By Brendan Rees
Battling the red dust of Northern Territory has paid off for Cranbourne’s Jack Simpson who scored a podium finish at Australia’s toughest off-road race.
It was a sweet solace for Jack who finished outright third in the Finke Desert Race held in Alice Springs on 8-11 June. This year is also his rookie year on the KTM 500.
“It was a very big race. It’s known all around the world I think as the fastest desert race, it was a pretty big achievement even to get third,” he said.
Before competing at the intense race, riders take on a prologue race to determine their start position on the day.
“I got 15th in the prologue due to a heap of dust on the way up put my head down and nailed it all the way to Finke.”
He finished fourth on Sunday 10 June and moved through the field in an impressive two hours, 12 minutes and 22.5 seconds on Monday 11 June.
“It wasn’t the easiest way up (to Finke) but coming home was pretty smooth sailing and once I got around third I backed off to 80 odd per cent and then cruised home.”
Sidelined due to injury in 2017, the 22-year old was thrilled to finish third in Australia’s toughest off-road race in his rookie year on the KTM 500.
It was also his second attempt at the gruelling race – his first was 2016 and he was sidelined last year after a serious injury prior to the event.
“Definitely an underdog for sure, no one knew had no idea what I was going to do, plus coming from 15th all the way back there to the podium position raised a fair few eyebrows,” Jack said.
Asked if the humidity was a challenging factor, he said: “I was up there two weeks before the race so I was definitely zoned in there and was used to the weather.”
