Five-time King of the Desert, Toby Price (#295 KTM 500 EXC-F), has set the fastest lap time on the 8.3km Prologue track today putting him on course for a record-breaking sixth Tatts Finke Desert Race title.
The 2016 Dakar champion will attempt the Iron Man Finke Double at this year‰Ûªs event, aiming to make history by winning both car and bike categories.
Price edged out 2017 runner-up
Ivan Long (#2 Husqvarna FE 450) by just four tenths of a second, with both riders setting a remarkable sub-five minute lap of the track.
"That was a crazy close prologue for us, but I am stoked to come out on top," Price commented. "We caught some pretty crazy dust but surprisingly after two years since I last raced the bike out here I could still feel my way through those tricky sections.
"This is a huge step in the right direction for the iron man double and I'm looking forward to a massive day tomorrow." Price added after also running near the top of the time sheets in the truck division where he will start from 4th position.
Crowd-favourite
Jacob Smith (#298 Honda CRF480R) came in third in his tenth Finke campaign with Alice Springs local
Luke Hayes (#3 KTM 500 EXC-F) just 1.9 seconds behind him in fourth position.
Sam Davie (#5 Husqvarna FE 501) prologued in fifth position followed by fellow-Victorian
Nathan Trigg (#6 Sherco 450 SEF) in sixth place, while South Australians
Kent Collins (#4 KTM 500 EXC-F) and
Danny Leane (#13 Husqvarna FE 450) finished in seventh and eighth respectively.
Four-time Finke winner
Ben Grabham (#698 Beta RR 480) was a surprise inclusion in the top ten, setting the ninth fastest time. The Bathurst local is back to compete in this year‰Ûªs event after a three year hiatus.
Victoria‰Ûªs
Callum Norton (#X98 Honda CRF 450R) rounded out the top ten with a lap time of 5 minutes, 14.6 seconds.
Local favourite
David Walsh (#299 KTM 500 EXC-F) had a disappointing run, prologuing in 28th position ahead of tomorrow‰Ûªs highly-anticipated 2018 edition of the iconic event.
AFL legend and regular Tatts Finke Desert Race competitor
Tony 'Plugger' Lockett (#894 KTM 500 EXC-F) prologued in 397th position out of the 583 bikes that started yesterday.
The lights will go out for leg one of the bikes event at the 2018 Tatts Finke Desert Race at 11.45am today. The field will travel 226km to Finke before returning on Monday to crown the 2018 King of the Desert.
Full results for the bikes Prologue can be found
HERE.
2018 Tatts Finke Desert Race - Prologue
Pos Competitor Bike Time Gap To Leader
1 PRICE, TOBY - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:04:58.0
2 LONG, IVAN - HUSQVARNA FE 450 00:04:58.4 + 00:00:00.4
3 SMITH, JACOB - HONDA CRF480R 00:05:00.1 + 00:00:02.1
4 HAYES, LUKE - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:05.4 + 00:00:07.4
5 DAVIE, SAM - HUSQVARNA FE 501 00:05:07.3 + 00:00:09.3
6 TRIGG, NATHAN - SHERCO 450 SEF 00:05:11.2 + 00:00:13.2
7 COLLINS, KENT - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:13.0 + 00:00:15.0
8 LEANE, DANNY - HUSQVARNA FE 450 00:05:14.3 + 00:00:16.3
9 GRABHAM, BEN - BETA RR 480 00:05:14.4 + 00:00:16.4
10 NORTON, CALLUM - HONDA CRF450R 00:05:14.6 + 00:00:16.6
11 GROVE, MARK - HONDA CRF250R 00:05:15.4 + 00:00:17.4
12 WATERS, BRODIE - HONDA CRF450 00:05:16.6 + 00:00:18.6
13 BELL, NATHAN - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:19.2 + 00:00:21.2
14 SUMMERS, LACHLAN - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:20.0 + 00:00:22.0
15 SIMPSON, JACK - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:23.1 + 00:00:25.1
16 AURICHT, CALEB - HONDA CRF250 00:05:23.3 + 00:00:25.3
17 ANDREWS, JERAKYE - YAMAHA YZ250F 00:05:23.9 + 00:00:25.9
18 MCCARTHY, JAMES - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:24.5 + 00:00:26.5
19 BANKS, DANIEL - KTM 450 EXC-F 00:05:30.6 + 00:00:32.6
20 DARGEL, BEAU - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:31.0 + 00:00:33.0
21 GELLY, ANGUS - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:32.9 + 00:00:34.9
22 GIBSON, EDWARD - YAMAHA YZ450F 00:05:33.6 + 00:00:35.6
23 TILBROOK, JOSH - HUSQVARNA FE 501 00:05:33.7 + 00:00:35.7
24 IRELAND, RICK - KTM 450 SX-F 00:05:35.4 + 00:00:37.4
25 HEENAN, JAMES - HONDA CRF450 00:05:35.7 + 00:00:37.7
26 ATKINSON, JORDAN - KTM 450 EXC-F 00:05:39.6 + 00:00:41.6
27 WOOLMAN, LLOYD - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:40.9 + 00:00:42.9
28 WALSH, DAVID - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:42.2 + 00:00:44.2
29 OUTRAM, BLAIR - YAMAHA YZ450F 00:05:43.5 + 00:00:45.5
30 KIENHUIS, BRANDON - HUSQVARNA FE 501 00:05:43.8 + 00:00:45.8
31 CARMICHAEL, CRAIG - HONDA CR500 00:05:43.8 + 00:00:45.8
32 CARROLL, BRETT - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:45.2 + 00:00:47.2
33 PERKINS, SAM - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:45.4 + 00:00:47.4
34 CRANE, BRODIE - HUSQVARNA FE 450 00:05:45.5 + 00:00:47.5
35 HANLAN, ANTHONY - HUSQVARNA FE 501 00:05:45.6 + 00:00:47.6
36 ARMSTEAD, ROBBIE - KTM 450 SX-F 00:05:45.7 + 00:00:47.7
37 FERRIS, LEEON - YAMAHA YZ450F 00:05:47.2 + 00:00:49.2
38 SCOBLE, RUSSELL - KTM 450 SX-F 00:05:47.3 + 00:00:49.3
39 COSSENS, RYAN - HONDA CRF250 00:05:49.1 + 00:00:51.1
40 MAYER, PETER - HONDA CRF450RX 00:05:49.9 + 00:00:51.9
41 DOONAN, ADAM - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:50.4 + 00:00:52.4
42 JONES, STEVEN - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:50.6 + 00:00:52.6
43 CHRISTIE, TODD - KTM 450 00:05:50.8 + 00:00:52.8
44 HEBBERMAN, CALLAM - HONDA CRF450 00:05:51.1 + 00:00:53.1
45 VAN VLIET, JAKE - YAMAHA YFZ450R 00:05:51.1 + 00:00:53.1
46 HANDLEY, SAMUEL - KTM 300 EXC 00:05:51.7 + 00:00:53.7
47 AXSENTIEFF, PETER - HUSQVARNA FX 450 00:05:54.0 + 00:00:56.0
48 MCKELLAR, MICHAEL - KTM 500 EXC-F 00:05:54.6 + 00:00:56.6
49 GODDE, NIC - YAMAHA YZ450FX 00:05:55.4 + 00:00:57.4
50 SIMPSON, KYLE - HUSQVARNA TE 250 00:05:55.7 + 00:00:57.7
