1000km Desert Race 2006

[Duncan]

Hi guys

Off-road racing is only done in a very few regions in the world and we here in Southern Africa are quite fortunate to have both off-road racing as well as rallying.

Much tougher than Rallying and much more demanding ,off-road racing is done in specially built vehicles or extreemly modified production vehicles.

These vehicles run on anything from 2.0l stock standard motors to mega powerful V8 6.0l+ motors. Some vehicles as big as an large sized SUV (L/Cruiser) can top speeds in excess of 200km/h in the bush and accelerate to 100 in less than 6 secs.

In its 25th year of running the Toyota 1000 Desert Race held in Botswana is considered to be one of the toughest off road races in the world and the second toughest in Africa after the Dakar. The attrition rate on this race is horrifying with less than 20% of the starters finishing this two day event. Either due to mechanical problems or the crew giving up.

Here are a few pics from this years race.

Nissan Navara - factory works team. V6 4L, Class-SP

CHENNEWORTH - Chev V8 5.7L, Class-A

Toyota Hilux - factory works team. V6 4L, Class-SP

Castrol Toyota Hilux, 2.7L, Class-D

Ford Range - factory works team. V6 4.0L, Class-SP

PORTA, Chev V8 5.7L, Class-A

ZARCO, Audi V8, Class-A

Team Nissan Pit. Two race 4x4s, three support rigs, 28 crew, 1 support chopper.

[AMG]

Lovely Pics Duncan, Thanks.

[Overdrive]

Duncan why do you have to tease us with stuff like that? Looks like its hella fun. So are there no novice events like that there? That sort of thing makes me miss home even more.

BTW some of those models i have never seen??

[Velocity]

those are some nice pics.

Who won the Class SP ?

[Hola]

those are some nice pics.

Who won the Class SP ?

how about a nice good old earth report velo?

[Duncan]

Hi Velocity

Class-SP was won by Nissan Navara factory team. This is the 3rd year in a row they have won this event. The Desert race is the 3rd race out of a total of 9 races in the season.

I have been involved in this race in one form or the other for the past 14 years and this year I was one of the official photographers.