Price reaches Finke in record time

Toby Price leads the Tatts Finke Desert Race after setting a record time in the outbound leg, to Aputula.

Starting first courtesy of victory in the prologue on the day prior, Price completed the 226km run from Alice Springs in 1:39:15.6s in the Red Bull Mitsubishi Triton trophy truck.

Together with navigator Mark Dutton, he averaged 136.6km/h, going almost five minutes faster than he had done when he set the pace in the corresponding leg two years ago.

Next-best were Josh Howells/Eric Hume, who lead the BFGoodrich Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship for which Finke counts as Round 2.

They made it to Aputula at 0:02:16.8s off the pace and lead the Pro Buggy class.

Third outright and second in the Extreme 2WD class belongs to Beau Robinson/Shane Hutt, who are only 18.1s back from Howells/Hume.

Aaron James and Peter Costello/Ben Brooks complete the outright top five, while Talbot Cox/Craig King are also within 10 minutes of Price in sixth position.

Prolite is led by Andrew Mowles in eighth outright, and the Extreme 4WD class by Hayden Bentley/Hannah Bentley in ninth outright.

John Towers/Bruce Young are the highest-profile retirement thus far, having been fourth-fastest in the prologue.

The latter cars are still making their way to Aputula, while the bikes contest is currently in full swing.

Both groups of competitors will make the return leg to Alice Springs tomorrow, the cars first from 07:15 local time/07:45 AEST.

Results: Leg 1 Top 10

Pos	Cls	Car	Driver/Co-Driver/Navigator	Vehicle	Time	Gap to leader	Int
1	X2WD	487	TOBY PRICE JOSEPH WEINING MARK DUTTON	6000 CHEV 360cc	01:39:15.6
2	PRO	15	JOSH HOWELLS ERIC HUME	JIMCO 3500TT NISSAN 3500cc	01:41:32.4	+ 00:02:16.8	+ 00:02:16.8
3	X2WD	413	BEAU ROBINSON SHANE HUTT	GEISER BROS TROPHY TRUCK CHEV 6000cc	01:41:50.5	+ 00:02:34.9	+ 00:00:18.1
4	PRO	93	AARON JAMES	ALUMICRAFT FORD 3500cc	01:46:06.6	+ 00:06:51.0	+ 00:04:16.1
5	PRO	23	PETER COSTELLO BEN BROOKS	JIMCO AUSSIE SPECIAL 3500 CC TOYOTA 3500cc	01:48:15.0	+ 00:08:59.4	+ 00:02:08.4
6	PRO	16	TALBOT COX CRAIG KING	RACER ENGINEERING TOYOTA 5600cc	01:48:36.8	+ 00:09:21.2	+ 00:00:21.8
7	X2WD	454	BRAD GALLARD DEAN KEYES SCOTT MODISTACH	GEISER BROS TROPHY TRUCK CHEV 6000CC CHEV 6000cc	01:49:27.9	+ 00:10:12.3	+ 00:00:51.1
8	PROLITE	135	ANDREW MOWLES TEEGAN MOWLES LEE BAUWENS	JAG RAZORBACK 2010 BMW 3.5cc	01:51:18.7	+ 00:12:03.1	+ 00:01:50.8
9	X4WD	818	HAYDEN BENTLEY HANNAH BENTLEY VIV COE	TROPHY TRUCK RACER ENGINEERING NISSAN 3. NISSAN 3.5cc	01:51:30.2	+ 00:12:14.6	+ 00:00:11.5
10	PRO	32	MICHAEL MARSON CHRIS COLBORNE	RACER ENG FORD 6000CCcc	01:51:56.1	+ 00:12:40.5	+ 00:00:25.9