Supercars - Darwin Triple Crown

The betr Darwin Triple Crown represents one of the most challenging competitions in the v8supercars calendar. This event takes place at Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The Darwin Triple Crown serves as the official Indigenous Round of the Repco Supercars Championship, where teams celebrate Indigenous culture through special liveries and community engagement.

Race Format and Structure

The 2026 Darwin Triple Crown features three races across a full weekend of competition. Friday opens with a 100km sprint race. Saturday and Sunday each host a 200km race. The round champion earns the Triple Crown title based on accumulated points from all three races. This format tests driver consistency and team strategy across multiple racing conditions.

The Dunlop Super2 Series joins the grid for the 2026 event. This addition provides fans with more racing action and showcases emerging talent in Australian motorsport.

Hidden Valley Raceway Circuit

Hidden Valley Raceway sits approximately 10 kilometers from Darwin at 171 Hidden Valley Road. The circuit measures 2.87 kilometers in length and features 14 corners. The main straight extends 1.1 kilometers, ranking among the longest in Australia.

The track generates high-speed racing with average lap speeds around 149 kilometers per hour. Drivers reach top speeds exceeding 270 kilometers per hour on the main straight. The tropical climate creates unique challenges for tire management and car setup.

Motorsports Complex Facilities

The Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex extends beyond the road racing circuit. The venue includes a 1-kilometer drag racing track and the Northline Speedway, a 400-meter clay oval. Motocross tracks and a go-kart circuit complete the facility. The complex provides 30 lockable pit garages, a VIP lounge, and control towers for race operations.

The venue traces its origins to informal drag racing in the 1960s. Formal development began in 1979, with the drag strip opening in 1985. The road racing circuit was added later to create the comprehensive motorsports facility that exists today.

Manufacturers and Teams

The 2026 v8supercars championship grid features three manufacturers. Ford enters the Mustang. General Motors campaigns the Chevrolet Camaro. Toyota joins the championship with the GR Supra. This marks Toyota's official entry into the Supercars Championship, partnering with Walkinshaw Andretti United as a factory squad.

Team and Driver Lineup

Triple Eight switches to Ford for 2026, fielding Will Brown, Broc Feeney, and Jackson Walls. Grove Racing runs Matt Payne and Kai Allen in Ford Mustangs. Tickford Racing enters Cam Waters and Thomas Randle.

Walkinshaw Andretti United campaigns the new Toyota GR Supra with Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood. Team 18 runs General Motors Camaros for Anton De Pasquale and David Reynolds. Brad Jones Racing fields three Toyota entries for Andre Heimgartner, Cam Hill, and Macauley Jones.

Dick Johnson Racing pairs Brodie Kostecki with Rylan Gray in Ford Mustangs. Matt Stone Racing runs GM Camaros for Jack Le Brocq and Zach Bates. PremiAir Racing enters Jayden Ojeda and Declan Fraser in Camaros. Erebus Motorsport fields Cooper Murray and Jobe Stewart. Blanchard Racing Team completes the grid with James Golding and Aaron Cameron in Ford Mustangs.

The 2026 grid includes five rookies: Jackson Walls, Zach Bates, Jobe Stewart, Jayden Ojeda, and Rylan Gray. These new drivers add fresh competition to the championship.

Technical Specifications

The v8supercars championship operates under Gen3 regulations. These rules aim for close parity between different manufacturers. All cars use a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout powered by V8 engines.

The Ford Mustang runs a 5.4-liter V8 with four camshafts and four valves per cylinder. The GM Camaro uses a 5.7-liter V8 with a single camshaft and two valves per cylinder. The Toyota GR Supra employs a 5.2-liter V8 with dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder.

Engine and Tire Regulations

A single engine builder constructs all engines for each car model. Engine allocation follows a randomized system to ensure fairness. This approach maintains competitive balance across the field.

Dunlop supplies control tires for all competitors. Two dry compounds are available: Soft and Super Soft. Wet weather tires provide options for rain conditions. Teams must change a minimum of two tires at each compulsory pit stop. This rule influences race strategy and timing decisions.

Rear wing flex limits to 2.5 millimeters under a load of 100 Newtons. This regulation controls aerodynamic performance and maintains parity between cars.

Darwin Triple Crown History

V8 Supercars began racing at Hidden Valley Raceway in 1998. The Triple Crown concept was introduced in 2006. Originally, the Triple Crown was awarded to any driver who won all three sprint races in a single weekend. This achievement proved extremely difficult. Scott McLaughlin became the only driver to accomplish this feat in 2019 under the original format.

The criteria for awarding the Triple Crown changed over the years. Some seasons used a points-based system to determine the winner across the weekend. The 2026 format returns to the points-based approach, with the round champion earning the Triple Crown title.

The event became the championship's Indigenous Round in 2021. Teams regularly showcase special liveries that honor Indigenous culture and heritage. This designation adds cultural significance to the sporting competition.

What Makes This Event Special

The Darwin Triple Crown ranks among the most difficult honors to achieve in v8supercars racing. The combination of three races, tropical conditions, and a high-speed circuit creates unique challenges. Strategic tire management becomes critical in the warm Darwin climate. Teams must balance performance across all three races to maximize points.

Mark Skaife holds the record for most race wins at Hidden Valley Raceway with eight victories. This record demonstrates the skill required to master this circuit.

The 2026 championship features 37 races across 14 rounds, representing the most races in a season in over a decade. The season structure divides into three distinct parts, concluding with a Finals Series to crown the champion. The Darwin Triple Crown plays an important role in the championship battle.

Hidden Valley Raceway delivers fast racing on one of Australia's longest straights. The circuit rewards brave drivers who can maintain speed through the technical sections while maximizing straight-line performance. The tropical setting provides a distinctive backdrop different from other championship venues. The combination of speed, strategy, and cultural significance makes the Darwin Triple Crown a highlight of the v8supercars season.