Kye Camilleri knows first-hand the highs and lows that come with the annual Tatts Finke Desert Race.
From a fifth-place in class on debut in 2023 to bowing out early on the way to the remote Aputula community in 2025, the 20-year-old has contrasting memories during his past three appearances in the red centre.
As preparations heat up for the 50th anniversary of Finke next weekend, Camilleri is simply plotting consistency this year across the Method Race Wheels Prologue and the two days of racing between Alice Springs and Finke.
“Finke is an awesome race. Everyone gets around it and the race itself, I just love it – you’re flat out through the whoops and all that,” Camilleri said.
“I definitely want to do well. It’s just about being consistent.”
Camilleri has become a regular in the Comiskey Mining Services Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship (AORC) over the past three years, contesting the Pro Buggy class aboard his Jimco Aussie Special entry.
In this Spotlight On feature, he reveals a left-field source as the inspiration for his off-road racing career. While family members or plain curiosity are usually the predominant drawcard for most newcomers joining the AORC, Camilleri revealed his motivation first came from within his father Brendan’s inner circle.
“My Dad and Brett Comiskey (of Comiskey Mining Services) are business partners, so Brett sold us one of the buggies and we got into it like that. I would have been around 15 years of age,” Kye remembers.
“It’s a good community around here. My first ever race was Moranbah (in Queensland), we did all right in the juniors and it snowballed from there.”
During last month’s season-opening Pooncarie Desert Dash AORC event in New South Wales, Camilleri debuted a refreshed Jimco entry.
After some teething issues at that event, the Mackay-based diesel fitter is confident his entry will be primed and ready for Finke – a true torture test for cars and bikes alike.
“We’re now in the Jimco,” Kye said. “It’s basically brand-new everything: the engine, the gearbox, the paddle shifts, and all the wiring. Unfortunately we were out Pooncarie, but the big one for us is Finke.”
The 50th annual Tatts Finke Desert Race runs on the King’s Birthday long weekend, June 4-8.
