Experienced drivers can assure you; anything can, will and does happen at The Finke.
The final Finke to Alice leg of Australia’s famous desert race is now complete. The 2014 King of the Desert title has been claimed by Shannon and Ian Rentsch, with this years victory marking the third time the Rentsch’s have worn the crown.
The Rentsch’s knocked nearly five minutes off 2013’s overall race time, but there is a lot more to this year’s Finke than those claiming the outright win.
The Finke Ironman
In an act of endurance that has stunned the field, Billy Geddes has crossed the Alice Springs finish line for the second time today. An ironman performance, Geddes hit the rutted track in anger four times in 48 hours, a feat never before seen.
Logging over ten hours of race time in two days, covering 904km’s of unforgiving track and 452km’s by helicopter, Geddes incredible feat is being lauded by spectator and competitor alike.
In the big truck, ‘Hellboy’ is seventh overall, and second in the X2WD class, recording a duo of furious sub two-hour runs. On the bike Geddes is 19th in the Masters class, out of 44 other riders, and 211th outright, in a wider field of 426.
“The truck performed awesomely, we had a pretty bad set back last night with a batch of contaminated fuel, but we got it going and it went well this morning” said an excitable Geddes.
Billy Geddes becomes Finke's first 'ironman' by finishing in both the car and bike categories of the same race.
“We had an incident around the 30 kilometre mark, but we ended up saving it and making seventh place”
“The tyres performed great. No flats, just angry as and flat out, really feeling good. We went through the whoops way faster on the 39 inch tyre”
Presumably exhausted, Geddes retorted that he still felt good, attributing his fitness regime prior to his success.
“When you get tired you sort of run down the middle of the track, but that’s where all the big whoops are, the core fitness we have done allowed me to keep the bike straight and finish strong”
Following Geddes’ incredible feat of endurance, we may be looking at a new kind of race in Finke. Will the double run be the new standard by which others are judged? Geddes’ is not planning on making a habit of doubling down.
“We’re just going to win it in the truck next year mate” joked Geddes.
“It’s one of those things, I mean next time to improve on it, you would have to try to win both classes, but I myself don’t need to do it again. I’m 37 years old and my time riding bikes is a long time ago, I’m just happy to have made it today”.
“I had a ball, it was awesome. A great experience!”
Kittle Motor Sport scores top ten position
Knocking three minutes off his time yesterday with a one hour, 56 minute run today, Andrew Kittle brought home eighth place overall, and sixth in his class.
“We had a pretty good run back. I can’t work out how we did that time with all the dust, the track was rougher today once the bikes had been over it, the roughest I have ever seen it” said Kittle.
“I went hard, and a lot harder over the rocky sections than I would have with the other tyres we used to run, the 35 inch Toyo’s helped get the car home safe and well inside the top ten”.
Kittle noted that this year’s Finke was definitely one of the biggest ever.
“It was certainly up there, there has been a lot of buzz around and the start line is the busiest I have ever seen it”.
Andrew Kittle races toward Alice Springs to claim eight place overall.
Garland praises all-terrain tyres
Fresh from a post-race massage after three and a half hours behind the wheel, Production 4WD class winner and 48th overall placegetter Bruce Garland agreed today’s terrain was especially unforgiving.
“The road was so bad, so rough. It was bad enough going down on Sunday, but it was cut up even more by the time we started”.
Despite the bumpy ride, Garland praised the Isuzu MU-X. “The car was fantastic. It’s really well balanced, the chassis is really good. We are really happy with it. It’s good everywhere – it took an absolute pounding”.
Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki took first place in the Production 4WD class.
“The new Toyo All Terrains were fantastic. They worked well in the dunes, under brakes, over rocks, whatever. They copped a hiding on the rocks but they have proved to be a brilliant all-round tyre.”
Happy for another successful Finke, but ready for a rest, Garland and navigator Harry Suzuki look forward to tonight’s festivities. “The plan is to get something to eat that doesn’t involve steak because we’ve been eating steak all week. Then a nanna nap, and then the party.” Remarked Garland.
A long weekend for Kittle and Gallard
Team Toyo suffered two unlikely DNF’s, with the Finke to Alice track taking no prisoners today.
Matthew Kittle was snared by an unfortunate brake failure, less than 200 metres into today’s race, with the rear brakes locking, leading to further issues.
“We tried to get off the track and in the process did some damage to the stall converter”.
“I only saw a little bit of the track, I am pretty frustrated at the moment, we will see how much damage is done, and go from there.” lamented Kittle.
After mechanical failures in 2013, expectations for Brad Gallard’s 2014 Finke campaign were high. Firing out of prologue with a clean run, Gallard met bad luck yesterday on the run to Finke, forced to replace power steering belts after hitting an outcrop.
Steering repaired, Gallard got back in the race, clawing back 8 positions. Finishing in 20th place yesterday, and determined to regain a top 10 position, Gallard’s Finke to Alice leg seemed cursed.
“We put the tyres to the test, we went through more scrub than we have ever seen before, we couldn’t even see in front of us. “ explained Gallard.
“We went sideways through a heap of trees, and caught a big stick, but nothing on the track was hurting them, it was driver error”.
“It wasn’t the ideal run. We were charging hard and it was going well. We had to change the flat, but we only lost four minutes” explained Gallard.
Making up for lost time, the truck hit the track again with every cylinder of the six-litre, race V8 singing. Bad luck however, was not done for the day.
“37 kilometres out from the finish line, the bottom of the front suspension ripped off. She just wouldn’t get any further, we had to winch her up on a trailer”.
It has been a long weekend for Team 454. The truck wears the dramatic scars of a tough weekend, but Gallard’s resolve is as strong as ever.
“The truck was handling well, everything was cruising along really nicely, pumping along hard, and unfortunately we took a couple of big hits which hurt”.
“It’s been a tough weekend, but that’s racing. We’ll come back with a vengeance for the next one. We’ll keep charging for the rest of the year”.
With the Toyo Tyres Riverland Enduro in Waikerie, SA less than a month away, Gallard will soon have his chance.
Brad Gallard's #454 trophy truck wears the scars of a tough weekend of racing.
FINKE 2014 OUTRIGHT RESULTS
1 #1 SHANNON RENTSCH 3:37:02
2 #91 JACK RHODES 3:42:29
3 #13 TRAVIS ROBINSON 3:43:38
4 #413 BEAU ROBINSON 3:50:18
5 #3 MATT HANSON 3:52:35
6 #7 PAUL GILBERT 3:54:37
7 #441 BILLY GEDDES 3:54:58
8 #14 ANDREW KITTLE 3:56:02
9 #21 MARK BURROWS 3:56:20
10 #57 AARON HABY 3:57:48
48 #750 BRUCE GARLAND 6:58:41
DNF #454 BRAD GALLARD
DNF #23 MATTHEW KITTLE
Go to the official Finke Desert Race website to view detailed results for every class.
