Josh Hall is a four-time winner of the Baja 1000, but he has never taken part in the Australasian Safari. Now in its third year, the Australasian Safari is a 2200-mile off-road endurance race held in the tough West Australian outback. Hall, whose father is the legendary off-roader Rod Hall, has seen plenty of off-road action stateside, but is looking forward to running in an international event where the host country "doesn't have land mines lining the race course, the citizenry speaks English, and the event organizers have a first-class reputation."
Due to event regulations on engine displacement size, Hall and his Hummer H2 SUT will be participating in a special International Promotional Category, which does not qualify for official rankings or awards. Engine capacity is limited to 6.0-liter powerplants and less, knocking the H2 SUT's 6.2-liter Vortec V-8 out of contention. For 2010, Hall is already planning on returning to the Australasian Safari with a 5.7-liter engine to make an official run at the title.
The Australasian Safari kicks off in the Western Australian capital of Perth with prerace festivities on August 1. The official race starts on August 2 and spans 2200 miles over the course of seven days. The Safari will travel from Perth through Geraldton, Mt. Magnet, Leonora, and Laverton, before ending in the city of Kalgoorlie on August 8.
For more information on the Australasian Safari, visit www.australasiansafari.com.au.
Source: Rod Hall Racing