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Tough going slows down desert dash

Fewer cars and buggies will be making the dash back to Alice Springs, in central Australia, today in the Finke Desert Race, because of a swathe of casualties yesterday.

The South Australian buggy team of Hayden Bentley and Ben Chivell have been the first to leave Finke this morning, after recording the fastest time of two hours, three minutes and 46 seconds on day one.

Only 51 of the 80 cars that left Alice Springs finished the first leg in the required time.

Race vice-president Damien Ryan says the going was tough.

"It's always a psychological barrier to break the two hour bracket which is what cars and bikes shoot for every year, but this year it's been a little slower," he said.

"Remembering that Hayden Bentley left in fourth position, he had a lot of dust to deal with because he didn't take the lead until around Bundooma, so he got clean air from there down, so I would think his two hours and three would be quicker coming home in front of the field."

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