Washougal, WA (6/11/2009)
- Team MXN Can-Am Press Releases Australia’s
toughest off-road race, The Finke desert race
has been run for another year.With what seemed
to be in excess of the population of Alice Springs
watching the entire
weekend of racing, MXN Can Am rider Michael
Roycroft was anxious to get his first taste
ofthe Northern Territory dust.
Prologue (Race Day 1)
|
Michael
was able to qualify 12 in the ATV class |
Racing started on Saturday with the prologue stage,
which determined Sunday’s race position.
Over 50 ATV’s lined up for Class 9 action.
With past Finke winners Paul Smith and Rick Beer
racing with the Can Am X Team, Mick was given
some great tips on how to finish the race in one
piece. Michael managed to qualify 12 in the ATV
class, which gave him a reasonable position for
Sunday’s first leg to Finke, the prologue
time did not count toward the race time. On the
Saturday night Michael said he was pleased to
start somewhere in the top 100 overall for Sundays
event against the faster more nimble two wheelers.
Sunday (Race Day 2)
|
With
2 fuel stops along the say, Mick was able
to make his way to 6th position |
Sundays’ leg of 240km from Alice to Finke
(Apratula), was going to be tough, starting on
the line with 7 other two-wheelers, it was a sprint
to the front to make sure he was not going to
get filled in with dust. The two fuel stops at
the 80km and 150km marks were Michaels chance
to catch a breather even though they only lasted
15 seconds. Michael was gaining positions all
the way up to Finke passing Can Ams Rick Beer
along the way and a race favourite Cameron Wade
to be in 6th position overall by the end of the
day, with a total time of 2hrs 57min.
Michael said at the end of the day, “it
was relatively easy out there today, nothing
I didn’t expect but I am feeling good
and cannot wait to race back to Alice. The bike
is working well and everything is going to plan”.
Monday (Race Day 3)
|
MXN
Can-Am's Michael Roycroft was able to
work his way
to 3rd overall |
Mondays’ leg kicked off at 12pm with all
Quads and bikes leaving on the grid in 1 min intervals
based on yesterdays overall time. Michael left
in 6th place in the Quads and was seeded on the
Grid with 7th place Brett Clissold and five other
two wheelers. Dust and Whoops were going to be
a major problem today with over 600 competitors
on bikes and Buggies chopping up the track on
Sunday’s leg. Michael was travelling well
and managed to pass 5th place James Creber 15km
into the leg, he also moved into 4th place when
he passed last year’s winner and X team
member Paul Smith on the whoops at the 130km mark.
Little did Michael know that this had actually
moved him into second spot as Team KTM rider Chris
Brenton and Team Polaris rider Aaron Ovens who
were running in first place and 2nd place respectively
after day one had both suffered electrical problems
with their machines. At the 140km mark, Michael
was feeling good and battling it out with Paul
until the dust of his X team member’s machine
became too much for him to handle. Paul had taken
off and Michael had to put his head down to chase
him down to the finish. The rest of the race was
long and drawn out and at one point the “Km’s
didn’t seem to count down” Michael
said after the race. After finishing Michael thought
he was in 5th place overall, but after only seeing
Luke Beechey and Paul Smith on the line he was
quickly told he was in 3rd place overall.
Mick said after the race “ I am stocked
to be on the podium as this is my first Finke
and I could not have asked for anything better,
all I wanted was to finish in the top 10 but
I will take this result anyway. The bike worked
awesome, the X team gave me all the support
I needed this weekend to get here, with the
fuel stops, the transport and the bikes. I would
like to thank Mick Andrewartha, the 3 Tors club
for the fuel, my mechanic Thomas for building
such an insane bike and all my sponsors for
2009.
2009
Tattersall's Finke Desert Race - 6/8/2009 |
Competitor |
Day 1 Score |
Day 2 Score |
Overall |
Rank |
Luke Beechey |
2:48:04.20 |
2:45:05.00 |
5:33:09.20 |
1 |
Paul Smith |
2:53:15.30 |
2:55:12.00 |
5:48:27.30 |
2 |
Michael Roycroft |
2:57:31.50 |
2:54:19.00 |
5:51:50.50 |
3 |
Brett Clissold |
2:57:56.10 |
2:55:50.00 |
5:53:46.10 |
4 |
Wade Cameron |
3:03:44.40 |
2:51:12.00 |
5:54:56.40 |
5 |
Ben Hall |
2:58:02.80 |
2:58:50.00 |
5:56:52.80 |
6 |
Team MXN next race is this weekend at the first
round of the NSW club MX series at Barleigh
Ranch MX track. Check out all the up to date
news and race results at http://www.47industries.com/09roycroft.htm
Or contact them at mxn@onthenet.com.au
Team MXN Can Am
would like to thank the following sponsors for
there support for 2009.
MXN, Can Am, CRBMetal designs, Hardiman ATV,
Lonestar A-Arms, Fox racing shocks, Austraco,
Motoworks Pipes, ITP tyres, Fury rims, Big M
Edge milk, Quad squad, Flexx Bars, Pro Grip
Goggles, Acerbis, Mother Energy Drink, Coolabah
Tree Café, 47 industries, Can Am Newcastle,
Nestle Peters Drumstick, Instalair, Tubby Signs
and Graphics, CRC sprays and lubricants and
Car Cube