The annual event will see Kent-engined Formula Fords back at the South Australian circuit on November 20-22 for the first time since 2014.

The announcement came after the Duratec-powered Australian Formula Ford Series calendar was released recently. Competitor enquiry turned to the annual marquee event for their Kent-powered forerunners.

In format for the event will be unique. It will start with Thursday free practice, Friday qualifying and heat racing into the twilight. The final that determines the ultimate AFF1600NATS winner will be run on the Saturday schedule.

In addition to this year’s social media takeover of the Formula Ford Australia accounts, there will be live and free to air coverage, with details to be revealed later.

The date locked in is after each of the four State Formula Ford Championships in West Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland will have been concluded as each has a Kent Formula Ford component. That should allow teams and drivers to focus solely on their Nationals campaign.

Event organisers will also search for some additional interlopers from other categories and from Formula Ford’s rich history of talent to join the party.

Visitors can take in all South Australia has to offer in the following week and rounded out the break with the Repco Supercars Championship’s season ending VAILO Adelaide Grand Final the next weekend.

The successful 2024 event was held at Morgan Park in Queensland. It won by West Australian Tom Chapman.

Mallala hosted the Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series several times through to 1992, and then continued with a near unbroken run of rounds of the Australian Formula Ford Championship from 1993 to 2006.

David Sieders in a Van Diemen RF04 scored the final AFFC round victory at Mallala with a Kent-powered car in 2005. The next year, Formula Ford moved from the Kent engine to the Ford Fiesta sourced Duratec.