Pike’s Peak veteran and aspiring rally racer Alexander Smith is among the first American entrants for this year’s Australasian Safari in Western Australia.

Billed as the ‘Australian Dakar’, the 26th running of the action-packed competition starts on 23 September and is set to run seven straight days with motorcycles, ATVs and 4x4s going head-to-head until the race finishes on the 30th.

Son of the legendary Malcolm Smith, first man to win the Baja 1000, Alexander is a chip off the old block, working in the family motorcycle dealership when not racing events on any Sunday, such as the Tecate Enduro in Mexico or the Catalina Grand Prix.

“It is great that someone with Alexander’s proven ability and lineage has decided to come race the Safari with us,” said U.S. team manager Justin Maley. “His enthusiasm is contagious and the whole team can benefit from his expertise, not to mention Malcolm’s invaluable input.”

In fact, there has even been some talk of Malcolm racing as well – after all, he is a former Roof Of Africa Rally winner as well as winning the Atlas Rallye in Morocco in an off-road buggy.

The U.S. Navy has also been in discussions about the possibility of sending a team of Navy SEALS to compete in the Safari.

“With interest in Team U.S.A.’s participation in the event continuing to grow, there is a possibility that we will able to send three teams,” Maley claimed. “An A team lead by Alexander, a B team and a SEAL team would be awesome.”

The 2011 Australasian Safari is routed through some of Western Australia’s most remote and unforgiving landscape.

“It will be spectacular,” Maley added. “Every moment of the Safari is set to a backdrop of the vast, picture perfect Outback.”

To that end, Tourism Western Australia has also ramped up its support of the Safari through its major events division, Eventscorp.