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Bruised, battered and covered in dust, Grenfell riders Raymond McCann and Jack Knight have returned from the Northern Territory with plenty of stories to tell after conquering one of Australia's toughest motorsport events.
The pair successfully completed the gruelling 2026 Tatts Finke Desert Race, overcoming brutal track conditions, crashes, illness and exhaustion to finish the iconic 460-kilometre desert endurance race.
This year's event marked the 50th anniversary of the famous race and attracted a record field of 670 motorcycle competitors.
Veteran riders described the course as one of the roughest in Finke history, with deep ruts, relentless whoops, thick dust and unforgiving rocky sections testing competitors from the opening kilometre.
Despite the conditions, both Grenfell riders refused to give in.
McCann, tackling Finke for the third time on his Honda CRF450R, produced the ride of his life on the opening leg from Alice Springs to Aputula (Finke), stopping the clock at 2 hours 58 minutes to break the three-hour barrier for the first time.
The outstanding ride moved him into 50th place in the highly competitive Class 5 overnight.
Knight, competing in the event for just the second time aboard his Honda CRF250R, was also enjoying a superb run until heartbreak struck at the famous Finke Jump just before the finish.
A heavy crash sent both rider and machine tumbling through the dust, leaving Knight sore and slightly concussed.
For many riders, the race would have ended there.
Instead, with help from a local spectator and another competitor, Knight climbed back on his bike and completed the final kilometre to the finish, posting an impressive time of 3 hours 17 minutes and sitting 13th in his class overnight.
After being medically assessed and fitted with a replacement helmet, he was cleared to line up again for Monday's return journey.
If day one was tough, day two was even tougher.
McCann was feeling the effects of a stomach bug but kept charging across the desert, even stopping along the way to help an injured rider before continuing.
He also managed to lose both his shirt and gloves during the ride, yet still powered home to complete the event in 6 hours 16 minutes.
His efforts earned him 63rd place in Class 5 from 143 finishers and 185th outright from the 556 riders who completed the race.
Still nursing the effects of Sunday's spectacular crash, Knight took a measured approach on the return leg before gradually increasing his pace as confidence returned.
He crossed the finish line in a total time of 6 hours 50 minutes, finishing 17th in Class 4 from 25 finishers and 324th outright.
Simply reaching the finish is considered an achievement at Finke, where mechanical failures, crashes and the unforgiving desert terrain regularly end competitors' races before they reach Alice Springs.
For McCann, the result was particularly satisfying after improving on his previous performances despite the far tougher conditions.
Last year he completed the event in 6 hours 6 minutes to finish 156th outright, while this year's rougher track made every kilometre a battle.
The motorcycle 'King of the Desert' title was claimed by Alice Springs champion David Walsh, who secured his sixth Finke crown with a combined time of 3 hours 49 minutes 27 seconds, ahead of Dubbo rider Campbell Hall.
This year's trip also carried special significance for the McCann family, who dedicated their campaign to the memory of Ray and Jack's uncle, Justin "Jay" McCann, who passed away from bowel cancer in March.
Jay was part of the original pit crew from 2024 who became very well known at Finke on race night due to his mechanical skills.
Legend has it he went from camp to camp assisting repairing trucks and buggies and bikes.
The McCann family were not sure if he got any sleep!
This year McCann, Knight and all who travelled to Alice to support them were lucky to have Jay's wife Claire and his two boys Oliver and Lewis travel with them this year and enjoy the Finke experience that Jay loved so much.
McCann and Knight are thankful to be able to participate in what is an iconic Australian event but couldn't have done it without their crew of Braydon, Warren, David, Adrian, John and Matt and family and friends that attended and supported them in Alice Springs.
They also send a big thank you to the supporters that watched the race and sent well wishes from home and all around the country.
For McCann and Knight simply crossing the finish line and collecting the coveted Finke Spike trophy, a replica railway spike from the original Ghan Railway Track, was a reward for months of preparation and determination across the desert.