HSE Motorex KTM Desert Racing's Toby Price is the 2012 Finke favourite.

The Tatts Finke Desert race will take place this weekend on 8-11 June at Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

HSE Motorex KTM Desert Racing will feature a three-man assault on the Finke Desert Race, which takes place this weekend on 8-11 June at Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

With HSE Motorex KTM’s defending Finke champion Ben Grabham unfortunately sidelined through injury, this year’s team will consist of current Australian Off-Road Championship leader Toby Price alongside Matthew Fish and regular team manager Brad Williscroft.

Price won the Finke event in 2010 and enters this year’s race as the pre-race favourite, riding a 450 SX-F. With form on his side, the 24-year-old from Singleton in New South Wales in primed for the 2012 running.

“There’s no feeling like the Finke,” Price explained. “You get to go as fast as you want and nothing else really matters at that time – you just go for it! It’s a tough event, but hopefully I can keep this current form up and get another win for the HSE Motorex KTM Off Road Racing team.”

Fish was called in as a replacement rider for the factory KTM outfit this season on a 450 SX-F, and has so far enjoyed the additional support and preparation heading into this year’s event. Last year saw Fish claim eighth on a privateer KTM.

“For me there’s nothing like hitting a bump at 150km/h, getting a bit untidy and getting the heart rate up,” Fish said. “The HSE Motorex KTM team is a first class operation and I’m proud to be a part of it with Toby and Wonka. Hopefully it all goes to plan and I can gain a good result for them.”

Williscroft, who recently won the annual Kamfari Mud Race in the NT, will return once again for the Finke challenge, riding a third factory-supported 450 SX-F. Williscroft raced to sixth position one year ago, looking forward to another shot at Finke.

“It’s a hard race because you only get one shot at it every year,” Williscroft commented. “If something goes wrong you have to wait a full year to go at it again. I feel like our preparation has been really good and the team that we have is a strong one. It will also be great to have Ben [Grabham] on hand during the weekend with the team.”

Race Motorcycles-supported KTM riders Ryan Branford and Craig Carmichael will also feature as podium threats come race time. Alice Springs local Branford will pilot a 500 EXC, while Carmichael will be onboard a 450 SX-F.

Outright runner-up in the 2011 Finke Desert Race Jarrod Bewley will have his sights set on victory when the flag drops on the first leg of the 2012 event tomorrow.

Bewley, 24, of the Active8 Yamaha Yamalube Racing team, took the second podium spot on his Finke debut.

“Jarrod is more than capable of a podium,” team manager AJ Roberts said. “But it’s the type of race that you don’t know what the outcome is going to be. The track is very tough on rider and equipment. The competition is fierce.

“All we can do is run our best set up; get the bike as quick and reliable as possible and hope that little bit of luck goes our way. We would like to say a special thank you to Yamaha Australia and Chilldynamics for making our Finke adventure possible.”

Roberts will also be riding a YZ450F in the 450cc Class.

Now in its 37th year — 525 bikes and 85 car entries will hit the desert to see who is quickest from Alice Springs to Finke and back.

The all-important Prologue will take place tomorrow on Saturday, 9 June, before the official race gets underway on Sunday, 10 June, with a mammoth 220-kilometre trek from Alice Springs to Finke. Monday, 11 June, will see the race conclude with a reverse trip from Finke back to Alice Springs.