Points tighten as The Bend looms

The Trans Am Cup Series returns to Shell V-Power Motorsport Park this weekend for Round Five of the 2026 season, supporting the Repco Supercars Championship's AirTouch 500, September 11-13.

Former series champion Nathan Herne holds a slender eight-point lead over 2025 TA2 champion Jarrod Hughes, while Todd Hazelwood, who will be on double duties with DJR, sits a further eight points back in third.

With only three rounds remaining in the 2026 Championship, Blake Tracey remains a threat in fourth place, seven points adrift of Hazelwood, while 2023 champion James Moffat rounds out the top five.

19 year old Tracey who hails from Albury said, "I'm very confident heading into this weekend. I had a strong round at Queensland Raceway, taking home the round win there. I had my first Trans Am round win at The Bend last year — we're on a different circuit this year, so I think the racing is going to be intense, but I know I've done well here in the past, so I'm excited to see what we can do."

After a scary brake failure on the final turn of the final lap of the final race at Queensland Raceway, Ben Bargwanna has repaired the Hangcha/Red Rooster #97 Mustang and hopes to repeat the pace that should have seen him on the podium.

Elliot Barbour returns for Marcos Ambrose Motorsport after sitting out Queensland Raceway, while two local South Australian drivers — former TCM champion Joel Heinrich and Aussie Cars stalwart Scott Dornan — both make their Trans Am Cup Series debuts.

Also making his first Trans Am Cup Series appearance will be Toyota Scholarship and Formula Ford competitor Isaac Demellweek, who joins Terry Wyhoon's Image Racing for the event — the Dunlop Super2 team's first foray into Trans Am Cup Series competition. TA2 rookie, Walkinshaw TWG driver, and GR Cup competitor Pip Casabene will drive for Maverick Performance in the #10 Mustang normally driven by Tim Blanchard, who is away on business in Germany.

Jarrod Hughes will be another driver on double duties as he prepares to co-drive with Erebus Motorsport and Jobe Stewart in their Camaro Supercar, but he's also determined to regain the Trans Am Cup Series championship lead and reapply the orange numbers to his own Chev Performance Camaro.

The 21-car field will feature 10 Mustangs and 11 Camaros, with drivers from GR Cup, Formula Ford, Aussie Racing Cars, Supercars, TA2 Muscle Cars, V8 SuperUtes, and Dunlop Super2 all competing across three 30-minute races to complete Round Five of the 2026 Championship.

Fans can watch Round Five live on Fox and Kayo Sports.