KTM introduces dedicated desert racing team

The three-man 'KTM Desert Racing Team' will support the growing Aussie desert racing calendar, and feature two of the country's most decorated off-roaders in Grabham and Toby Price, along with an exciting up-and-comer.

Between them, Price and Grabham have no less than six Finke desert race crowns, as well as enough A4DE and AORC titles to stuff a gearbag.

This year, Grabham added a first-time Dakar Rally finish and victory in the inaugural WA Desert Racing Tri-Series to his own resume, while Price has spent most of 2013 travelling the long and difficult road back from a serious spinal injury suffered in April.

NSW-based Price will actually span two teams in 2014 - the new desert racing unit and the Motorex KTM Off-Road team - while Grabham's schedule will also be full, serving as rider and team co-ordinator for the new squad.

The new face belongs to Ivan Long, from Tanunda in South Australia's Barossa Valley. The 24-year-old machinery technician finished fifth outright in this year's Finke, and is the winner of the last five SA Off-Road Championships.

"When I got the call it came from [KTM's] Jeff Leisk himself," Long said of his surprise at being asked to join the factory-backed team. "I know I can ride up front and I have the skills, but I haven't had this level of support before.

"There were a heap of people on board that helped get me the results at Hattah and Finke and I put in so much and trained my arse off. It feels like it's paid off. Now I can concentrate on the riding and that will certainly help out.

"Ben has been great since I've joined the team, he's been so organised and I always know what's going on - I still work so I've got to have notice for time off - and if I've got a problem he'll rectify it straight away. It's going to be good to learn from him.

"Toby I know and I've been able to stir up a little bit in the past! I think we'll get on real good as a team and hopefully all those other teams will be scared!"

The new KTM team's calendar includes the marquee Finke and Hattah epics, WA's Tri-series, the Gascoyne Dash, along with selected major desert races as they arise.

"Our scope has evolved over the last two years with a calendar of desert races popping up and it makes sense for us to have our own team for the season," Grabham said of the origins of the new team.

"Longy we haven't heard so much about yet, but this year he really came on strong as a privateer. He's a happy young fella and Finke result showed he's got a heap of potential. For the team to help him with bits and pieces and give him access to all the great settings we use, we might see him on that outright podium next year.

"Toby is in his second year of a 2-year deal with KTM he wants to race everything. He's capable of winning everything too, so it makes sense for all of us to let him try. He'll have a very hectic schedule, but if he stays healthy it'll work out better all round having him in both teams."

The KTM Desert Racing team will use registrable 500 and 450EXC models for the season, a strategy Grabham says has a very simple basis. "Like I've been saying all year, these things are just so easy to pull out of the box and be able to win on - my Tri-Series bike had slightly modified rear suspension, a couple of Power Parts products and a muffler and it was super competitive.

"The other advantage is just having registered bikes. Right now in Alice, we're ready to start testing straight away and we're not doing anything illegal. We've got one of the best bikes in the desert and it's as standard as possible."

For more information on KTM motorcycles visit www.ktm.com.au