C Y C L E N E W S • JULY 5, 2006
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Online poll results from last week
A week after teaming up with Mike Childress and finishing second in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500,
American Honda's Steve Hengeveld soloed to first in class and 10th overall at the 31st Annual Tatter-
sall's Finke desert race in Australia. The 300-mile down-and-back, two-day race is the biggest event of
the year for the locals of Alice Springs, located smack dab in the middle of Australia in the Northern
Territory state. Hengeveld rode his Red Bull/Desert Edge/Honda of Australia XR650R to 10th overall
and first in class. Eight riders who finished in front of him were on 450s, including 19-year-old winner
Ryan Branford; runner-up Brad Williscroft rode a KTM 525 EXC.
"The course is pretty much 150 miles of whoops," Hengeveld said, "I started out 24th, but the dust
was coming straight down the course all day."
He would enter Finke - the halfway point - in 14th. The following day, competitors raced back to
Alice Springs. Hengeveld picked off four more on the second day.
"They have a 40-mile section that reminds me of San Felipe - all chest-deep whoops," he said.
Hengeveld plans to return next year and ride a Honda CRF450X.
The Finke's perpetual trophy also made news this year. In 1996 American Dan Ashcraft won the
Finke and took the trophy home to the United States It remained missing until now. Michael Vroom of
Desert Edge Motorcycles, the 2001 Finke winner, asked Jerry Bernardo - who accompanied Hengeveld
and Tim Gomez on the trip - if he could find Ashcraft and reclaim the trophy. After a bit of searching
the trophy made its way into Bernardo's hands. He had it updated at a local engraving shop and
returned it to the race organizers, who were thrilled to have it back.
HENGEVELD vs. FINKE
Defending Champion John Kocinski
(1) leads Jimmy Filice en route to
winning the 1988 250cc GP race at
Loudon.
Johnny K.
Does Loudon
Now that Honda and Ducati showed competitiveness with Suzuki at Miller
Motorsports Park, do you think the trend will continue and they will win again?
Yes 1237 (56.18%) No 965 (43.82%)
With his current lead of 42 points, do you think Nicky Hayden can hold
on and become the first American MotoGP World Champion since Kenny
Roberts Jr. in 2000?
A. Yes B. No
