Ballarat motorsport champion Mark Burrows has felt the affects of COVID-19 for the second year in a row.
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He is set to miss out on challenging for his sixth Finke Desert Race crown this weekend in the Northern Territory.
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The race was also cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Given the lockdown and slow easing of restrictions in Victoria over the past two weeks, Burrows told The Courier it was too tough time wise to make the journey over and compete in the race.
The event is an off road, multi terrain two-day race for bikes, cars, buggies and quads through desert country from Alice Springs to the small Aputula (Finke) community.
Already a five-time car/buggy winner of the race (1998-2000, 2002-03), Burrows was due to challenge for his sixth crown.
He has raced in the event over 20 times.
His record of five titles also includes four runner-up finishes (1996-97, 2005, 2009), a third (2013) and a fourth placed finish (2019).
He was inducted into the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2016.
The race is still scheduled to go ahead as planned over the long weekend.
It will begin on Saturday with the Prologue Day.
It will continue on Sunday, competitors travelling from Alice Springs to Finke.
On Monday, drivers will make the journey back to Alice Springs.
Presentations will take place on Monday.
A live stream link is available on their website at finkedesertrace.com.au.
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