Four big reasons why Ford can breach final frontier

Victory at Hidden Valley Raceway remains Ford's final frontier in the Gen3 era, but Darwin dominator Broc Feeney is laser-focused on another Triple Crown win.

Save for Ipswich, which only returned last season, Darwin has been Camaro country since 2023, with Chevrolet winning all eight races at Hidden Valley in the Gen3 era.

Of those eight races, Broc Feeney has won six, including the last five. Mark Winterbottom and Jack Le Brocq claimed breakthrough wins in 2023.

There has been no greater stronghold in the Gen3 era for General Motors than Darwin. Before 2025, Albert Park was also a happy GM hunting ground, but that was quickly turned around.

Strength in numbers

The numbers are stacked in Ford's favour, with 11 Mustangs racing against eight Camaros and five Toyota Supras. Of the 11 Mustangs, four have won races this year — Feeney, Brodie Kostecki, Matt Payne and Kai Allen — while former winners Cam Waters and Will Brown have yet to get on the board. Waters, Brown, Thomas Randle, James Golding, and Aaron Cameron have all been on the podium this year. Two of the three champions on the grid — Kostecki and Brown — are also in Fords. It goes without saying, the Blue Oval has the strongest crop of the field.

The Feeney factor

Ford's biggest asset for Darwin is Feeney himself. The #88 Red Bull Ampol pilot impressed on debut at the circuit in 2022, only missing a podium in the final laps. In the Gen3 era, he has a staggering race finish average of 1.4, with eight podiums from as many attempts, headlined by six wins.

Qualifying turnaround

No race this year has been won beyond the first two rows of the grid. Darwin has a particularly favourable record for wins from the front of the grid, so it bodes well for Ford should Mustang drivers continue their fine form in qualifying.

AGP was breached, and how

Critically, Albert Park was a Ford sweep, which completely turned the tables on the previous three seasons in the Gen3 era. Camaros went 11 from 11 between 2023 and 2025, leaving Ford feeling blue. Come 2026, Kostecki won three of four, with Feeney denying Kostecki a perfect weekend.

The verdict

Pardon the pun, but Feeney is feeling incredibly bullish about his hopes for the weekend. Ford has taken big strides in 2026 with 11 wins from 16 races. In contrast, Ford only won six races in 2023, eight in 2024 and 16 last season.

“We're taking Ford back to the top, and I think that's the plan for all of us Ford drivers,” Feeney said.

"But certainly for myself and everyone here at Red Bull Ampol Racing, we've had an unreal run. We've won the last five races [in Darwin], and we've been able to dominate the Gen3 era up there, which has been awesome.

"So for me, the goal is to go there and try and win the Triple Crown once again. But first thing's first, get back up on that top step."

Track action in Darwin commences on Friday June 19-21.

Ford wins in the Gen3 era

Correct to 2026 Tyrepower Tasmania Super 440

*Includes sprint and enduro results