Eight South Australian drivers will be among the 52 competitors taking to The Bend this weekend as the Supercars Championship shifts into endurance mode.
The AirTouch 500 at The Bend runs from Friday, September 11 to Sunday, September 13, kicking off the 2026 Ryco Enduro Cup and beginning the build-up to next month’s Bathurst 1000.
Among the South Australians on the grid is Adelaide driver Todd Hazelwood, who will return alongside Brodie Kostecki looking to defend their victory at The Bend last year.
The pair have built an impressive endurance record together, having also teamed up to win the Bathurst 1000 in 2024 before joining Dick Johnson Racing in 2025.
Hazelwood is one of eight South Australians competing across the 26 cars this weekend, alongside Nick Percat, Scott Pye, Kai Allen, Tim Slade, Reuben Goodall, Brad Vaughan and Jobe Stewart.
The event also marks the first time this season that Supercars’ co-drivers will join the championship’s full-time drivers.
It means several familiar names will return to the grid, including Craig Lowndes, Mark Winterbottom, James Courtney and Will Davison, while a number of emerging drivers will also get their opportunity in the main game.
For the teams, The Bend represents an important test before the Bathurst 1000 in October, with the two-driver format bringing pit stops, strategy and driver changes into play.
While The Bend is often viewed as a dress rehearsal for Bathurst, there is plenty riding on the result itself.
The race carries the same number of championship points for a win as Bathurst and comes at a crucial stage of the season, with drivers fighting to secure a place in the Supercars Finals.
This year will also bring a significant change to the event, with Supercars moving onto The Bend Motorsport Park’s shorter West Circuit.
The configuration was last used by Supercars during a sprint round in 2020 and is expected to produce more laps and closer on-track action throughout Sunday’s 500-kilometre race.
Another driver to watch will be New Zealand’s Matt Payne, who arrives in South Australia looking to rebound from a difficult finish to the Ipswich Super 440 last month.
Payne finished third at The Bend alongside Garth Tander in 2025 before the pair went on to win the Bathurst 1000.
Following Tander’s retirement, two-time Bathurst winner Will Davison will partner Payne for this year’s endurance campaign.
Practice begins at The Bend on Friday before qualifying and the Top Ten Shootout on Saturday, with the 500-kilometre race taking place on Sunday afternoon.
The AirTouch 500 at The Bend runs from September 11 to 13 at The Bend Motorsport Park, Tailem Bend.
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