Jack Simpson’s Husqvarna will start four seconds ahead of reigning bikes champion David Walsh at Finke ‘21

Defending champion David Walsh in the mix for back-to-back Finke bike crowns after recording the second fastest time in Saturday’s prologue

Victorian Jack Simpson goes high on his Husqvarna on his way to the fastest time in Saturday's prologue. Picture: Finke Desert Race

VICTORIAN Jack Simpson will have a four-second start on the rest of the field when the bikes make the 226km trek to Finke in stage one of the Tatts Finke Desert Race.

Simpson, a top-two finisher in the 2019 and ‘18 races on his Husqvarna, stormed around the 8.3km prologue track on Saturday to grab pole in the great race.

Simpson has finished in the top five at the last two Finke races, including a podium in 2018.

Hometown hero and defending King of the Desert Davids Walsh is poised to spring after recording the second fastest time on his powerful KTM 500.

The 2019 champion is chasing rare back-to-back bike crowns.

Only big names like six-time winner Toby Price, Ben Grabham, Stephen Greenfield, Phil Lovett and five-time winner Randall Gregory can claim that prestigious honour.

Gregory won five titles in a row from 1991-95 in a magnificent exhibition of off-road racing that has stood the test of time.

Walsh remains focused on the 46okm round trip on his 13th attempt at the race.

“It’s all about the trip down there tomorrow after he (Simpson) got me in the prologue,’’ Walsh said.

“That’s all good, the lap I did I knew wasn’t the cleanest I could have done.

“It’s just a bit nerve wracking going out as the first bike.’’

Kurri Kurri local Beau Ralston rounded out the top three in the prologue on another KTM to start from the same spot in Sunday’s starting sequence, mirroring his eventual 2019 podium third place finish.

Ralston edged out first-time Finke rider Liam Walsh, who crossed the line fourth quickest ahead of Beau Waters in fifth. Liam comes from a strong Finke Desert Race pedigree, he is the cousin of reigning champion and race veteran David Walsh.

Rising Star Callum Norton only missed the top five by a second, leading home Condobolin’s Jacob Smith in a race of the Husqvarnas.

Nicholas Waters, Jack Dooley McDonnell and Kyle Pfitzner round out the top 10 at the start line.

Geelong’s Danielle Foot on bike 399 is on track to win the Kay Wharton Fastest Female Category, finishing prologue 65th out of 584 entrants in the prologue..

Quad rider Luke Gaisford from Team 14 Industries took out the outright quad prologue winner, rewarded with a magnificent set of Methods Race Wheels for his efforts.

The bikes will begin the journey to Finke for the first leg from 11.30pm on Sunday.

The 2021 King of the Desert will be crowned when the bikes returning to Alice Springs on Monday.