2012 Australasian Safari - Leg 2
Despite taking a cautious approach, Jake, on the GHR Honda CRF450X, was fastest finisher for a second day in a row.
"I had a good day, I was making sure I was looking after myself and the bike. Despite the long day I feel good and fresh," Smith said.
Rod Faggotter (Yamaha Desert Racing WR 450F) was second fastest through the two stages that made up Leg 2, and sits almost 12 minutes behind Jake in the overall standings, despite a near miss with a kangaroo.
Matt Fish (CPW Motoparts KTM 500 EXC) lost over ten minutes to Smith on the leg from Kalbarri to Carnarvon after a crash on the day's first stage, while Warren Strange (Yamaha Desert Racing WR 450F) also lost time after stopping to help team mate, Shane Diener, who injured his knee on stage 1 and is now out of the Safari. Amazingly, Fish and Strange recorded the exact same time after 491 kms of racing!
"I had a really rough day, I had a crash early in the first leg and lost a bit of time and am a bit sore but ready and raring to go tomorrow," Fish said.
Vern Strange (Yamaha Desert Racing) continues to hold the lead in the Dakar Challenge, with Michael Johnson (USA - GHR Honda CRF 450X) and Brett Cummings (S Af - GHR Honda Rallyerider CRF 450X) in pursuit, but Strange holds a lead of almost 30 minutes over the international pair.
"I had a great day today it was like a dream, the bike is all good. I started today in seventh and finished in fourth, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow because it's similar country to the Gascoyne Dash, which I've won four times," Strange said.
Fellow Dakar Challenge competitor Glenn Grundy (S Af - GHR Honda Rallyerider CRF 450X) finished the leg in 29th, but still enjoyed the day's riding.
"It was a lot of work for a Monday! There were a lot of interesting features, lots of gates, nice ocean views and long sandy drags."
Leading the Quads is Paul Smith on the GHR Honda TRX700XX. After only two legs, the experienced Smith holds a 28-minute lead over Heath Young on a 2011 KTM. Young said he had a reasonably good day on Leg 2, but struggled in the sand. Privateer Glenn Brown (Honda CRX700) was third on the leg and sits third overall.
Leg 3 will see competitors tackling three stages and 410km of what is tipped to be the most spectacular stage of the event. Competitors will travel through some of Western Australia's most extraordinary locations- including Quobba and Gnaraloo Stations - and on to the tip of Ningaloo Reef, where there will be river crossings, stunning beach runs, sand dunes and twisting station tracks.
For more information on Australasian Safari visit www.australasiansafari.com.au.
Images: Keith Hedgeland and Sabine Albers, courtesy of Australasian Safari/Bright Communications
