Maitland NSW rider Toby Price on his #299 KTM 500 EXC has been relentless in pursuing another victory on Day 1 of the bike competition at the 2014 Tatts Finke Desert Race.
The KTM star had a battle royal with David Walsh from Alice Springs riding the #X94 Honda CRF450, but steadily pulled ahead as the race progressed.
At the first checkpoint at Deep Well (68 kms from the start) the gap between the two was 14 seconds. At the second check point at Rodinga (98 kms from the start) the gap was 27 seconds in favour of Price, and at Bundooma (140 kms from the start) Price had extended the gap to 54 seconds.
By the Mount Squires check point (172 kms from the start) the gap was 1 minute and 16 seconds and at the overnight stop at Finke, Price‰Ûªs KTM was 2 minutes and 4 seconds ahead of the Honda of Walsh.
Price‰Ûªs total time for the trip was 1 hour 58 minutes 43 seconds. He is a two time Tatts Finke Desert Race winner (2010, 2012).
By comparison last year‰Ûªs (2013) leading Day 1 time was 2 hours and 23 seconds recorded by Todd Smith. Walsh placed second in the 2012 event and finished today‰Ûªs run in 2 hours and 47 seconds.
In third position in Finke today was Ivan Long from Tanunda in SA on #5 KTM 500 EXC in a time of 2 hours 1 minute and 35 seconds.
Josh Green #3 Yamaha YZ450F from NSW came in 4th with a time of 2 hours 2 minutes and 47 seconds followed by Daymon Stokie from Alice Springs on the #X97
Honda CRF450 (2 hours four minutes and 19 seconds).
Last year‰Ûªs winner Todd Smith from NSW on the #1 Honda CRF450R secured 6th spot today taking 2 hours 5 minutes and 44 seconds for the 226 kilometre journey.
Four time Finke winner Ben Grabham from Bathurst in NSW was seventh at the overnight stop with his #11 KTM 500 EXC in a time of 2 hours 7 minutes and 42
seconds.
After camping overnight the bike field will leave Finke tomorrow (Monday June 9) at (12 noon CST) for the run home to Alice Springs with the first bikes expected to arrive at approx. 1.50pm CST.
Day One Results Outright
1. PRICE, TOBY - KTM 500 EXC 01:58:43
2. WALSH, DAVID - HONDA CRF450 02:00:47
3. LONG, IVAN - KTM 500 EXC 02:01:35
4. GREEN, JOSH - YAMAHA YZ450F 02:02:47
5. STOKIE, DAYMON - HONDA CRF450 02:04:19
6. SMITH, TODD - HONDA CRF450R 02:05:44
7. GRABHAM, BEN - KTM 500 EXC 02:07:42
8. DOOLEY-MCDONNELL - HONDA CRF450 02:07:50
9. WALSH, MICHAEL - HONDA CRF 02:08:30
10. EWIN, JARED - KAWASAKI KX450 02:10:20
11. AURICHT, CALEB - HONDA CRF450R 02:11:30
12. SMITH, JACOB - HONDA CRF450R 02:12:20
13. CARTER, WAYDE - KTM 250 EXC 02:13:57
14. RALSTON, BEAU - YAMAHA YZF450 02:14:01
15. ARMSTEAD, KENNY - KTM 450 SX-F 02:16:06
16. SUMMERS, Lachlan - KAWASAKI KX450F 02:16:11
17. TURNER, WILLIAM - HONDA CRF 450 02:16:41
18. OBST, AARON - HONDA CRF450R 02:18:29
19. BRANFORD, RYAN - KTM SX-F 02:19:31
20. SUMMERS, Stephen - KAWASAKI KXF450 02:20:59
Top 3 By Class
451CC AND ABOVE FOUR STROKE
1. PRICE, TOBY - KTM 500 EXC 01:58:43
2. LONG, IVAN - KTM 500 EXC 02:01:35
3. GRABHAM, BEN - KTM 500 EXC 02:07:42
UP TO 250CC TWO STROKE
1. TRIGG, NATHAN - KTM 250 SX 02:21:16
2. CARTWRIGHT, BEN - OTHER YZ 250 02:39:36
3. FITZGERALD, GRAHAM - YAMAHA YZ 02:42:36
UP TO 250CC FOUR STROKE
1. CARTER, WAYDE - KTM 250 EXC 02:13:57
2. RYAN, MATT - HONDA CRF250 02:31:50
3. DUNN, BRADLEY - YAMAHA YZF250 02:36:01
251CC TO 450CC FOUR STROKE
1. WALSH, DAVID - HONDA CRF450 02:00:47
2. JOSH SOLDIERS - YAMAHA YZ450F 02:02:47
3. STOKIE, DAYMON - HONDA CRF450 02:04:19
MASTERS 35 TO 39 YEARS
1. FAGGOTTER, RODNEY - YAMAHA YZ450F 02:23:48
2. NICOL, ALAN - HONDA 450R 02:38:37
3. EDWARDS, SAMUEL - HONDA CRF450X 02:41:24
SENIORS 40 TO 44 YEARS
1. STAFFORD, JOEL - HUSABERG FE 02:37:59
2. HALL, RICK - HONDA CRF450 02:42:59
3. HARRISON, JAMIE - KTM 500EXC 02:46:08
VETERANS 45 YEARS AND OVER
1. GRIFFITHS, DARREN - KTM BLACK BETTY 02:48:50
2. PENGELLY, GAVAN - HONDA CRF450 02:49:04
3. BOURKE, DARREN - HONDA CRF450R 02:50:38
QUADS UP TO 40 YEARS
1. VAN VLIET, MITCHELL - VIC YAMAHA YZF450R 02:46:24
2. CLISSOLD, BRETT - SUZUKI LTR 03:09:43
3. BENNETT, HAYDEN - YAMAHA YFA450R 03:11:01
QUADS 40 YEARS AND OVER
1. BIRD, LINCOLN - KTM 300 EXC 02:40:56
2. BIRD, CONOR - KTM 300 EXC 02:43:52
3. BARBER, MARK - HONDA CR500 02:51:39
251CC AND ABOVE TWO STROKE
1. TATTINGHAM, EDDIE - KTM 525 XC 02:59:44
2. BEER, RICHARD - SUZUKI LTR 450 03:04:08
3. HARRIS, DALE - YAMAHA YFZ450R 03:11:49
