Thanks for joining us Danielle Foot, how did you get your start in the sport?
I started on a little four-wheeler at two and a half, then moved on to a PW50 just riding around the yard at home and our holiday place. Dad rode a KTM 525 and a Banshee quad, so the inspiration and example were there from a very early age. He used to ride around with me sitting on the front of the quad when I was a baby. I got a KTM 50 after the Pee Wee and was competing in junior motocross by the age of six or seven, as well as riding the occasional enduro loop.
Did you have much success in the junior ranks?
From about 13 I became quite competitive and had progressed through the 65cc class and up to racing the 125 class. I won three National Junior Girls Titles, and I raced in the US at the Loretta Lynn’s Amateur Championship, finishing third in the Women’s 14-plus class and sixth in the 85cc 12 to 16 class. I then came back to Australia and won the girls’ 85 and 125/250 National Titles, and in my second year in Seniors I won the 2017 State Title. I rode Finke for the first time in 2016 and have won the 250 two-stroke class twice, and finished third in the Women’s Class at the Hattah Desert Race in 2018, two weeks after surgery on my collarbone. I am lining up for Finke again in 2026 in the Women’s class. I was leading the Women’s class in 2024 when I crashed and broke my pelvis.
Has all of your career been in motocross and desert racing?
Mostly, although I did the AORC from 2018 to 2020 when I was on the Sherco team and scored a third in 2018 in the Women’s class.
Does any particular victory stand out in your memory?
The 2022 Finke stands out for me as I was the first female to complete the double at Finke, riding as a passenger in a car with my dad and then riding a bike as well for a win in the 250 two-stroke class and Fastest Female, as that was prior to a separate Women’s class. I’m going to try for the double again in 2026, but I’ll be driving. Another standout would be my stint with the Simford Motorsport team. I rode for them for two years from 2021 to 2023 and raced desert, enduro and motocross with their support.
What events are still on your radar?
I’d like to do the Dakar Rally, but I work full-time as a carpet saleswoman and it’s an expensive exercise, and getting the time off could be tricky. I’d also like to try one of the big desert events they have in California or Baja. Here at home, the Don River Dash has been on my list for a few years, but the timing with work has been a bit difficult — hopefully this will be the year.
Are you still riding for Sherco?
No, we have our own team now, Dad and I, called FBL Motorsports, and I’ll be driving a Can-Am buggy in the Australian Off-Road Championships and at Finke 2026, as well as riding a Husqvarna 500.
Do you have a favourite bike from those you’ve raced?
I’m currently on a 2024 Husqvarna 500 and I absolutely love it. Tunetech has done the suspension and it works really well, plus the power and torque are great. The bike just works well, whether in the bush or out in the desert. I also had a Sherco 125 for the AORC that was converted to a 150, and that was memorable too as it was super nimble with a lot of torque and very forgiving and easy to throw around.
You must have had some tough times when racing?
The 2019 Hattah race was rained out and had to be cut short due to flooding and deep mud. There was a high DNF rate and I lost my goggles early on, so I had to battle the whole time for first place but eventually won. It was tough, but I love the mud so I was having a lot of fun despite the difficulties, as strange as that may sound.
Who stands out amongst your competitors?
Jess Gardiner is a highly respected rider — an absolute queen. In my first year in the AORC, when I had no real experience in enduro, she welcomed me and invited me on track walks, which really helped a lot. Megan Rutledge is another rider I admire. We had a few battles at Finke and it was a great experience to race with her.
