EP#64 - Don River Dash Preview with Ben Grabham

Thinking about racing the Don River Dash? In this episode of the ADB Podcast, four-time Finke winner and ADB's longest-serving tester Ben "Grabbo" Graham joins Mitch to preview one of Australia's fastest and most exciting off-road races. Grabbo explains what makes the Don River Dash unique, how the course compares to other desert events, and the bike setup changes riders should be making before they hit the start line.

We also break down who to watch, the biggest challenges competitors will face, and the riding techniques that can make or break your race. Whether you're lining up on the grid, heading to Bowen to spectate, or simply love desert racing, this episode is packed with practical advice and insider knowledge from one of Australia's most accomplished off-road racers.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to the ADB Podcast, where we talk all things dirty with your host, Mitch Lee. ADB listeners, uh we uh gonna talk today to Ben Graham about the Don River Dash, uh the 2026 Don River Dash because Scrabo has a uh team up there and we want to preview it, we want to look at who's gonna be fast and who to look out for and also what makes 2026 better and different than the previous years because events like this are always getting better, which is awesome. Um before we get into it, I thank our sponsor Dunlop. Thanks to Dunlop for helping us out with the show. Uh go check out the MX34 tire. We've been doing some stuff with the AT82, which is a multi-directional tyre. Uh, and now we're gonna have a play with the MX34. It comes in and supersedes the 33. So uh they say it's got better traction, better life, all that kind of stuff. So we're gonna go and give it a good whirl, but go and check out the Dunlop range of tires. Uh now, Grabbo, thanks for coming on the podcast, mate.

SPEAKER_00 0:55

Oh, good to be back on. Thank you, Mitch.

SPEAKER_01 0:57

Um, so let's start with. We're gonna also talk to you later on about Hatter uh and just how all that kind of unfolded. But um before we get to that, let's talk about the Don River Dash for 2026. Now, we've been liaising with the committee a little bit over the last few weeks, and they're expecting a bigger uh year than ever before. It's gonna be bigger and better and everything else, which is awesome. We that event just goes from strength to strength. Um have you do you know who's been pushing and practicing and charging out there? And and do you think is there anyone that spectators should be watching to maybe come through a bit of a bit of a dark horse? I spoke with Ivan Long uh a couple weeks ago when we put the Fink issue to bed, and he said he's gonna be back there to defend his title. But is there anyone you think that could take down Ivan Long for the 2026 uh Don River Dash?

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Yeah, like oh I haven't seen the entry list, or I don't even think they're open just yet. But um going off last year, like Brent's story um from up that way on the Yamaha, like to be honest, he was smoking everyone last year, like he would have easily won. No one was within a couple of minutes of him. Um, unfortunately, had a bit of a mechanical just and he wasn't pushing to be honest. It was just one of those freak ones. So uh I would say if Brent's doing the same stuff and is in the same shape, it's gonna be who can keep up with him. Um with that one. Um, obviously um Lamb Walsh. He every time I think he's raced there, he's probably won it or been in the top two. Yeah. Um, so if Lamb's back up there, you you can never write him off. Obviously, Longie will have the number one, so he's gotta um yeah, try and do that again. But yeah, I would my money would be on um one of those two other guys at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 2:40

Okay. Um and what they just have a bit more outright speed than Longy, or I mean, when I was chatting with Longie the other day, he said um to race Fink he came off the couch essentially, which is pretty impressive considering what he did. He also hit a bull on the way to Fink. Uh, but the what they're just they're just younger, they've got a bit more speed. What is it that gives them a slight edge, do you think?

