Pre-Finke with Team Toyo’s Desert Royalty
As scrutineering commences this afternoon in Alice Springs, a record breaking field of competitors at the Finke is prepping for what may be the biggest ever off-road race in Australia.
Among 145 car teams are three former Kings of the Desert: Brad Gallard, Greg Gartner and Hayden Bentley. These are blokes who know exactly what it takes to win this race.
Toyo caught up with 2011 King of the Desert and the first man to take the Finke down in a trophy truck, Greg Gartner, on his way walk the prologue track.
“Every year we see the bar in this race and in off-road racing in Australia lifted. It isn’t stopping and we all need to look for more power and more suspension to try and find an edge.”
As always, heavy dust will make a leading position vital.
“We pre-ran the whole track yesterday; it’s quite dry and very, very dusty,” said Greg. “The whole Finke track really needs an inch of rain but that’s not going to happen.
“Prologue is going to be very important. The dust factor in the dry and having so many good competitors means it’s going to be a challenge to get in the top five. We will have to push hard.”
As for strategy, Greg is giving no quarter.
“When we won it in 2011 we took a conservative approach on the way down and we had a crack coming home and backed off in the lead.
“This year we will be 100 per cent having a crack. We won’t take a conservative line of attack this year to get to where we need to be – first place.”
Greg will attack the dirt with the 37-inch Toyo Open Country M/T-R.
“The tyres are the most important things on the truck; one flat tyre means your race is over.
“We have been running Toyos at Finke for over five years, and we have never had a flat. We hope we can get the Toyo Tires name and the #410 truck over the line and on the podium.”
Brad Gallard was the second man ever to win Finke in a trophy truck, grabbing the King of the Desert crown in 2012. Driving the monster PKMS trophy truck, Brad is here for one reason.
“Our preparation is going fantastic. I couldn’t ask for better, with both trucks. The Kittle truck is running perfectly and the Geiser truck is too.”
Brad’s regular navigator Scott Modistach has stepped up to steer Brad’s regular Geiser Bros truck, with Kyle Pfitzner – owner of the most recognised haircut in the AORC – stepping in to nav for Brad.
After extensive testing, Brad is comfortable and confident in the PKMS Jimco.
“We have been doing in a bit of track sighting and testing the car, and a lot of work double and triple checking everything. The track is rough, which is good. We are absolutely 100 per cent ready to go.”
It’s Brad’s 10th Finke and his fifth year on Toyos.
“I’m biased, but I would say that the track this year is definitely favouring the trophy trucks,” he said.
“The 39 inch Toyo’s are the only tyre that can put the power of the thing to the ground,” he said. “Since I have been on Toyo, the tyres have been the least of any of my worries. In a lot of cases the tyreshave done a better job than I have.”
The PKMS team plans to take Finke one day at a time.
“We’ve got to put ourselves in the right position. We will play the cards we have been dealt but we will be charging hard.
“We have a day by day strategy and will try to get the best result every single day. That said, I only know how to race one way: it will be game on the whole time.”
Hayden Bentley is a two-time Desert King.
2015 will be Hayden’s first time at Finke in a trophy truck, but with seat-time in the brand new power-package at the Mint 400 in the US and plenty of testing time at his home track in Baroota, Hayden is playing for keeps against a buzzing Alice Springs backdrop.
“Our prep has been second to none; the whole team has worked tirelessly.
“There are hundreds making camp down track. The whole town is abuzz for the 40th Finke.
“At the end of the day one lucky person will win. The best guys in Australia are here, and we all want it badly. Realistically there 20 cars that can win it and I think we have one of them.
“It’s going to be incredibly dusty and qualifying will be critical. It’s an extraordinarily competitive field. Qualifying is flat and fast; we will do the best we can with the time we’ve had in the seat.”
Off-road racing attracts a fraternity that gathers around campfires without allegiance, but when the flag drops, friendships stop.
“When the hammer goes down the horns come out. It’s kill or be killed once it’s race time,” Hayden said.
“We will qualify as high as possible. Finke is a sprint, and there so many good, quick cars that you have to give it everything. No nursing it to get to the finish line. We will go as hard as we can, safely, and get to Finke and reassess.
“No one will be holding back this year. Both times we’ve won it we have led at the halfway mark. We have to do our best to get as close as we can to the start of the field.
“It’s a big ask but someone has to win it,” he said.
Hayden’s #418 trophy truck combines the best of everything, and he intends to push hard.
“We used the Toyos at the Mint 400 and we are very happy with the way they make the holes smaller and give you better grip on the ground. I am very happy with the package: Racer Engineering truck, Toyota PH9 engine and Toyo tyres.
“The whole vehicle is only as strong as its weakest point … you need a bit of lady luck and we will see what we can do. There’s only one thing I want; I don’t see any point in coming fifth.”
Check in on the Toyo blog regularly for updates on Team Toyo and the 40th anniversary of the Finke Desert Race.
