Finke Desert Race champion Daymon Stokie remembered
Related Story: Finke Desert Race champion Daymon Stokie remembered
A number of tributes are planned at the 2018 Finke Desert Race to commemorate last year's King of the Desert, Daymon Stokie, who died in a motorcycling accident near Alice Springs earlier this year.
The 27-year-old reigning champion was fatally injured after coming off his bike at the Deep Well Enduro motocross event in January.
There will be one minute of silence at the Finke Desert Race at 12:15 on Saturday, when the Alice Springs rider would have set off on his prologue time trial.
Daymon Stokie's honour roll:
- 2011 12 hour Enduro outright winner, ASMC Mototcross pro open and pro light winner
- 2012 12 hour Enduro outright winner
- 2013 12 hour Enduro outright winner
- 2014 Deep Well outright winner, King of the River-Gascoyne Dash, 12 hour Enduro outright winner
- 2015 Baja 1000 3rd outright, Finke 5th outright winner
- 2016 Baja 1000 Champion (Mexico) First Australian to win a Baja, Glen Helen (USA) 24 hour Champion,12 hour Enduro outright winner
- 2017 Natural Terrain series 1 winner Pro Open and Pro Lite, San Felipe 250 Champion (Mexico), Finke Desert Race #1 outright King of the Desert
Finke Desert Race committee president Antony Yoffa said he could not remember a time when the previous year's winner wasn't able to defend their title.
"At 12:15 the flag will drop and no-one will leave. I think that will be a poignant moment for a lot of people," he said.
The Finke Desert Race Club has designed an exclusive sticker of Stokie's #1 plate, which will be provided to all competitors to place on their car or bike.
"It is a fitting tribute for this year's field to be taking Daymon to Finke and back with them, as they remember the late King of the Desert," Mr Yoffa said.
"His absence will be felt and his Finke legacy celebrated."
Paying tribute to the King of the Desert
External Link: Daymon Stokie, 2017 King of the Desert, is remembered as forever number one.
Stokie's stepfather Matthew Bell said the lead-up to the 2018 Finke Desert Race was a difficult time for his family, who were struggling to come to terms with his sudden death.
"The Yamaha guys are coming with posters and they've had some stickers made," Mr Bell said.
"A lot of Daymon's mates here in Alice Springs have also had stickers made, so there will be a lot of 'Stokie One' stuff around.
"The Finke Desert Race has also made a sticker for every competitor that says 'Forever number one', which is fantastic."
Mr Bell thanked the Finke Desert committee for its support in paying tribute to Stokie.
"They have given us the opportunity to do a parade lap before any bike hits the track on Saturday, and I've been privileged enough to be able to ride his number one bike around the track," he said.
"I will be okay. This is something that needs to be done and it's something we need to do for Daymon and we'll get through this fine."
Yamaha team manager AJ Roberts said Stokie's 2017 win was a historic moment given Yamaha had not won for 31 years.
"It was a really big accomplishment for Yamaha and it was also 11 years since the last [Northern] Territorian also came home with the victory, so it was really cool for the community as well," he said.
"[The bike] lives in Brisbane at Yamaha Australia's head office. It lives in a boardroom with all their other accomplishments, but it's the only motorcycle that's kept on display in that room.
"I mean for us, all we can do is try to remember what he achieved, not just on the track, but his life.
"We brought this bike here to show everyone the bike that he won on and to commemorate him."
Michael Vroom was a friend of Stokie's and the King of the Desert in 2001.
"He was such a committed individual to have done what he wanted to do and what he wanted to achieve," Mr Vroom said.
"So hopefully that memory will live on, I know it will, and people can remember and hopefully benefit from what he did.
"I saw him grow as a man as well as a sportsman. His commitment and his will to do well never waned."
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