The Shannons SpeedSeries will mark this weekend’s grand return to Shell V-Power Motorsport Park with a bumper three-day meeting for the 2024 Race Tailem Bend.

Returning to Tailem Bend for the first time since 2022, more than 25 hours of track time is scheduled for the highly anticipated fourth round of the Shannons SpeedSeries season, with over 100 competitors spread across seven popular categories.

Making up the event bill is the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered By AWS, Trico Trans Am Series, Monochrome GT4 Australia, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia, Precision National Sports Sedans and Meguiar’s Australian Production Cars.

Boasting the largest entry list for the weekend is Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia, with 32 competitors to battle it out for round two honours over three races, including the Jim Richards Endurance Trophy on Sunday morning.

Also holding their second round of the season are GT World Challenge Australia, GT4 Australia, Australian Production Cars and National Sports Sedans – all of which have star-studded line-ups with a good mix of regulars, returnees and new faces.

Like their season openers in Phillip Island last month, the 17 GT World Challenge Australia and 18 GT4 Australia entrants will each enjoy two one-hour races over the weekend, with one to occur on both Saturday and Sunday.

Australian Production Cars will also be switching to one-hour endurance races for its Shannons SpeedSeries outings, with four races spread across all three days.

As for Sports Sedans, it will run with its traditional format of qualifying and one race on Saturday and the remaining two races on Sunday, which is the same schedule TCR Australia will adopt for the event.

Rounding out the categories is Trans Am, which has the second biggest entry list of the weekend with a field of 19. The category will revert to the same four-race weekend it had at Symmons Plains, with two races on Saturday and two on Sunday.

Unlike the other five categories, both TCR and Trans Am will tip over the halfway point of their respective seasons this weekend as their title fights begin to heat up.

Adding to the excitement of the event will be the new opportunity for categories to run on the South Australian facility’s 3.41km, 12 turn West circuit for the first time, making it an even playing field for all.

The action begins early on Friday morning with Production Cars to kick off the weekend with practice at 7am ACST before wrapping up the day with its first race of the round at 5:35pm.

Saturday has an identical start and finish time to Friday with Sports Sedans to get the day underway and Production Cars the last session with its third race.

Sunday is a shorter day than the previous two with Sports Sedans once again opening proceedings at 7:30am local time and TCR Australia concluding the weekend with its third and final outing of the round.

Motorsport Australia General Manager of Motorsport and Events, Adrian Coppin was looking forward to the weekend.

We are pleased to return to Shell V-Power Motorsport Park for the first time since 2022 for what is one of our busiest weekends on the calendar,” Coppin said.

“There is a good mix of categories in action this weekend and I have no doubt that fans of all ages will be entertained every day – both at the track and from the comfort of their own home by the plus broadcast.

“A big thank you to all the volunteer officials have signed up to make sure this event runs smoothly. Without them, we couldn’t do what we do.”

Tickets for the event can still be purchased with plenty of options available via motorsporttickets.com.au, with day passes starting from $35 per person and weekend passes from $60.

Friday’s action is free for all ages, while children under the age of 15 can attend the event all weekend for free.

Fans who attend the event will also get the opportunity to meet some of the stars of the Shannons SpeedSeries, with Todd Hazelwood, Jaxon Evans, Josh Buchan, James Moffatt and Jayden Ojeda just some of the familiar names locked in.

Both signing sessions will take place in the Shell V-Power Motorsport Park Welcome Centre, with Saturday’s session to run from 11:05am ACST and Sunday’s from 12:05pm.

Those who can’t make it to the event can watch most of Saturday and Sunday’s action live and free via the 7plus broadcast, with the coverage to last from 10am to 4:30pm ACST on both Saturday and Sunday.

Sign up for a free 7plus account and watch previous rounds of the Shannons SpeedSeries.

The fourth round of the 2024 Shannons SpeedSeries season, Race Tailem Bend, takes place at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park on 31 May-2 June.