Spectator exclusion zones to be introduced at this year’s Finke Desert Race

Organisers have announced sweeping changes to the rules in place for spectators attending the Finke Desert Race, following a fatal crash at last year’s event.

SPECTATOR exclusions zones and a ban on trackside camping are among a host of sweeping changes to be introduced at this year’s Finke Desert Race.

The new safety measures come following a serious crash at last year’s event, which left one man dead and two others injured.

Sixty-year-old Nigel Harris, who had extended his holiday to photograph competitors at the event, died at the scene when he was struck by a vehicle that veered off the track last June.

Over its 45-year history, one of the event’s major drawcards has been the opportunity for spectators to get up close to the action anywhere along the 230km of track, which runs between Alice Springs and Finke.

Race president Antony Yoffa said a committee had decided on the changes following meetings with race organisers and MotorSport Australia.

For the first time, spectators will be banned from areas of the track considered “particularly dangerous”, while it will be recommended spectators remain at least 20m back from the track across its entire length.

For the first time, there will be spectator exclusion zones at this year’s Finke Desert Race. Photo: EMMA MURRAY

Mr Yoffa also said camping, cars and other “fixed structures” will not be permitted within 30m of the track.

He said this year’s event would look “very different”.

“We’re hoping that people will adhere to these new rules that we put in place,” he told ABC Alice Springs.

In another first, late last year event organisers introduced minimum driving and riding standards for competitors at the race, labelled Australia’s toughest off-road motorsport event.

The new vetting will require entrants to demonstrate they have competed in a previous Finke race or a similar event.

Mr Yoffa said the radical changes were important for the future of the event. “With much larger fields of competitors and a course that is increasingly more challenging, it is no longer viable for us to simply offer a starting place to whomever applies,” he said at the time. “It’s about making sure someone new to the event has a particular level of experience and confidence.”

As of Thursday, there were still about 70 spots open in the bike category. This year’s race will take place on June 9–13.

Finke champion in hospital after horror fall

SEVEN-TIME Finke Desert Race champion Toby Price has wound up in hospital after falling on his head, just over a month out from Australia’s toughest off-road motorsport event.

Taking to social media on Tuesday, Price shared a photo of himself in hospital sporting a neck brace, writing that his “neck don’t feel great”.

Thankfully, the 34-year-old said doctors had given him “the all clear” following scans, but complained his neck was still “pretty damn stiff”.

In a short video from his hospital bed, Price, appearing worse for wear, said he felt like “such a rookie”.

Price took to social media to tell his followers he had hurt his neck after landing on his head.

From his hospital bed, Price said he felt like ‘such a rookie’.

“I’m getting there, can’t complain,” he said, speaking to his mate and fellow racer Kellon Walch, who had accompanied the Finke champion to the hospital.

Following the results of the scan, Price said he would refrain from moving his neck for the time being, but told his followers he was “all good” as he held up the shaka hand gesture.

It remains unclear how Price landed on his head and how the setback could affect him in the lead up to big race.

The Finke Desert Race sees competitors navigate a notorious 229km dirt track through the Central Australian desert over two days.

Toby Price with the spoils after gaining pole position for the 226km trek to Finke in the 2021 race. Picture: Supplied.

In 2021, the 34-year-old made history by becoming the first person to win both the buggy and bike categories at the Finke

Price also set a record-breaking time of one hour and 39 minutes on the first leg of the buggy journey, smashing his own 2019 time by more than five minutes.

The 2021 event was overshadowed by a horror fatal crash in which one man died and two people were injured.

Price, who is a six-time winner of the bike category, had his hopes of victory dashed at the 2018 and 2019 events, after he led both races on Day 1 to then not finish.

In 2020, the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Tatts Finke Desert Race will this year run from June 9-13.

Originally published as Spectator exclusion zones to be introduced at this year’s Finke Desert Race