Daymon Stokie, the 2017 Finke Bikes winner who died in an accident earlier this year, will be honoured in this year’s running of the there-and-back classic.
Stokie won last year’s Tatts Finke Desert Race despite carrying a broken hand, making him the first Alice Springs rider to win the rally which runs between his home town and the remote Aboriginal community of Aputula (Finke) since 2006.
He lost his life after crashing during January’s Deep Well Enduro in Alice Springs at the age of 28.
After Saturday’s Cars prologue, Stokie’s step-father Matt Bell will ride a lap of honour on Stokie’s bike.
At 1215, the scheduled start of the Bikes prologue when Stokie would have started as reigning King of the Desert, the lights will go off as though he was doing so and a minute’s silence will be held.
The prologue will actually start at 1216 with Ivan Long.
A sticker depicting Stokie’s #1 plate will also be provided to all competitors.
According to organisers, “the idea (is) that they take Daymon ‘There and Back’ with them for Finke ’18.”
The 2018 running of the Finke officially commences with scrutineering on Friday.
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