AORC FINKE BOUND FOR MIDWAY POINT OF 2023

After two exciting rounds, the premier Polaris Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship (AORC) round has arrived.

This year's Tatts Finke Desert Race will welcome a huge field of 131 crews, who will tackle the everchallenging Australian conditions from Alice Springs to the Aputula Community and back again in three days of gruelling action.

Sharing the event with more than 600 bikes, the weekend will undoubtedly serve up a mix of drama, thrills, spills, heartache and a King of the Desert.

But to make a call on who will claim the prestigious prize at this year’s event is just too close of a call.

Of course, reigning champion Toby Price will enter as the clear favourite behind the wheel of his Mitsubishi TSCO Trophy Truck and the Queenslander will be hoping to be making it three wins.

Standing in his way is a starstudded collection of talented drivers, all of whom are capable of winning the race.

Headlining that list is current AORC leader Travis Robinson and navigator Andrew Pinto.

Although Robinson has been away from the sport for a handful of years, he has enjoyed a remarkable lead up to this weekend with two outright AORC podiums thus far and very little issues.

However Price’s biggest rival from the 2022 race in Josh Howells will once again be there despite his pro buggy troubling him in the opening rounds this year – the New South Welshman will be itching to reclaim a top step having not won since St George last year.

Robinson and Howells lead a long list of pro buggy stars, including previous winners Shannon Rentsch and Mark Burrows, reigning AORC champion Ryan Taylor, and Aaron James, who will be hoping to go one better than his runner-up finish last year.

Rentsch, Burrows and James are just a few of the notable names who will be making their first AORC appearance for the year and contending for a Finke victory, with the likes of Greg Gartner, Beau Robinson, Andrew Mowles, Paul Weel, Brent Smoothy and David Fellows amongst those to offer a challenge.

From a SXS Pro standpoint, reigning champion James Cook and current points leader Glenn Brinkman headline a long list of crews hoping to take top spot in the class, however they will face some serious challengers from potetnail winners Jeff McNiven, Peter Carr and a handful of others.

The event kicks off on the morning of Saturday 10 June where crews will battle for the ever-important starting place in Method Race Wheels Prologue, before heading down to Finke on the Sunday and returning on the Monday.

However in the lead up to the great race, the town of Alice Springs will come alive with the highly anticipated Todd Mall Street Party on Thursday evening and the festivallike Scrutineering at the Start/ Finish line complex on Friday.

Spectators are welcome to attend the event, however attendees are required to follow all implemented safety measures, including always standing 30 metres away from the track and obeying spectator 'No Go' zones.

The Tatts Finke Desert Race serves as the third round of the 2023 AORC season and takes place in Alice Springs and Finke on 8-12 June.

The full entry list can be viewed on the Tatts Finke Desert Race's website

Get more information on the event at aorc.com.au