Last weekend’s betr Darwin Triple Crown was the perfect winter escape for Australian motorsport fans with 36 percent of visitors coming from interstate to soak up the action and Darwin’s perfect weather.
Almost 40,000 attendances were recorded across three days of non-stop racing from the Supercars, Porsche Carrera Cup, Touring Car Masters, Tyrepower V8 SuperUtes, Combined Sedans and Nitro Up North – all in one of the country’s most unique destinations.
The event, delivered by the Northern Territory Major Events Company, is also home to the country’s only Indigenous Round and Supercars CEO Shane Howard said it holds a special place in the Supercars calendar, along with being one of the most eagerly anticipated events each year.
“We are incredibly proud to have once again supported the betr Darwin Triple Crown with Sunday’s race marking the 75th Supercars race held at Hidden Valley,” Mr Howard said.
“We want to extend our gratitude to the Northern Territory Government and the Northern Territory Major Events Company for their continued support and for providing a platform where we can create such memorable experiences on and off the track.
“From the huge crowd that welcomes our transporters and Supercars wrapped in their Indigenous liveries to the amazing reception we receive from fans around Hidden Valley, the success of this event is a testament to the collaboration between Supercars, the government, and all our partners.
“We are also thrilled by the success and spectacle of the inaugural Darwin Track to Town, which added a new dimension to the excitement of this year’s event.”
The Australian-first Track to Town event held the day before saw all 25 Supercars drive down the streets of Darwin in convoy from Hidden Valley Raceway to The Esplanade where they stopped for a drivers’ signing. Hundreds of fans turned up to meet their favourite drivers and get up-close views of the parked cars and their stunning Indigenous liveries.
Red Bull AMPOL Racing’s Broc Feeney dominated the weekend winning back-to-back races at Hidden Valley. Feeney won Race 11 on Saturday and won from pole on Sunday in Race 12. Feeney missed claiming the betr Darwin Triple Crown by just over 0.2 seconds. Porsche Carrera Cup Championship leader Harri Jones won Round 3, while Aaron Borg won Race 3 and 4 in the Tyrepower V8 SuperUtes Series.
When not at the track, drivers, teams and visitors explored Darwin and surrounds. The teams took the opportunity to explore to Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks, jump on a fishing tour as well as visit Croc Cove and Crocodylus Park.
Northern Territory Major Events Company CEO Suzana Bishop said: “The strong attendance by racing fans capped off a busy five days including the popular Night Transporter Convoy and the Australian-first Track to Town. It was amazing to watch all the Supercars wrapped in their Indigenous liveries rumble into town.
“The consistent feedback I received from the drivers, teams, owners and visitors is that Darwin is their favourite event on the Supercar calendar because of how friendly and fun it is every year.”
Indigenous culture was once again front and centre as the event celebrated Australia’s Aboriginal heritage, making it unique in motorsports. That included Supercars and V8 SuperUtes liveries featuring stunning artwork by Indigenous artists from around the country.
In addition, the Darwin round was the only Supercars event that included Racing Together, an initiative that helps Indigenous youth pursue a career in motorsports. Brisbane-based drivers Kade Davey, 15, and Karlai Warner, 17 raced in the Combined Sedans category aided by Territory=based Indigenous mechanics.
The betr Darwin Triple Crown will return to the Top End in 2025. Keep visiting https://darwinsupercars.com.au/ and follow @darwinsupercars on Facebook and @supercarsdarwin on Instagram to find out when.
