Preview: 2013 Finke Desert Race

For off-road motorcycle racers, the Queen’s Birthday long weekend is the highlight of the local calendar when the annual Finke Desert Race is held in the Northern Territory – a no holds barred 460km two-day return trip from Alice Springs to the remote Finke community where the top riders reach a ‘cruising’ speed of 170km/h.

KTM’s factory team has dominated the event in recent years, and in 2013 will attempt to win its fifth in a row with four-time winner Ben Grabham and Matt Fish linking up for a two-pronged assault on 450 SX-Fs.

Australia’s most decorated off-road racer, Grabham was seriously hurt after a 150km/h altercation with a mob of kangaroos in the Condobolin 750 early last year.

His incredible recovery culminated in an appearance in the world’s biggest off road event ---the Dakar Rally -- in January, 2013, where as a rookie the 31-year-old finished 15th in the 8000-kilometre, 14-day odyssey.

This time last year Grabham attended Finke in a brace, the then champion supporting KTM’s Toby Price in what proved a successful bid for Price to win his second Finke title.

An unfortunate and ironic twist of fate now sees the roles virtually reversed, with Grabham eying the prize and Price the injured champion there to show his support, after he suffered spinal fractures in the US in April.

“Finke is a huge week and a half. I’m from Bathurst and the closest I thing can relate it to is the 1000 (touring car classic),” said Grabham. “They’ll get 10,000 to scrutineering alone and there’ll be another 9000 people camping and spectating in the first 70km -- that’s how keen people are to see the 500 bikes and 120 of the fastest buggies you’ve ever seen.

“Physically I’m even stronger and fitter than before but once you’ve been snapped in two and welded back together you can get cautious in places. We’ll see. You never know what can happen when the light turns green.”

A massive field has again been assembled for the Finke, and on paper Grabham’s biggest opposition will be Alice Springs local David Walsh (Honda CRF450R) who was a clear second in 2012 behind Price, with Todd Smith (CRF450R) third.

Other well fancied riders include Jacob Smith (CRF450R), Fish, 2011 second place finisher Jarrod Bewley (Husaberg FE501), Peter Boyle (CRF450R), Ryan Branford (450 SX-F), AJ Roberts (Yamaha YZ450F), Mark Sladek (FE501) and Ryan Branford (450 SX-F).

The event commencers with a prologue in Alice Springs on Saturday before racing is held on Sunday and Monday, broken by an overnight stop in Finke.