The Wakefield 300’s reputation as one of the most diverse endurance races in Australia will be cemented this weekend at One Raceway, with no less than 13 different car brands set to take part in one of the marquee events at the nation’s spectator track.
Mazda will be the most prolific manufacturer on the grid, with a total of nine entries headlined by the rapid turbocharged MX5 of Jackson Copeman/Harrison Cooper that dominated last year’s Sydney 300.
The rest of the Mazdas are mostly MX5s of various generations and in various states of tune, such as the MX5 Mania entry to be driven by rising open-wheel star Paige Raddatz, who will share driving duties with her father David and brother Zac.
Toyota is also well-represented in this year’s field, with five 86s to take part. Four of those 86s will be run by MC Corsa - the motorsport division of Sydney-based McCarroll’s Automotive Group. As a result, their 86s will be driven by some familiar names including former NSW Formula Ford Champion Will Powers and Ferrari Challenge front-runner Antoine Gittany.
The Toyotas won’t be the only cars run by MC Corsa - they will also oversee trackside operations for the Maserati Trofeo of defending Wakefield 300 winners Mark Hudders and Lachlan Mineeff. Mineeff is set for a hectic weekend - he will leave One Raceway on Saturday afternoon to race a Sprintcar at Western Sydney Speedway on Saturday night.
Other manufacturers likely to be in the mix for outright victory include Honda, Mitsubishi and BMW.
Honda’s entries consist of a pair of always-rapid BYP Racing Integras, along with a Civic for brothers Aaron and Matthew Giuntini, who will be desperate for redemption after their heartbreak in the 2025 race, when their Civic suffered a front hub failure when they were leading just six laps from home.
One Raceway owner Steve Shelley and his son Jake will be hoping their Mitsubishi Evo X can deliver them to the top step of the podium, while in the BMW camp, Alex Holtzl is expecting recent tyre-related performance gains will put him in contention for an overall win.
Other brands in the field for the 2026 Wakefield 300 will be Ford, Volkswagen, Porsche, Subaru, Nissan, Lexus and - appropriately given it is also One Raceway’s official Safety and Course Car supplier - Hyundai.
The Wakefield 300 will be supported by the budget-friendly Excels and Pulsars, some Italian-bred machinery in the Alfa Romeo East Coast Challenge, and a cameo appearance from the predominantly Victorian-based BMW E30 Racing Series.
The full entry lists and event schedule are available HERE.
Spectator admission this weekend is free, with spectators encouraged to tune into 88.0FM for trackside circuit commentary.
The Wakefield 300 will also be live streamed on Blend Line TV Premium HERE.
