AirTouch Karting Championship

Australia’s best as well as up-and-coming karters will showcase their skills while racing for trophies at The Bend Kartdrome during the AirTouch 500 at The Bend weekend.

Kart racing fans have their own chance to win a title and a trophy at the Supercars enduro event in September, with the 2025 AirTouch 500 At The Bend Karting Championship set to take place ahead of the main race.

The amateur competition on Sunday, September 14, will follow Round 5 of Kartsport SA’s 2025 calendar, which is attracting the best karters from across Australia to the track on Saturday, September 13.

Eleven classes will be contested during the round across MiniRok, junior, senior, tag and statesman with up to 30 karters starting in each class.

In what is expected to be Kartsport SA’s biggest event of the year, an optional practice will be held on Friday before four heats are held for each class on Saturday ahead of the final races.

Then on Sunday, the top 10 qualifiers from karting sessions booked at Mallala Motorsport Park as well as The Bend between July 25 and September 10, 2025, will be invited to compete in the Karting Championship.

Shell V-Power Motorsport Park officials will select another four wildcard entrants to compete in the 24-strong field for the championship, to be held on Sunday morning, September 14, during AirTouch 500 at The Bend.

Two semi-finals of five laps will be held before the 10-lap championship race. A five-lap consolation final will also be held for those who do not make it to the main race.

Participants can qualify for the championship through Arrive & Drive, All You Can Drive and group package karting sessions at either Mallala Motorsport Park or The Bend Kartdrome’s 1.2km circuit.

Any participant can race at either track as many times as they wish up to and including September 10 to try to qualify for the championship but only the top 10 fastest racers at each track during the designated period will be invited to compete.

Participants must be at least 14 years old, while tandem and junior kart racers cannot qualify. Further terms and conditions are available at thebend.com.au/karting or mallala.com/karting.  

“This is a unique chance for the best kart racers who compete at The Bend or Mallala Kartdromes to showcase their skills alongside the best Australian and international drivers racing across a variety of motorsport categories during AirTouch 500 at The Bend,” says Shell V-Power Motorsport Park CEO Alistair MacDonald.

“More than 50,000 race fans are expected to attend the AirTouch 500 at The Bend, with many expected to head to the Kartdrome over the three days to race their mates or all-comers themselves, as well as watch the racers battle for this championship.”

Shell V-Power Motorsport Park motorsport and operations manager Adam Brook says the Championship Finals are expected to be epic races.

“Just like the close racing that we see every day from kart racing fans on our Kartdrome tracks, the fastest lap times recorded to date have been extremely close, with less than two seconds separating the top times,” Brook says.

“Kart racers will have to be on the top of their game to get a chance to compete in the AirTouch 500 at The Bend Karting Championship.”

Trophies will be awarded in a special presentation to the top three finishers. The champion will receive a Gold Experience at The Bend, 2^nd will receive a Silver Experience at The Bend and 3^rd a Porsche GT3 Hot Lap experience at The Bend as prizes.

To make a booking for a karting session, visit thebend.com.au or mallala.com.