The Bend 500 officially unveiled, global series headlines undercard

The newest enduro on the Supercars calendar has been officially launched, with The Bend 500 unveiled at an event at The Bend Motorsport Park.

Having been confirmed to host a 2025 enduro in November last year, it was confirmed that the South Australian venue would host the pre-Bathurst enduro when the 2025 calendar was officially revealed before Bathurst.

The Bend 500 will be run from September 12-14, 2025, and will be the first race of the revived Enduro Cup as part of the revamped season format that is set to shake up the Repco Supercars Championship in 2025.

Having missed a spot on this year's Repco Supercars Championship calendar, The Bend joins Queensland Raceway in being added back to the tour in an expanded 13-round season.

The Bend will become the sixth different venue to host a Supercars Championship endurance race, and will be the third to host a pre-Bathurst 500km race following Queensland Raceway, Sandown, and Phillip Island.

Supercars CEO Shane Howard welcomed the addition of the The Bend back to the calendar, and says that making The Bend an endurance race will add to the challenge of winning the Enduro Cup.

“We are delighted to be bringing Supercars back to The Bend in 2025, and to do so with an endurance race is icing on the cake. Our previous seven events at The Bend have already treated us to a list of memorable moments, and I have no doubt that we will add to that list in September of next year," Howard said.

“Adding The Bend as an endurance race ensures that the winners of the Enduro Cup – which returns in 2025 – will have conquered some of our fastest and most challenging circuits over our longest distances, making it a fitting challenge to our competitors.

“I would like to thank the Shahin family and the whole team at The Bend for welcoming Supercars back, and we are all eagerly looking forward to hitting the track at The Bend 500 in 2025.”

Managing Director of The Bend Motorsport Park and long-time Porsche Carrera Cup competitor Sam Shahin also welcomed the announcement, which also confirmed the FIA TCR World Tour as a headline act on the undercard.

It will be the second time the global touring car category will visit Australia, having raced at Sydney Motorsport Park and Bathurst in 2023, whilst it is the first confirmed TCR round at a Supercars event since the 2021 Bathurst 1000.

The 2021 Bathurst 1000 was the final round of that year's TCR Australia Series, whilst next year will be the first time that the global TCR series will race alongside the Repco Supercars Championship.

Current Repco Supercars Championship leader Will Brown starred in the previous Australian rounds of the FIA TCR World Tour, scoring two wins at Sydney Motorsport Park in 2023.

“I welcome Supercars back to the best permanent circuit in Australasia. It’s a win for the sport; it’s a win for the competition, and most importantly – it’s a win for our devoted fans who will see the best form of endurance (and exciting) racing at our iconic venue," Shahin said.

“The combination of a challenging 500km endurance race and a support category list that boasts the best of the best not only from Australia, but from the globally respected FIA TCR World Tour will make for a sensational event in September 2025.”

This won't be the first time that there has been an endurance event held at Tailem Bend, with the Asian Le Mans Series having visited the circuit in early 2020 on the longer GT Circuit.

The addition of another marquee South Australian event to the Supercars calendar is welcome news to South Australian Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison MP, with The Bend 500 joining the revamped VAILO Adelaide Grand Final in 2025.

“We have seen the events program at The Bend go from strength to strength, and now the eyes of the racing world will be on South Australia for the inaugural The Bend 500," Bettison said.

"Not only has the state-of-the-art facility secured this major Supercars endurance race, but it will welcome close to 50,000 people over the next two weekends thanks to the Spring Nationals and The Bend Classic.

"Bringing thousands of people to the Murray River, Lakes & Coorong tourism region and injecting valuable dollars into the local businesses – from accommodation to hospitality and the petrol stations – is exactly why our State Government continues to support these popular events.

"Fans from across the state and country, now is the time to lock in your tickets and book your trip to our mighty Murray River, Lakes & Coorong region.”

For reigning Super2 champion Kai Allen, The Bend 500 will be a special occasion where he'll compete in his first enduro as a full-timer in Supercars, where he'll drive for Grove Racing. Allen grew up three and a half hours away from Tailem Bend in Mount Gambier, and is eager to compete in front of his friends and family.

“To compete at what’s effectively my home track in what will be my first full-time season in Supercars is a huge thrill," Allen said.

“I cannot wait to get here for the start of the enduro season next year in front of my home crowd and look forward to putting on a show for the fans in what will be a fresh enduro challenge for not only myself but the entire grid.”

The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship will resume at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 on October 25-27. Tickets for the event are on sale now.

Live coverage can be found on Foxtel, with live streaming available on Kayo. The Seven Network will take free to air coverage. International viewers can follow all the action on Superview.