Kelsey Branford has been named Supercheap Auto Official Superstar for June, recognised for her remarkable leadership as Assistant Clerk of the Course and Secretary at the 2026 Tatts Finke Desert Race.

Branford has been a key cog in the ongoing operation at the Finke Desert Race for more than 20 years, first coming aboard the popular off road event as the Event Secretary and currently serves tirelessly on the Committee as Vice President.

Branford’s work over the past two decades, dating back to 2002, amounted to the King’s Birthday Long Weekend earlier this month for the 50th running of the famous Tatts Finke Desert Race.

Kelsey was introduced to the event and off road at a young age, with her father competing in one of the 12 inaugural cars to compete in the event in 1988, in which the event was previously exclusive to bikes, and her mother later joining the Committee as the Treasurer.

The 2026 event broke entry records with an increased capacity field size of 750 bikes and 200 cars, more than doubled its attendance record, and involved more than 400 volunteer officials to make the event possible.

“What our volunteers do is allow the race to actually happen, not only because you have the volunteers to be able to do it, but to do it economically as well,” Branford said.

“The event does not exist without our officials and it has been like that for the past 50 years. So, we can’t give it up for them enough.

“The 2026 race was filled with countless highlights, it felt like we had 50 events in one, to celebrate 50 years of this race. David Walsh winning his sixth bike event, seeing Travis Robinson go back-to-back, Hayden Bentley making the podium and Corey Hammond fighting through adversity to literally push his bike across the finish line.”

Do you know someone like Kelsey, a Motorsport Australia Official who deserves to be recognised for going above and beyond their duty?

Nominate now and they could win a $100 Supercheap Auto gift card, commemorative pin, and certificate – with their story shared in Speed Read and online through Motorsport Australia’s social media channels.