After a career-threatening crash just nine months ago, KTM Enduro Racing Team’s Toby Price had his first competitive hit-out at the first round of the new KTM Enduro-X Nationals in Brisbane on the weekend.

While a third place finish mightn’t be the result he’s normally used to, the 26-year-old was stoked to just be back out on the bike again at a national level. MotoOnline.com.au caught up with Price to find out how it felt to return to racing.

Image: Fourohfour.

Toby, you’re back in the groove again now with your first race under the belt. How did it feel to be back racing?

To be honest it felt a little weird pulling on the gear and getting ready to race instead of being on the sidelines. Everyone was so supportive, but I definitely knew I’d been off the bike for nine months. I was lagging behind and I need to make up a bit of ground on Chris Hollis and Daniel Milner. It won’t come straight away, but we’ll keep chipping away and hopefully pick up some race wins soon.

It’s been a lengthy layoff for you. How did you stay motivated and what drove you to return?

Pretty much, I’ve wanted to race again since the day I got hurt. It’s the only thing I know and can do, really. There was a moment where I asked if it was worth coming back after such a serious injury, but decided it was just another hurdle that I needed to cross and keep going.

The doctors have been really surprised at my recovery and the amount of movement in my neck, which is almost back to normal now. I’m ahead of schedule, and I’ve had longer injury layoffs with a broken wrist and leg. This one almost ended me, but I’m back, I have a good mindset and I’m determined to win races again.

The KTM Enduro-X Nationals is a new series for this year, and the Brisbane round was the first round. What did you think of it all?

I reckon the organisers, Colin and Dave Robbins, did an awesome job. It was something different, but it was great for spectators, and was basically our version of a supercross race. I hope it grows bigger and becomes another championship of, say, eight rounds, for us to race. Fingers crossed it gets the support and sponsors they need.

It was a big task for the organisers, who are based in Victoria. Apparently they had to ship the logs up from Victoria as they couldn’t find any in Brisbane that were up to their standard, so logistically, it would’ve been difficult to run.

Sydney will be bigger and better, and then, by the final round in Victoria, hopefully word will spread about this great series and we’ll see big crowds and rider entries.

Image: Adam Riemann.

And how did you go in the races? We heard you were on the gas early on.

Yeah, I won the first heat and felt really good, but in the second heat I lost the front-end and slipped off while I was behind Hollis. I still finished second that heat, then went out and won the top 10 shootout. Everything was looking good, but in the three finals I bobbled and had to work through the pack and finished third overall.

I know my speed is good, but there are a few things I need to work on before the next round. Enduro-X is a bit different, where you don’t have to be the fastest, but you need to be the most consistent and eliminate your mistakes… and there are plenty of opportunities to make them!

True that! So what are your plans for the rest of the year?

Man, it’s going to be busy. There’s the three-round Enduro-X Nationals, then the three-round Tri-Desert Race in WA, 12 rounds of the Australian Off-Road Championship, Finke, Hattah, The Australian Four-Day, the ISDE and hopefully I’ll squeeze in Baja in November. If I can get through everything fit and healthy it’ll be a good year.

Speaking of Baja, you were over there last year when your teammate Kurt Caselli passed away. That must’ve been a really tough time.

Yeah, that hit home hard. That guy was unreal. Kurt was a good mate of mine and I owe him a lot. He helped open the doors for me to race in the US, and to lose him was a massive shock to the system, but I know he’s up there looking over us now.

I’d only just got back on a bike, so I was at Baja in a more support-type role, and to hang with the US guys. We did some testing to see where I was at, with the intent of considering me for a fulltime deal on the Bonanza Plumbing/FMF/KTM team in 2015. They were happy with where I was at, so fingers crossed it all works out.

Nice, mate. Well it looks like you’re well down the path of returning to the top of your game. Have a great week and no doubt we’ll be talking again soon.

Thanks mate.