Key GT4 Australia contenders absent from Darwin entry list

A strong field of 27 cars will make the trek north to the Top End for Round 4 of the season as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries GT Festival Darwin.

The #87 Method Motorsport McLaren Artura of Rintoule and Hughes will not be making the trip to Darwin, however. Speedcafe has sought clarification regarding their absence.

It is understood that Rintoule and Hughes may return for the subsequent rounds at Sydney and Sandown.

The popular duo picked up their first race win at The Bend. A tough outing at QR followed, which included a disqualification from Sunday’s race that left them ninth in the Silver Cup standings.

While the Silver Cup loses a race-winning pair, the Silver-Am ranks are bolstered by the return of two championship-contending Ford Mustangs.

Aaron Seton and Jason Gomersall will be back on track in the #1 following a successful test day for the re-shelled car at Queensland Raceway.

Dean Campbell also returns having announced his withdrawal from the series prior to QR, this time with proven race winner Cody Burcher alongside.

With three rounds remaining heading into Darwin, tight championship battles are expected for all three classes.

Reigning champion Tom Hayman and co-driver Jett Murray enter Darwin with the Silver Cup lead, however just 17 points cover the top five.

Cameron McLeod/Mason Harvey, while yet to pick up their first win, sit just nine points away from the lead.

With three Mustangs in the top five, Hidden Valley’s signature 1.1km pit straight may play into the blue oval’s favour.

However, how the circuit’s unique blend of flowing sections, its tight hairpin, and the main straight affects different GT4 manufacturers remains an unknown quantity.

While Ryder Quinn sits comfortably atop the Silver-Am standings, the battle for second place is heating up.

Just 10 points covers second through fifth, and with third place Tony Quinn and Matt McCutcheon set to miss Darwin, Lachie Evennett/Andrew Torti and Caleb Patterson sit primed to move up.

The Am Cup has begun to morph into a two horse race, with the Method Motorsport pair of Chris Lillis/Nathan Callaghan leading the way by just 10 points over Gomersall Motorsport’s Glenn Walker.

Monochrome GT4 Australia Track Schedule (ACST)

Friday July 24
Practice 1: 2:45pm – 3:25pm
Practice 2: 4:40pm – 5:20pm

Saturday July 25
Qualifying 1: 10:10am – 10:25am
Qualifying 2: 10:35am – 10:50am
Race 1: 1:10pm – 2:10pm

Sunday July 26
Race 2: 11:30am – 12:30pm

GT4 Australia hits the track on Friday for a pair of practice sessions before qualifying and racing kicks off on Saturday and Sunday.

All of the Saturday and Sunday on-track action can be seen live on Fox Sports and Kayo.

Entry list: Monochrome GT4 Australia, Hidden Valley Raceway