SPEAKER_00 3:00

Uh yeah, just speed. Like Brent is like he's another, oh like most of the lads these days in the desert, he's he's a big strong lad, and uh the Yama 450 is not slow. And yeah, like he I done a little bit with him before the race there last year, and uh obviously I was on the sideline watching, and I was super impressed with what he was doing. It was something I'd like on the track, it was more like watching Chucky or someone like that just plow through the whoops and um make stuff that most people shy away from and back off when he was just holding that thing wide, so um he was impressive, and then Liam, yeah, I guess he's just Liam's got a good motocross background, and that's like even though they call it desert, it's a pretty motocross he track. So um it's hard to argue with someone. I think Liam's won it three or four times as well, so that's why I just I don't know, those guys are good. Um Longy obviously was consistent and won it last year, but um I know speed-wise, other guys are are right up there, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Um Campbell Hall, is he gonna be out there racing again? He's second at Fink this year. Is it is it a race that's something that that someone like Campbell Hall could win, or is it just a bit too different to Fink? Is it a different style?

SPEAKER_00 4:09

No, like he free, I think it was his first go there last year as well. So um Campbell shows when he puts the time in in areas like Finn Canadi definitely improves. So I don't see why he won't step up a little bit um this year. Like I would expect him to probably be challenging Longy or potentially in front of him with all the riding and racing and everything that um Campbell's been doing. So yeah, he'll definitely be another front runner.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

Um the track for 2026, have you it obviously stays the same each year? Um do you know if they've been we're well six, seven weeks out now. Do you know if they've been getting rain? Is it gonna be dry, wet, and and is there do you guys have to start preparing differently in the lead up depending on what the weather's doing?

SPEAKER_00 4:53

Not really. Like I see photos and there's water still flowing in sections and stuff like that. Um, I think everyone gets all carried away and worry about too much, whereas I know that we run like a sand paddle tire, and I know that yeah, you're gonna be some water crossings and stuff like that. So I don't overthink it till we're up there. Um, once we're up there and we see what the week's like leading into it, then we worry if we need to potentially waterproof airfielders better or or something like that. But no, it's pretty pretty straightforward like that. And the beauty about Don is with it, how it does rain and flood each year, the track is like I've never seen, like I think I've ridden it twice or three times, and I've never seen the same racetrack because obviously once the water flows through there and changes shapes and everything like that, it's um quite a unique and different track every year.

SPEAKER_01 5:40

Yeah, so you can't really get up and pre-run it like you can with think, can you?

SPEAKER_00 5:44

No, you you can, but there's like there's no point sometime. Well, it's underwater a fair chunk of the year, and then um other times it's just dead flat because the water's flattened out. So, like um you can pre-run and find little sections, but yeah, it's nothing, nothing like pre-running for think because the track kind of isn't there until on race day.

SPEAKER_01 6:05

Yeah. Um, okay, so let's talk the 450v 500 debate because I know it was red hot coming into um think and then a 451. I think actually you predicted that with us um on the show as well. Um do you need to be on a 500 to win? I mean, it was proven that you don't have to, really, I guess, if Brent was that fast on a YZ 450. But do you do you think you're better off on a 500 than you are on a 450 to win Don in 26?

SPEAKER_00 6:32

No, no, like straight away I'd say no. Um, it comes down to the rider. Like there's riders out there that uh use a lot more torque and stuff like that that would benefit from a 500 over a 450. But a good rider is if you're capable of winning, you have the fitness, you have the bike setup, you're gonna win on either bike 450 or or 500. Like there's spots where with it being so motocrossy and stuff like that, I still believe the 450 would be better. Um and it also depends a little bit how the track forms up this year. Like if it's if it's high speed and flat and heavy, then yeah, the 500s are good. But um, yeah, the 450s, they're they're no slower. That's just um sometimes they push the limits a little bit more with reliability.

SPEAKER_01 7:13

Yeah, okay. Yeah, you mentioned that in um uh for Fink as well, that it can be the difference between getting there and back and sometimes be that extra 50cc. Hey, what are you doing then to bikes? You've got your own VIP race experience team that um goes up there. Um, what do you what do you recommend people do to their bike uh to compete in something like the Don? Because we asked you this question for Fink, it was really helpful. We got so many people responding to us. Um, just about some little tip bits as to um how you should prepare a bike to finish at the Don. What are your top five suggestions for finishing the Don in 26? What do you got to do to the bike?

