Despres, who has just won the Rally dos Sertoes in Brazil; V8 Supercar champion Craig Lowndes is back to defend his 2010 title and will come up against Safari veteran and two time auto winner Steve Riley; and off-road moto champion and three-time Safari winner Ben Grabham from NSW.

There are also entries from Sweden, Italy, UAE, South Africa, United States and New Zealand.

Around 100 auto, moto and quad bike competitors will travel through more than 3500km of off-road rugged terrain through the coastal port of Geraldton and the west’s northern goldfields, finishing in the historic gold mining town of Kalgoorlie with a public reception on September 30.

During the event, there will be a huge number of challenges for the drivers and riders face as they navigate their way through coastal plains, scrub, rocky outcrops, flooded plains, red dirt, salt plains and desert.

Approximately 500 people travel with the Australasian Safari entourage. In 2011, competitors, teams, officials and spectators will make overnight stops at Geraldton, Mt Magnet, Sandstone, Laverton, Leonora and Kalgoorlie, boosting the local economies and often quadrupling the local population!

For more information visit the official Australasian Safari website -- and standby for the launch of a dedicated Australasian Safari portal at Carsales, which is a sponsor of the event.