Sign in Subscribe

HANDS UP

HANDS UP

Close to 100 hopefuls have registered for the Mustang Cup in 2026.

With less than 30 cars available for the new one-make series it already appears to be a winner.

The vast number of 'hand raisers', who are considered as warm leads for anything new in the car world, has surprised everyone involved in the series – from Ford Australia and car builder Multimatic to local sales agent Andrew Miedecke and Driving Solutions, which will promote and manage the series.

It is all adding up to a $6 million boost for Australian motorsport.

And, potentially, a new pathway to Supercars.

The full field of Mustang Dark Horse R race cars will compete six times on the Shannons SpeedSeries calendar next year, with a start in March and the finale in November.

There are also hopes that the feisty Fords could eventually star on the Supercars' undercard.

Early details of the Mustang runners points to a $350,000 pricetag and relatively affordable running costs – at least compared with the exotic and pricey Porsche Carrera Cup contest.

Ford sees its new series as plugging a gap between the Toyota GR Cup Series for entry-level 86 coupes and the Carrera Cup.

"Our goal is to build a series that is not only thrilling for fans but also provides a professional, accessible, and rewarding environment for drivers," says James Stewart, the director of Driving Solutions.

"The Mustang Dark Horse R is an incredible piece of machinery – a pure-bred race car that we believe will deliver some of the most exciting and competitive racing in Australia.

Cam McLeod already has first-hand experience of the Mustang Cup, after winning two races on the supporting program for the Le Mans 24-Hour race.

He and the small group of 'gentleman' drivers who raced at Le Mans, including Miedecke and David Wall, all reported good things about the competition and driving enjoyment in the cars.

Organisation for the Mustang Cup will be in the hands of experienced category manager Liam Curkpatrick.

The dates for the 2026 championship are:

1. March 27-29 – Phillip Island

2. May 8-10 – Shell V-Power Motorsport Park

  1. June 12-14 – Queensland Raceway
  2. July 24-26 – Hidden Valley
  3. September 18-20 – Sydney Motorsport Park
  4. October 30-November 1 – Sandown