Preparations for the Shannons SpeedSeries’ maiden visit to Hidden Valley Raceway are well underway, with the event serving as the fourth round of the 2026 season in July.
GT Festival Darwin unlocks another new track for the Shannons SpeedSeries, which made new ground earlier this year when it saw GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS and Monochrome GT4 Australia cap off their 2025 seasons in New Zealand at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park.
Before then, the last time the Shannons SpeedSeries held a round at a circuit for the first time was all the way back in 2018, when it was the first major event at the newly built Shell V-Power Motorsport Park in Tailem Bend, South Australia.
Next year’s visit to Hidden Valley will be the first time the best GT cars in the country battle it out at the iconic circuit in Australia’s Top End. GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, Monochrome GT4 Australia and the inaugural Mustang Cup Australia are the three confirmed categories for the event so far.
SRO Motorsports Australia CEO Ben McMellan was already looking forward to the event, bookmarking it as one of the key events for the year.
“There is certainly some excitement building for the historic visit to Darwin for obvious reasons, but I think there are many benefits for the event,” McMellan said.
“From a Shannons SpeedSeries point of view, it’s fantastic to be able to go to a new track – one that is considered one of our country’s best circuits by fans around the country.
“Darwin is a very popular destination for Australians in general and it has a strong appetite for motorsport, as we have seen with the success of Supercars.
“With that said, I am confident that there will be a lot of interest when we go there from teams and drivers, as well as local fans and businesses, so I am excited to get up there and make some history.”
Registrations for volunteer officials have also opened for the event, with interested parties encouraged to get in early and book their spot as an official for the highly anticipated event.
Register to be an official at GT Festival Darwin here.
GT Festival Darwin serves as the fourth round of the 2026 Shannons SpeedSeries season at Hidden Valley Raceway on 24-26 July.