SPEAKER_00 7:48

Yeah, like if we're starting from scratch again with your like your standard motor cross or enduro bike, like it's similar things to think so, obviously your steering dampener. Um, steg pegs are super important. Um, and then the way you prep your tie. So, like I would suggest running a moose. Uh, we run, uh, I think I said before the Brazilian, it's like a seven mil Lucioli tube on the rear, you'd run one of them, or you run a moose on the rear. Like um, a lot of people shy away from the moose, I think, but definitely definitely at Don. Um, it's probably a must because there's a lot more rock that comes out. Um, and then once you dive a bit deeper than that, um obviously suspension is super important with gearing. Uh, fuel tanks, not so much these days because they've made it compulsory that we have to go into the pits and stop and that every lap, um, which means you can get by with a motocross tank. Um and yeah, obviously the main one I see up there is a lot of people come up with either a fast bike or a slightly worn bike, or their mapping or jetting is a little bit lean, and that's not the place to do it. It's deep river sand. Um, it's very heavy on the engines, and you see a lot of people lunch their engines up there. So that's probably the the big one is make sure you've got something that's fresh and also running a little bit on the rich and safe side, and um it'll be pretty good.

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Okay, cool. So you don't need um to you know have like Fink six months worth of pre-running, you don't need it because you can't really know the track till it's there. The bike setup can happen quite quickly by the sounds of things. It's not like Fink where you've got to go out and probably get the bike set up well in advance and get used to that setup. So if people out there are listening and thinking, what do would I do, Don? I'm kind of keen to give this kind of deserty stuff. I mean, I know it's not a desert, but it has the desert feel a go. Can you race the Don as a like complete punter who just like trail rides and wants to tick a bucket list off? It's a bit like you can do that, I guess, at Fink as well. Um, and probably more guys do that at Hatter, but is Don the kind of thing that you can run as a like yourself, an experienced racer and and longie and that who are gonna go for a top 10? Or can you just turn up, having ridden twice in the last 12 months, put uh the right stuff on your bike and have fun?

SPEAKER_00 10:04

Yeah, you can. And I think the beauty about Don is it's probably even easier to get a finish there than say Fink or something, because you could go out and pretty much take the whole time that the race leader does to do his three laps or whatever you, as long as you get that one lap in and get back around and see the the checkered flag, then that's classed as a finish. So it's um it's definitely more achievable like that. Um fuel crew, you can have your one set up there so it's a little bit easier. Um, we pretty much can either camp or base ourselves at the showground, which is only two K's up the road. So, like it's it's a lot easier than think, um, logistics-wise. Um and like you like you said, you could you could rock up on a bone stock motocross bike on a bike and rider. It's not going to be as enjoyable or as safe as one that's set up, but you can do it and finish. Um, it's easier to do that than say uh think um would be.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

Yeah, okay. Um, all right, talk us about the the kind of stuff that happens around the race. Um, Friday night scrutineering is pretty fun. Yeah, there's a good chance to kind of go down and see some of your their heroes for punters out there, get us get an autograph, that kind of thing. Um, have you seen the kind of community and the um festive kind of feel improve over the years since it's become more professional in the lead up to the race and the day or so before the race?

SPEAKER_00 11:26

It hasn't so much improved because it's been amazing from day one since I went there. Um, it's probably the last of the races that I go to, other than say like club days at Condo or something like that, where um the community actually gets all behind it, like it's quite laid back and fun, and um, just the fact that we get to ride motocross bikes from the showground down the tar road into the river is pretty damn cool, and it's how I believe it should be. Um, whereas a lot of these places we go to, there's too many rules to do something like that. So it's it's nice, yeah. Like we're at a beautiful part of Australia, like up there near the um Great Barrier Reef and all that kind of stuff, all the pretty blue waters, and generally the temperatures are pretty nice, and um, yeah, it's the type of place you take your family for a holiday, and then we get to blast up and down the river. So it's um just has a good, I don't know, it's more laid back than you you think's and had ours with the way they've grown. Um, and it's um yeah, it's a very enjoyable race like that.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

The whole town kind of comes alive for it, yeah. So people kind of come out for scrutineering and then um and then they come out and watch the race. Like is it is it packed with people along the side of the track too?

