Hilltop Hoods headline Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600

Australia's premier hip hop band the Hilltop Hoods will feature in a Saturday evening performance to be included in the event ticket to the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600.

The multiple Aria Award winners will play the V8 Supercars event for the first time, performing hits as well as new songs from the soon to be released album, Walking Under Stars.

The Hilltop Hoods are just one part of the high octane event, with anewlong-term naming rights sponsor in Castrol EDGE, a reinvigorated trackside precinct and the biggest high energy entertainment alongside starring attraction, the V8 Supercars.

Gold Coast entertainment king Billy Cross will add his own touch to the event, with an exclusive over-18s Las Vegas style day club on MacIntosh Island, complete with a beach stage and all-day, world class DJs and celebrities.

Also returning for a night of high octane fun are Australia's biggest and most powerful drag racing machines for a two-hour adrenalin packed show on Friday evening.

The event has also invested in 770 additional grand stand seats around the track after they were completely sold out well in advance of last year's event and a completely refurbished corporate structure on pit straight with enclosed, air-conditioned suites on the bottom level.

The announcements of the Castrol EDGE sponsorship and the entertainment line-up were made at a who's who launch at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort and Spa this evening with internationally acclaimed DJ Brooke Evers giving the audience a taste of the pumped up party precinct.

The addition of the Gold Coast Light Rail, officially opened by the Queensland Government on Sunday, means that the event will become a one-stop package for all, in one place.

"As a major point of difference we have invested our resource and focus into providing the highest level of entertainment at-track that the event has had in many years, making this a must-attend event for all ages," V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said.

"With the Gold Coast Light Rail now online and servicing two stops right beside the track, this one-stop entertainment precinct has never been easier to get to.

"The drags have also been added to the program while not forgetting the real core of the weekend which is a crazy 600km of V8 Supercars on Saturday and Sunday as well as the Carrera Cup, V8 Utes and Aussie Racing Cars."

Gold Coast events legend Cross will bring some of the biggest names in entertainment and DJs to fuel the party which will house up to 2000 people at one time. The area, for over-18s, will be separated from the general public as a place where people can party in a likeminded environment.

Cross said the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 was the perfect backdrop for a high octane mix of the world's best motorsport and entertainment.

"My vision is bringing a Vegas feel to the Gold Coast," Cross said. "I really want to create that incredible festival vibe on track by giving people a dance party environment where they can have an awesome time in a cool location."

Tickets are available from as little as $30 for general trackside and $75 for a fan stand seat. At the corporate end of the spectrum there are numerous options available for the full experience on pit straight or in any of the VIP areas around the circuit.

Warburton said the return of V8 Superfest after its success of its first year was a great benefit for the community, with a raft of free and ticketed entertainment offerings leading into the event.

"V8 Superfest was an integral part of engaging the community last year and helped generate a 98 per cent level of awareness amongst the people of the Gold Coast," he said.

"This year V8 Superfest will be condensed with a focus on delivering the biggest and best community events we can, while retaining the highly successful elements of its' first year."

New to the V8 Superfest calendar is a Festival of Fuel and Fire in Surfers Paradise and a celebration of urban art and creativity that brings renowned visual, digital and urban artists together on the Gold Coast. More events are being planned for the V8 Superfest calendar in the coming weeks.

Also new to V8 Superfest is a Student Safe Driving program at the V8 Supercars Driving Centre at Norwell, a ute muster at Mudgeeraba and a Gear Up Gold Coast competition for local business and schools.

Returning is the V8 Superfest Parade followed by the hugely popular Tapas and Torque on Tedder, the Miss V8 Supercars program, the CIK Race of Stars at Pimpama, the runners' hot lap which attracted 500 competitors at last year's event, the V8 Billy Kart Derby at Burleigh and a V8 Utes charity golf day.

Click here for more details on the Castrol EDGE naming rights sponsorship.