KTM’S TOBY PRICE MAKES IT FOUR VICTORIES AT THE TATTS FINKE DESERT RACE
New South Wales rider Toby Price on his #1 KTM 500EXC has taken victory in the 2015 Tatts Finke Desert race celebrating 40 years of the iconic event.
Price who has three previous Finke victories to his credit (2014, 2012, 2010) made this year’s event a perfect one having been fastest in prologue on Saturday, first into Finke last night, and taking the chequered flag today.
The victory wasn’t without its dramas however with Price riding with an injured ankle and also puncturing a tyre just prior to the last fuel stop today.
“It was by far my toughest victory. Riding injured on both the way down to Finke and on the way back wasn’t easy”, he said.
When asked whether he would be back to Finke to attempt to equal Randall Gregory’s record of five Finke wins, Price said depending on his racing schedule that includes international events he would ‘give it a go’ but suggested up and coming young riders would not make the task easy.
Price completed this year’s event in a total time of 3 hours 52 minutes and 54 seconds.
In second place was Finke first timer Tye Simmonds from Bourke in NSW on the #299 KTM 500 EXC.
He described the conditions as ‘tough, stupid and the craziest race he’d ever run’, but vowed he would be back.
The final place on the podium today was filled by Joshua Green from NSW on the #4 Yamaha YZF450.
Northern Territory favourite David Walsh on the #2 Honda CRF450R who was second at the overnight stop failed to finish today when he blew an engine 110 kilometres from the finish.
Full results on the event web site: www.finkedesertrace.com.au
Top 20 Outright Results:
1. TOBY PRICE, KTM 500EXC – 03:52:54
2. TYE SIMMONDS, KTM 500EXC – 03:59:29
3. JOSHUA GREEN, YAMAHA YZF450 – 04:04:18
4. JACOB SMITH, HONDA CRF450R – 04:07:15
5. JACK DOOLEY-MCDONNELL, OTHER 450 – 04:13:08
6. IVAN LONG, KTM 500EXC – 04:19:14
7. BEAU RALSTON, YAMAHA YZF450 – 04:19:39
8. LACHLAN SUMMERS, KTM 500EXC – 04:23:56
9. SAM DAVIE, HONDA CRF450 – 04:25:18
10. RYAN COSSENS, HONDA CRF450 – 04:30:47
11. NATHAN TRIGG, KTM KTM450SXF – 04:32:42
12. COLTON UDALL, HONDA CRF450X – 04:37:16
13. MARK SLADEK, HUSQVARNA – 04:44:29
14. KENNY ARMSTEAD, KTM SX-F 450CC – 04:45:19
15. MATT KEIPERT, HONDA CRF450 – 04:45:44
16. WILLIAM TURNER, HONDA CRF 450 – 04:46:05
17. RODNEY FAGGOTTER, YAMAHA YZ450F – 04:49:00
18. STEPHEN SUMMERS, KAWASAKI KXF 450 – 04:51:44
19. JAKE WATLING, KTM KTM500EXC – 04:52:20
20. MARK GROVE, HONDA CRF250 – 04:54:41
– PHOTOS BY DAMIEN ASHENHURST FOR DIRT ACTION MAGAZINE –
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