SPEAKER_00 12:36

It is, but we because you're pretty much in survival mode when you're riding down there in the river, you're not oh, I'm not looking around too much, but yeah, there's there's up on the bridges and down edges and that, like everyone lines it as much as they can, and um, it's pretty cool like that. But Bowen's only a small place, um, so yeah, I think a lot of people drive there from around the place, but it's it definitely has that feel where um whether it's a local council or whatever, you can just tell everyone in towns behind it, which makes you feel welcome there, which is cool.

SPEAKER_01 13:07

Um okay, give us for those people out there that listening that might are going to be entering, so entries open to well to I by the time people listen to this podcast, entries will have opened today. Uh so uh last like words of advice for someone who's thinking of entering, they should definitely enter. It's an awesome event. And like Grabbo said, you get to go up to the a pretty nice part of Australia at a pretty good time of the year where it's kind of slowly warming up in other parts of the country but still cold and miserable. Um, it's always stunning up there. But if they're maybe on the fence um or maybe they've entered and now they're nervous, what are the things they've either got to prepare, they've got to get ready for, they've got to like tell themselves, you know, I've got to be doing XYZ in order to make sure I finish the race and whatever else it is.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

It's no different than any other these high-speed races we do. You've just got to respect the place. Like it changes a lot. It's it's probably the one racetrack that changes the most. So, like, say we get a a bit of a sighting lap there on Friday, and then the cars race first on Saturday morning. So then by the time we get on there, it's it's a racetrack that you've never seen before, and that's where people probably go wrong, go a bit gun-ho until they work out what it is or what their fitness and bike setup allows. So it's just one of those ones where take your time. Like I can't say it enough up there, just you better start off super slow and and ride your way into it. Then um, I've seen, yeah, I've seen lots of people land on their heads up there. Um, so yeah, it's just one of those ones where um take your time and you'll you'll have a lot of fun doing it that way.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

Um, what kind of speed? Like for you guys, top 10. What what's the top what's the fastest speed you'll do out there?

SPEAKER_00 14:48

Uh you depends who you speak to. There's a lot of stories out there, like everyone says, but in all honesty, like if you're I believe you could win on a bike that would do 140 out there. Um just it's heavy, it's heavy river sand. So um the 500s, I don't know. We're probably seeing speeds from 130 to 140. Um before the race, you can see higher speeds, but the track changes that much and gets that rough that you you're not going crazy fast. That's probably the beauty of it. So if you're gonna land on your head, you're going a bit slower.

SPEAKER_01 15:17

Yeah, yeah. I think that's the best part about these like one-off um really desert races for spectators. It's so they're so entertaining because the speeds at which you get to see these guys come past is pretty cool, and they get to do things that most of us, especially those coming in the top 10, um, can only kind of ever dream of. So I think that's probably the one of the better parts about these races is as a spectator, they're so cool to watch. Um what do the trucks and stuff do to the track? Do the trucks make the track more challenging? Do they dig out some holes which makes it, you know, it it it separates the guys coming, you know, first through to 20th through to the people coming, you know, after 100th kind of thing? Does it make it more challenging with the trucks on the track?

