2021 Finke Desert Race coverage: Day 1

Day 1 of the Tatts Finke Desert Race is underway, as more than 700 competitors race their way down the sandy track for 228 kilometres from Alice Springs to the community of Aputula on the ancient Finke River.

Before they kicked off on a chilly Sunday morning, there was plenty to see back in Alice with the scrutineering taking place at the start/finish line complex on Friday night. This gives race fans a chance to get up close for a look at the cars, buggies and bikes, as well as the opportunity to meet and talk with the riders and drivers.

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Saturday saw the action kick off and the dust billowing off the race tyres as the Method Race Wheels Prologue took place over a short course, again near the start/finish complex. The 8.3km prologue determines the start order of the cars and bikes, and getting the fastest times gets you at the head of the pack heading south. This is important, as the cars in front will have less dust to contend with on their run.

Crowd favourite, two-time Dakar winner and six-time Finke ‘King Of the Desert' Toby Price was quickest on Method Race Wheels Prologue Day, lapping the track in 4:38s in his new and unique Mitsubishi Triton TSCO Trophy Truck.

Josh Howells was runner up in the prologue in a Pro Buggy, with a time 3.8s slower than Price’s, with Beau Robinson rounding out the top three.

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Price was awarded $5000 from Method Race Wheels for setting the outright quickest prologue lap, while Toby Whateley scored $2500 for being the fastest SXS.

Jack Simpson set the pace on the bikes at 4:47.4s, 3.9s over the prologue ahead of 2019 race winner David Walsh.
Racing got underway on Sunday morning at 7:30am Alice Springs time for the 226km trip south, before all camp overnight and return up the same route on Monday.

It is expected to take the fastest vehicles around 90 minutes to reach Finke, while for many of the racers behind them, just getting there will be a win, regardless of the time.