Supercheap Auto Racing will begin its 2026 endurance campaign when Craig Lowndes and Bayley Hall join forces for this weekend’s AirTouch 500 at The Bend.
The opening round of the Ryco Enduro Cup will mark Hall’s second Supercars Championship appearance after the Queenslander made his solo debut at his home event at Queensland Raceway last month.
Hall held his own against the championship’s full-time field at Ipswich and recorded a best finish of 18th across his maiden Supercars weekend.
The AirTouch 500 at The Bend will now provide the next step in his development as he shares the No. 15 Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet Camaro with seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner Lowndes for the first time under race conditions.
Lowndes will continue his mentoring role throughout the weekend, helping Hall develop his understanding of endurance racing and the processes required to compete at the highest level.
The 500-kilometre event is regarded as an important rehearsal for next month’s Bathurst 1000, allowing drivers and teams to refine their driver changes, pit stops, strategy and communication before the Great Race.
This weekend will also provide an additional challenge for the entire Supercars field, with The Bend enduro to be contested on the shortened West Circuit at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park for the first time.
The event arrives during a significant week for Australian motorsport, marking 20 years since the passing of Peter Brock.
Lowndes, who shared a close personal and professional relationship with the nine-time Bathurst winner, is preparing for his 33rd start in the Great Race next month. That appearance will take him beyond Brock and into outright second on the all-time list of Bathurst 1000 starts.
Three practice sessions will be held on Friday, with Hall and Lowndes both set to complete valuable running. Saturday features two further practices before qualifying and the Top Ten Shootout, while the 147-lap AirTouch 500 will begin at 1:45pm ACST on Sunday. All the action can be viewed live on Fox Sports and Kayo.
QUOTES
Craig Lowndes – Driver, No. 15 Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
“It’s hard to believe it has been 20 years since Peter’s passing. Like most people, I still remember exactly where I was when I heard the news.
“We’ll head to Bathurst this year celebrating who he was and what he stood for. I was fortunate enough to win the inaugural Peter Brock Trophy, which will always be incredibly special, but I’d still much rather have him here with us.”
“Peter and I grew up in the same area here in Victoria. We went to the same high school and played football for the same club, so there were a lot of similarities in our backgrounds.
“I was lucky enough to meet Peter before I became a Supercars driver, and then had the opportunity to partner him when I joined the Holden Racing Team.
“I learned an enormous amount from him, particularly away from the track. He could climb out of the car after a difficult result, put a smile on his face and still give his time to the fans. That lesson has served me well throughout my career.
“I’m really looking forward to the weekend. There has been a big build-up to the endurance season and everyone at Team 18 has been working incredibly hard.
“Anton and Davey have been doing a fantastic job flying the flag for GM, and I’m excited to get behind the wheel of the Supercheap Auto Racing Camaro with Bayley.
“We want to give Bayley the best possible platform to show what he can do. All three cars will work closely together throughout the weekend and, hopefully, we can come away with a one-two-three.”
Bayley Hall – Driver, No. 15 Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
“After letting the dust settle from Queensland Raceway, I’m even more excited to get back in the car and share it with Craig.
“We had a really positive test day at Queensland Raceway, which gave the entire team confidence that we’re heading in the right direction with this program.
“The 500 is effectively a rehearsal for Bathurst and it will introduce me to all the one-percent details that need to come together to achieve a result in Supercars endurance racing.
“Our rookie test day didn’t go completely to plan and I didn’t complete as many laps as we would have liked, so I’ll knuckle down and focus on learning as much as possible every time I’m in the car.
“Sharing the car with Craig will be important when it comes to tuning it throughout the weekend. Our driving techniques appeared quite similar from the first laps we shared, so his experience and feedback will be critical in getting the Supercheap Auto Racing Camaro up to speed.”
SCHEDULE
2026 AirTouch 500 at The Bend
All Times ACST
Friday 11 September
8:15am, Brake Session (20 mins)
11:25am, Practice 1 – All Drivers (30 mins)
1:45pm, Practice 2 – Additional Drivers (30 mins)
3:40pm, Practice 3 – All Drivers (30 mins)
Saturday 12 September
9:50am, Practice 4 – Additional Drivers (40 mins)
12:00pm, Practice 5 – All Drivers (40 mins)
2:45pm, Qualifying – Race 29 (30 mins)
5:00pm, Top Ten Shootout – Race 29 (30 mins)
Sunday 13 September
10:15am, Warm-up (20 mins)
1:45pm, Race 29 (147 laps/500km)