Announced in Adelaide on Wednesday by South Australian Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison and circuit CEO Dr Alistair MacDonald, the event will mark the first Supercare enduro at Tailem Bend and will be the only long-distance race on the calendar outside of the iconic Bathurst 1000.
The naming rights have been secured by AirTouch, a South Australian company specialising in smart climate control systems for homes and businesses.
Minister Bettison said the partnership was the perfect fit for one of the state’s premier regional events.
“It’s fantastic to see a global company, proudly based right here in Adelaide, getting behind one of South Australia’s most significant regional events,” she said.
“The AirTouch 500 at The Bend will drive tens of thousands of visitors into the Murray River, Lakes and Coorong, boosting local tourism, hospitality and the wider economy.
“It’s a brilliant showcase of South Australian innovation and our capacity to deliver world-class motorsport experiences.
“It’s especially exciting to see an Adelaide-based company investing in regional tourism and helping bring the dream of an Enduro round at The Bend to life.”
The event, set for September 12–14, will feature three days of on-track action, culminating in a 500km, 100-lap race on Sunday.
Supercars will be on track across all three days, with extra practice sessions and qualifying as teams and drivers adapt to the unique challenges of a longer race format.
Supercars CEO Shane Howard said the race would play a major role in shaping the 2025 championship.
“It’s exciting to have The Bend open the Enduro Cup in 2025,” he said.
“With the championship on the line and the first endurance race of the year, it’s going to play a critical role in shaping this year’s title fight.
“The Bend is a world-class circuit, and we hope fans get behind the event and enjoy what’s set to be a thrilling weekend of Supercars racing.”
Matt Stone Racing’s Nick Percat said he was eager to tackle the new format at his home event.
“I’m looking forward to going there because it is something different and it’s obviously a world-class venue, so I’m hoping having it as an endurance venue, it puts on a good show for Supercars,” he said.
“Pit stops will be even more crucial than in the past, as drivers and co-drivers swap while the race goes on.”
Adding to the weekend’s racing will be the return of the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour, which will again race alongside the domestic TCR Australia Series. Seven global manufacturers will be represented, with more than 20 international teams and over 200 competitors heading to Tailem Bend.
This year’s event represents a major shift from previous years, with The Bend having previously hosted sprint rounds between 2018 and 2023. While an endurance event was originally scheduled for 2020, it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organisers now expect over 50,000 attendees and more than 3,000 campers across the weekend.
Regarded as one of the most advanced racing facilities in the Asia-Pacific region, The Bend was developed by Sam Shahin and Yasser Shahin of the Peregrine Corporation and opened in 2018.
Of the seven Supercars sprint races held at the venue, Shane van Gisbergen holds the record for most wins with three, one ahead of Scott McLaughlin. Brodie Kostecki won the most recent race there in 2023.
Supercars returns to the track this weekend for the NTI Townsville 500, running July 11–13.
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