SPEAKER_00 15:59

Yeah, that's that's probably another podcast. If you wanted to get me for that one, I've got uh some ideas there. So like I and I tell plenty of people like it, the trucks change it a hell of a lot, and because the tracks only small, it gets crazy rough. Whereas like in an ideal world, I would very much love to see the motorcycles go first on Saturday morning. That way we would get a it's never never going to be smooth, but we get a reasonably smooth, safe track, which wouldn't cook all the riders so soon, and then the trucks could go and destroy it, and then we could go again the next day. Whereas at the moment we go after the trucks both days, and um, yeah, there's no hiding the fact that the track gets brutally rough um once you get that many trophy trucks and buggies and side by sides and that on such a small area. Um it's she's a she's a pretty rough track by the end of it.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

Yeah, it sounds like it is rough, but I mean, hey, look, for as spectators, that's what we like to see because it makes it more entertaining because some of the stuff you guys can do through those holes and jump over sections is pretty awesome to watch, but I imagine it would get it would become quite challenging. Hey, um, do you think there should be like a desert? We remember way back we had the desert tri-series. I think you won it one year and Pricey won it another year. Is there capacity to do something similar and link up think Calgoy Bowen and maybe two other events?

SPEAKER_00 17:16

Oh, there's always a spot for it, like it would be cool, and there's been a bit of talk about it probably for the last two years now, at least last year and a half. And um, yeah, I think it'd be very good for lots of races and the industry and stuff like that. Um getting some of these events together could be tricky because there's yeah, a lot of different people there have different ideas and stuff like that. But um, yeah, I would love to see a series. It worked well back in WA and it could work here. Um, my one is everyone always gets carried away and wants tons of rounds and stuff like that. I'd be happy if they just done like two or three premium events and got the series up and running and then worry about um going bigger and better after that. But it would be cool. Um, just like I said, with the the 450s and things like that, if if it meant bringing in a 450 cap to get in some of these other brands, then I'm all for that. Um but yeah, there's definitely a place there for it because we've got a lot of good riders, it's just that they they gotta chase these one-off events at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 18:18

Yeah, because I was just on the phone a little Corey McMahon about some HADA stuff, and he was talking about you know, having dreams one day of racing Dakar and and um and even getting over to do some work stuff and that uh NPGC, the the American Desert Series, and um, you know, and uh we were talking about how interesting it is that Australia, because we have such a diverse AEC where we have sprints, cross countries, enduro's, and sand, you know, cross countries, then we have Hatter, we have Fink, we have the Don. Um, we have like a such a broad spread of impressive riders that guys are you know, we've got guys like you know, Bacon over there kicking ass in an enduro format, and Will Rupert's done it over there before, too. Then we've got Strangy kicking ass in the US back in the day in a GNCC format. You've got Chucky and Pricey, and even yourself um doing really good in the rally space. Um, so Australia, because we have all these random events, we produce riders that cover so many different disciplines, whereas you never see a European going to the US and winning GNCCs and desert stuff, and you don't really see too many American riders going over to Europe and you know dominating for 10 years in that hardcore, wet enduro space. Um, so yeah, I'm with you on that. Like we have so many cool riders. Do you think that I don't think Corey's racing in the Don? Um, would you like to see more of those kind of teams turn up to the Don and run like they do at Hadder and Fink?

SPEAKER_00 19:41

Yeah, but it's like you say, I think um they need to have a series and a reason for them to go there. Whereas at the moment, um I sort of don't blame some of them. Like you got Fink and Hadder, which if you can sort of win either one of them, sets you up in that sort of area to to secure a good ride and things like that. Whereas like Don's cool and and everything, but it's yet to come as big as Fink and Hatter. And um, yeah, like will you look at Pink, for example, like Walshi um can win that and pick up what your class is a bit of a factory ride here in Australia, whereas the um the Don River um is not earning a spot on a race team like that. It'd definitely get you looked at if um you go up there and win. Yeah. Um, but it's it's growing, but it's not at that level yet. Whereas if it was part of a three-round series, then um, yeah, it's gonna bring a lot more value to it for sure.

