A record field of 676 motorcycle riders will contest the 50th anniversary Tatts Finke Desert Race from June 6-8, with the 460km return run from Alice Springs to Aputula set to crown the latest King of the Desert.
The event has grown from humble “there and back” origins in 1976, when Northern Territorian Geoff Curtis won aboard a Yamaha 250, into the biggest standalone event on the Australian off-road motorsport calendar. The 2026 edition will honour the original 56 pioneers from that first running.
The 676 riders will compete across nine separate classes, with outright honours expected to be decided in the big-bore four-stroke categories. Nine of last year’s outright top 10 return in 2026.
David Walsh leads the Honda contingent after reversing his end-of-2024 retirement to rejoin a renewed factory offensive alongside defending champion Corey Hammond and Brodie Waters.
Walsh won five consecutive titles between 2019 and 2024, with the event not held in 2020, and still holds the moto race record of three hours, 35 minutes and 45 seconds set in 2022. He is chasing a sixth Finke crown.
Hammond, from Windsor Downs in NSW, would join Toby Price, Ben Grabham and Honda CR500 icon Randall Gregory as a back-to-back winner if he defends his title.
Callum Norton lines up on the new Ducati Desmo450 MX after two runner-up finishes that mark him as Walsh’s closest rival on outright pace. Campbell Hall and Waters completed the 2025 podium and are again expected to feature, alongside Mitchell Outram and Kodi Stephens on KTM machinery.
Several class champions return to defend their titles, including Waters in the 251-450cc four-stroke class, James Heenan in the 35-44 years category aboard a Sherco, Kenneth Hicks in the 45-54 years class on a Honda, and Madison Healey in the Women’s class on a KTM. The remaining classes cover up to 251cc and above two-stroke, 451cc and above four-stroke, 250cc two-stroke, 250cc four-stroke and Veterans for riders 55 years and over.
A junior demonstration will be introduced for 2026, giving young riders the chance to experience desert riding on the prologue track.
The prologue runs on Saturday, June 6, setting the starting order for the run to Finke on Sunday, before the field reverses the route on Monday. A full week of celebrations surrounds the event, including a 50th Finke celebration dinner and a Finke street party and night markets on June 4.
Editorial Director at infomoto.com.au. Loves Rally bikes.
