SUPERCARS STAR TO EXPERIENCE FINKE

Multiple Supercars champion and seven-time Bathurst winner Craig Lowndes will this weekend experience the Finke Desert Rally on its return after a year hiatus.

Cancelled due to the impacts of the worldwide pandemic last year, Finke makes a return with Lowndes participating in the event prologue in what will be his first time at the race.

Two-time Dakar and six-time Finke Desert Race winner in the Bikes category Toby Price will instead solely focus on the Car class, which has eluded him so far after two previous attempts.

In 2018, he was a winner on his bike, but failed to finish in the car and the following year luck deserted him through a mechanical fault after leading through prologue and the opening day.

Price will be navigated by Triple Eight Race Engineering Supercars team manager Mark Dutton.

Lowndes has contested and is a previous winner of the Australasian Safari, but is eager to experience the Finke for the first time and hinted he could compete against Price in the future.

“I can’t wait to head up to Alice Springs and receive the full experience of the Tatts Finke Desert Race,” Lowndes said.

“With the likes of two-time Dakar champion Toby Price and seasoned veteran David Walsh returning, it will once again be a high-quality race in both the two and four-wheel categories.

“I am excited to jump into the driver’s seat and do a hot lap, Finke has always been an event that is earmarked in my racing calendar and I’m stoked to be a part of it this year.”

Price and Dutton’s main rivals are expected to be 2019 runners up Josh Howells and Erin Hume. The reigning victors Josh Rhodes and David Pullino will not take part in this weekend’s event.

The Bike category is expected to be hard fought as the top five from 2019 will all return led by reigning winner David Walsh, who broke through after multiple podium finishers in the past.

Jacob Smith, Beau Ralston, Jack Simpson and Callum Norton will provide strong competition.

Reigning Australian Rally Championship victor and current point’s leader Harry Bates will also join Lowndes in completing the prologue, further providing intrigue to the event Finke Desert Race committee president Antony Yoffa declared.

“It is great to have Motorsport legend Craig Lowndes attend this year, with fans getting the chance to meet him at Thursday’s signing session and across the weekend,” Yoffa said.

“We can’t wait to see how both Craig and Harry fare on the Prologue track before the competition gets underway on Saturday for Method Wheels Prologue Day.”

Scrutineering starts on Friday before the action kicks off with prologue on Saturday ahead of two days of racing concluding on Queen’s Birthday Monday.

Victorian competitors will not contest the event, albeit a large number of entries on the waitlist have taken up the opportunity.

“The Finke Desert Race Committee is disheartened to hear about the current COVID-19 situation in Victoria,” said a statement provided to AUTO ACTION. “In light of this news, the Committee has extended the date of refunds (minus admin fee) through to Wednesday 9th June 2021 for any competitors who are impacted.

“The event will be going ahead as planned, however unfortunately without a number of our Finke Family from Victoria. We are working closely with the Northern Territory Chief Health Officer to ensure that the event operates in a COVID Safe way.

“We look forward to welcoming spectators, officials and competitors this June long weekend to Alice Springs for the highly anticipated 2021 Tatts Finke Desert Race.”

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