Disclaimer

Note the information below is for background information. As a competitor you MUST read the Supplementary Regulations for the race for specific details relating to your event and class.

Official Reconnaissance - Two Sundays before Event

Due to the race track being a public road pre-running the course is only allowed to be completed on a road registered bike or car. The club has two organised reconnaissances on the two Sundays before race weekend. These days allow competitors with unregistered vehicles to ride from Bundooma to Finke and back to Bundooma in a controlled situation with Ambulance services. A permit must be obtained from the Alice Springs Motor Vehicle Registry for around $40. A separate permit must be obtained for each reconnaissance. You are required to hold a current driver’s/rider’s licence from your respected state. Permit applications are available from the Alice Springs MVR or the Finke website in early May. To apply for a permit you MUST hold a road licence appropriate to operate the vehicle you are wanted to get the permit for – e.g. if you are wanting a permit to use your Honda CRF450R you will need to hold a current road motorcycle licence for 450cc.

Registration Week - Monday to Thursday before Event

Your first ‘official’ duty as a Finke competitor when you arrive in town for the race is to register. You must produce written proof of 100% Ambulance Cover and show your current CAMS/MA licence. If you’re under the age of 18 years of age (according to your birth certificate, not how old you think you are!) your Mum/Dad or legal guardian must also sign you in. The registration centre venue will be in your supplementary regulations and is open from 10am to 5pm each day. If you are competing in a car and have pit crew requiring passes, they must also sign in so bring them with you to sign on - YOUR PIT CREW MUST ALSO PRODUCE PROOF OF 100% AMBULANCE COVER.

Scrutineering - Friday

Scrutineering is held at the Blatherskite Park Showgrounds in Alice Springs from 5.00pm to 9.00pm. Your machine, competition licence, and competition clothing, including helmet, gloves etc. (car competitors must also bring their vehicle’s first aid kit) must be produced for a once over. If you are unable to make it to Scrutineering for one reason or another you can make alternative arrangements with the race officials. Any competitor who fails scrutineering must make a time for re-inspection with the Chief Scrutineer on the Saturday morning. Once your machine and gear have been inspected you must then position your machine in the correct class area where it will remain impounded and on display until they are released by Officials at 9pm. Prologue start times are also given out.

While scrutineering is going on, all bikes and cars are on display, the food and drink stalls are in operation, merchandise is on sale and there is usually a fireworks display. Approximately 3000 people attend scrutineering so the place is packed. After your ‘official’ competitor duties are done, it’s a great place to get a bite to eat, relax, catch up with mates and meet some new ones while you’re at it!

Prologue - Saturday

Prologue…your first taste of Finke racing. You must complete the 8.3km track in a race against the clock to determine your starting position for Race Day 1. The track is typical Red Centre terrain with long straights, tight corners and sandy creek beds. Don’t go out thinking you have to go flat chat, in the past the track has claimed it’s fair amount of unsuspecting victims including bike pre-race favourites. The cars can also take a battering with numerous rollovers and engine blow-ups! By going too hard in Prologue it could result in a Race Day 1 start time you might not be too happy with! So take it seriously and not stupidly.

Race Day 1 - Sunday

Race Day 1. You can feel the nerves just reading it! The day starts off with compulsory driver and rider briefings which are held usually an hour and a half to two hours before official start time at the Start/Finish line. You have to go to this! You must sign in and collect your start time before the briefing commences. NON-ATTENDANCE RESULTS IN A PENALTY.

Cars are first to tackle the 230km track with the first car getting underway usually at 7.30am. The first ten cars take of one at a time at one minute intervals. The rest of the field then start two at a time at one minute intervals.

Bikes follow later launching off 11.30am with the 10 fastest bikes (as determined by prologue) starting in rows of two bikes, at one-minute intervals. The remainder of the field will start in rows of up to ten bikes at one-minute intervals (depending on competitor numbers).

There is a time limit of 4 hours to complete the first 230km leg of the course. If you do not make it down to Finke with the 4 hour time limit – YOU ARE OUT OF THE RACE! You do not start day two as you are out of time. The Clerk of Course has the right to stop any competitor and prevent his/her continuation in the event if it is deemed impractical for that competitor to complete the course within the required time limit. Compassionate time will be allowed at the discretion of the Finke Clerk of Course.

You must pass through each of the 4 checkpoints situated along the track. As a general rule, you need to slow down when you reach a checkpoint to ensure your number and time are accurately recorded – you do not have to come to a complete halt, simply pass through at a slower speed not flat chat!

There are 3 designated fuel stops also dotted along the track. Your bike must not be running at the time of refuelling. Your crew must be at the fuel stops before 6am on Race Day 1 as the access road to the stops is closed and no-one is allowed through (the roads are closed from 6am – 6pm on both Sunday and Monday for the event). Once you get to Finke you must sign off to let officials know you’re alive and well and so we don’t send out a search party for you in the early hours of the morning. Any competitor who fails to complete the course must notify one of the Official Sweep Vehicles as soon as possible! Day One times are corrected and starting times for Race Day 2 are set accordingly.

Sunday evening is spent at Finke where a race camp is established about 2kms from the Aboriginal Community of Aputula. Some 1500 people -competitors, crew and spectators -camp overnight in the race camp. The Aputula Community is a dry community which means no alcohol is allowed. You may consume alcohol in the campgrounds only!

All competitors and their crew are fed dinner on Sunday night and breakfast on the Monday morning, this service is a BBQ so if you want something that isn’t cooked the traditional Australian way you’ll have to have it sent down to Finke with your crew or with the transport option.

Race Day 2 - Monday

Today you’ll do exactly what you did yesterday, but in reverse. You’ll follow the exact same track that you went down on, so it should make it that little bit easier as you now know what to expect. Cars are again the first to leave at 7.30am and bikes leave Finke from 11.30am, both on corrected time as calculated from day one’s journey. Competitors who finished 20 minutes or more after the leader will start in rows of two cars at one minute intervals and up to ten riders at a time, one minute apart, in order of their corrected day one times. Any competitor that misses their allocated start time will leave rear of field.

The return journey will be calculated at the finish to give a total elapsed time for the event. All competitors must sign off with an official at the Start/Finish Line in Alice Springs or if you do not make it, at the nearest checkpoint. Any competitor who fails to complete the course must notify one of the Official Sweep Vehicles as soon as possible! Otherwise we’ll be looking for you all night long while you’re having a good time at presentation – this may get you into some serious trouble with the officials looking for you!

Race day two also has the best thing about Finke…crossing the finish line! After two gruelling days of full on racing it gives you the best feeling that you’ve made it ‘there and back’ which is one of the most renowned achievements in Australian enduro and off road racing. If you don’t make it there and back, attempting the 470km track is something in itself and there’s always next year.

Presentation - Monday

Winners take all and stories are told. A night of laughter, sharing of good times and over-exaggerated hand and arm movements! The night kicks off around 8pm at the Alice Springs Convention Centre with class places awarded followed by outright bike and car places. There is food available for purchase and the night goes into the wee hours of the morning, so prepare for a big one! Presentation night is free for competitors and pit crew. Tickets are usually around $15 each.