Chaz Mostert and Fabian Coulthard won the AirTouch 500 at The Bend, delivering Toyota victory on its Ryco Enduro Cup debut. The Walkinshaw TWG Racing pairing mastered changing conditions at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park to finish 18 seconds clear of South Australians Kai Allen and Tim Slade, with teammates Ryan Wood and Jaxon Evans completing the podium. Drivers battled wet weather for the first two-thirds of the race before sunshine and a drying track transformed the closing stages. As several front runners faltered, Mostert emerged in front to claim his first 500-kilometre enduro victory. The result marked Mostert’s 30th career win, drawing him level with Dick Johnson on the all-time winners’ list. Toyota secured first and third a day after none of its five GR Supras qualified inside the top 10, while Allen and Slade gave home fans plenty to celebrate with second in their Penrite Racing Ford Mustang. Shell V-Power Motorsport Park owner Dr Sam Shahin said the weekend had brought together everything that makes endurance racing special.

“Congratulations to Chaz and Fabian and everyone involved in delivering another memorable AirTouch 500. Seeing fans return, families making a weekend of it and the passion right across the precinct is what we work towards,” Dr Shahin commented. “In its second year, this event is building its own traditions. We’re proud to host this race in South Australia and grateful to the fans, teams, volunteers and partners who have helped make it such a success.”

The result capped three days of racing and entertainment at The Bend, with a total attendance of 42,468 from Friday to Sunday. Fans enjoyed Supercars endurance racing, time with their favourite drivers and plenty of action across the precinct. The move to the shorter West Circuit delivered close, action-packed racing in both wet and dry conditions. With genuine trackside camping giving fans a front-row view from the fence, the weekend reinforced the AirTouch 500’s place as a must-see event on the Supercars calendar. Porsche Carrera Cup, Trans Am, Touring Car Masters, Aussie Racing Cars and Australian Prototype Series added to the weekend’s racing, bringing modern sports cars, classic touring cars and emerging talent to the track between Supercars sessions. A highlight away from the track was the Touring Car Icons exhibition, bringing together eleven cars worth more than $12 million to tell six of Australian motorsport’s biggest stories. Marking 20 years since Peter Brock’s passing, the centrepiece paired his 1978 Australian Touring Car Championship-winning Holden Torana A9X with Craig Lowndes’ 1998 championship-winning Holden Commodore VT and the Peter Brock Trophy. Mark Skaife and Russell Ingall’s ‘Shriek at the Creek’ cars were also reunited for the first time in more than 20 years. Fans met their Supercars heroes at Podium Park, with autographs and time with the drivers a highlight for families. The Supercars pit paddock was open to all ticket holders, giving fans the chance to get closer to the teams and the work behind the racing.



Camping again brought plenty of colour, with nearly 3,000 campers across more than 450 sites, including trackside camping and the on- site BIG4 The Bend Holiday Park. The popular new Infield Campground joined Northern Apex and Horizon, with families and friends settling in for the weekend. Saturday’s SpeedCafe Sunset Pit Lane Party brought DJs, drivers and more autograph opportunities into pit lane after the Top Ten Shootout. Simulators, rock climbing, rides, virtual reality games and the pit stop challenge kept young visitors busy across the weekend. Friday’s Students on Track program welcomed busloads of students from SA primary and senior schools, showing them where the maths and science they learn in the classroom can take them – right into a Supercars garage and onto the racetrack. Primary students from Meningie Area Primary School met Craig Lowndes, while students took over the questions at a junior press conference. A careers press conference gave senior students an insight into working in motorsport, alongside garage tours and hands-on experiences. The AirTouch 500 Karting Championship crowned Max Jones its winner, ahead of William Grounds and Davy Knights, following two months of open qualifying at Mallala and The Bend Kartdrome

The event also brought interstate visitors into the Murray River, Lakes and Coorong region, supporting local accommodation, hospitality and tourism businesses and giving fans the opportunity to extend their stay and explore more of the area. The road to Bathurst started at The Bend, with the AirTouch 500 opening the Ryco Enduro Cup ahead of next month’s Repco Bathurst 1000. This year marked the second year of the three-year agreement to host the Supercars endurance event at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park. The weekend also delivered great value for families, with a full day of racing and entertainment, free trackside parking, shuttle buses and pit paddock access.