SPEAKER_01 20:35

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. If there was a kind of a series in it, and and look, the Hatter is the easy one because for most of them, it's you know, it's less than eight hours away. If you kind of live in Victoria or in you know the southern and western part of New South Wales, it's just around the corner, so it's easy for them to turn up and do. Um, but having the Don as part of a series, like a three-round series, would be so awesome as um, you know, a fan of the sport to watch it all unfold. And just as like a point scoring thing, we've seen the World Hard Endura Championship develop this point scoring thing, it's way too complicated, but they have a system of points you can score, and at the end of the year, there is like an overall winner. So whether or not it's something similar where you know you can enter as many of those events around the country as you can, and you get a point, you get a certain amount of points per event you enter, and then at the end of the year we have like a desert champion. Um, I think it would be really cool. And it'd be probably really cool because maybe then it would put that person's name up on the world stage, and if there is an Australian desert racing champion, uh then maybe there would be other rides throughout the world um that would come knocking. Uh so yeah, that'd be a cool thing to think about in the future. Um, all right. Well, that's pretty much all we need to know about this year's Don. We can't wait. Like I said, people who are listening to this entries have just opened, so make sure you get along and get your entry in. If you're not gonna race it, um, we encourage you to go and watch it because it's a really, really cool event. They do such a good job up there. And um, as a spectacle, as people who just uh anyone who appreciates motorsports, you're gonna love watching what bikes can do out in the dead out in that uh uh river, dry riverbed, and as well what the trophic trucks can even do too. So yeah, make sure you get along and also head out, say hello to Grabbo. You'll be there, mate, this year with your VIP experience crew. How many bikes have you got there in your race team?

SPEAKER_00 22:13

In all honesty, I haven't looked that far. I know we've still got a few spots left over. Um, once, like I said to you as we're talking now, the entries aren't open just yet. So once entries open and people get their one in, that's generally when we get everyone locked in. So um, the last I feel like the last three years we've we've sold out. Um so hopefully we do that again. And um, yeah, we'll probably have like 10 guys, which would be nice.

SPEAKER_01 22:36

Yes, for those of the people out there that don't know, the the VIP race experience um packages that Grabbo offers is essentially fly-in-fly out factory pros. You get to come in and Grabbo preps and gets everything set up, you hop on the bike, ride, and then leave, and then he cleans it all up like you are a uh uh a factory pro. So it's a pretty cool um experience. So make sure you go over and check him out on social media and um on their website and get in touch with Grabbo if you're keen to do it, or even if you're keen to do any of the other desert stuff, Grabbo's at most of the desert events throughout the year, um, and with his packages as well. So uh it's funny, we were talking about like the cost. I was I was chatting with a privateer team who were at Fink and the cost that they spent uh to raise Fink, and it's like you know, looking at the packages that you offered and fly in, fly out, it's like a fifth of the price of if you try and do it yourself. Um, and I imagine that's the sa that's the case with any desert race, not not just Fink, whether it's the Don or whatever else, it's actually I think it's pretty good value. So it is uh these are expensive events to do. So if you can get any assistance you can get and set up stuff, like having someone set a bike up and show you how to set a bike up, that's the main, that's one of the more important parts, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:44

Oh, I've looked at it a few times, and I think I'd be happy to sign myself up as a customer to be honest to dawn what all it'd be pretty like I looked at, imagine if that was around back in the day, it'd be you could um bring in a few of your own little personal sponsors and um have a have a lot of freedom. And um, yeah, I I said next year I was joking around with the team. I said, I'm gonna sign up as a customer and just come in and kick kick back again and enjoy it.

SPEAKER_01 24:08

So not have to work your ringer off. Hey, when do you get up? Do you get up there two weeks beforehand or a week beforehand to start making sure?

SPEAKER_00 24:14

Yeah, like it's always the the the week before, so basically a weekend before um they start to get a bit of traffic down there and people riding and some bumps forming and stuff like that. So we're we're up there pretty much a week before.

SPEAKER_01 24:26

Cool, nice one. All right, well, everyone out there, like I said, get your entries in. Um, if you're not gonna race it, make sure you go and watch. It's an awesome spectacle. Say hi hi to Grabbo and uh yeah, go and support these events because without uh people going and watching and uh being a part of them, they will no longer exist. So make sure you yeah, go check out the 2026 Don River Dash. Thanks, Grabbo, for coming on.

SPEAKER_00 24:45

Please, thank you.