The Shannons SpeedSeries will light up Sandown International Raceway this weekend with six national categories to grace the popular circuit for three days of jam-packed action.

Regular categories including the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, National Trans Am Series, Kumho V8 Touring Car Series and the combined Mobil 1 Australian Production Cars (APC) and Monochrome GT4 Australia will all return after rounds at Queensland Raceway, while Australian Formula Open and MARC Cars Australia join the Shannons SpeedSeries bill for the first time this year.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at motorsporttickets.com.au

Each category will take to the track for their usual two practice sessions, one qualifying session and three races – with the exception of APC and GT4 who will have just one practice session and four 30-minute races across Saturday and Sunday.  

The combined series returns off the back of a thrilling Fight in the Night race last month and will field the largest grid of the weekend.   

A strong field of 22 cars will battle it out across its four races, with Iain Sherrin (APC) and Shane Smollen (GT4) both eager to extend their leads at the top of their respective classes.  

View the full schedule here

The National Trans Am Series will also have two races on Saturday for the first time this year, with a short turnaround between the two races expected to add some spice to an already entertaining product.

Two teammates will continue their exciting title battle with the GRM duo of James Moffat and Lochie Dalton separated by only 13 points at the top of the series standings, but will have the in-form Tom Hayman and Elliot Barbour hot on their tail as the two privateer entries try and further implement themselves into the title picture.

The category will field an impressive 19 cars made up of Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros and Dodge Challengers - with the inclusion of Nash Morris and Dunlop Super2 Series driver Elly Morrow headlining a handful of returnees and series debutants to feature at the Springvale circuit.  

The Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series will hold its final round before the TCR World Tour arrives down under in November, and with only one point separating HMO Customer Racing teammates Josh Buchan and Bailey Sweeny at the top, it's bound to be a thriller.  

This weekend will also see two iconic family names reunite with Clay Richards making his debut in the Hangcha Forklifts Peugeot 308 TCR alongside Ben Bargwanna under the GRM banner.  

The Kumho V8 Touring Car Series will see a season-best entry list compete across the three days, with the inclusion of Derek Hocking and Andrew Cook certain to shake things up in the midfield pack.

Meanwhile, Jamie Tilley will be eager to further close the gap to series leader, Jude Bargwanna after the latter was knocked off the top step of the outright podium for the first time this year at Queensland Raceway.

Australian Formula Open will compete in Victoria for the first time in its inaugural season and will see a great mix of F3 and F4 cars in action.  

The outright title could be on the line with Trent Grubel currently holding a 21-point lead over Ryan How, while AGI Sport young-guns Brodie Norris and Kristian Janev will continue their own intriguing battle as they currently sit equal on points with two rounds remaining.

The other category to join for the first time this year will be MARC Cars Australia, who will field all three category specifications including MARC I, MARC II and the new MARC GT.  

Series owner, Geoff Taunton will pilot the stunning blue MARC GT 001 and will go head-to-head with the green and white 002 driven by John Goodacre. But while the GTs will be the centre of the attention for most, both MARC I and II classes are certain to put on an entertaining display of racing as they have done thus far in 2023.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at motorsporttickets.com.au

Spectators will be treated to a fan-friendly schedule across the three days, with more than 20 hours of on track action planned while early finishing times allow for a perfect day out for motorsport loving families.  

Friday will feature a mammoth 15 sessions, kicking off with the National Trans Am Series’ first practice session at 9:15am AEST and running all the way through to the conclusion of its qualifying around 4pm AEST.

Saturday will feature similar track times, while Sunday’s action will resume at a slightly later time of 9:50am AEST and run through to the conclusion of Race 3 of Supercheap Auto TCR Australia.

As always, Stan Sport will provide live, on demand and ad-free coverage of the event on Saturday and Sunday, with Saturday’s broadcast kicking off at 11am AEST – just in time for Race 1 of the combined APC and GT4 category.

Sunday’s Stan Sport broadcast will begin with Race 2 of the Kumho V8 Touring Car Series at 11:20am AEST, before the rest of the day’s action gets underway running through to the final Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series race at 4.15pm AEST.

Don’t have Stan Sport? Sign up for a 7-day free trial here.  

With free entry on Friday and for children aged 15-years-old or young all weekend, single-day tickets from $30, weekend passes from $55, the event offers a thrilling family-friendly spectacle for affordable prices at the home of horsepower.

The sixth round of the 2023 Shannons SpeedSeries season will take place at Sandown International Raceway on 8-10 September.