"VAN" (Sports Desk - 25.08.2026) :: The Alice Springs Toyota Desert Nationals is looming as an important early battleground in the 2026/2027 ANDRA Regional Sportsman Series, with the season-opening event carrying extra weight as a double-header weekend.
With rounds one and two to be decided across August 29-30 at Alice Springs Inland Dragway, along with bonus points, the Desert Nationals offers competitors an immediate chance to build momentum while putting pressure on rivals from the very start of the championship chase.
That significance also stretches beyond the ANDRA title fight, with the event also carrying weight for racers contesting the NDRC Sportsman Championship, adding another layer to an already important weekend in Alice Springs.
ANDRA Chief Executive Officer, Tim McAvaney, said the double-header format ensured the Desert Nationals would quickly help shape the early championship picture.
“The Desert Nationals is always an important event in the context of the season, but having two rounds in one weekend, plus bonus points, makes it especially significant,” McAvaney said.
“It gives competitors the opportunity to bank points early and build momentum straight away, but it also means there is immediate pressure to perform.”
Beyond the points on offer, McAvaney said the setting and atmosphere of the event continued to make Alice Springs one of the sport’s standout venues.
“Alice Springs remains one of the most unique events we have on the calendar,” McAvaney said.
“It asks a lot of competitors to get there, but that is also part of what gives it its character.
“The racers who make the trip know they are part of something special, and the event has built a strong identity because of that.
“And this year, with the (non-championship) Red CentreNATS following the very next weekend and Desert Nationals competitors receiving free entry into its Heavy Hitters drag racing program, there is the even more incentive for racers to make the most of their trip to the Red Centre.”
Competitors across multiple brackets are heading to Alice Springs with very different goals – from launching title campaigns and tackling category, vehicle, and venue debuts to chasing milestone moments, comebacks, and plain old fashioned fun in the desert.
“This is what you want from a weekend like this,” McAvaney said.
“You want strong competition across the brackets, meaningful championship implications, and an event that feels important from the very first round.
“We have a massive season coming up with 13 points paying events and a fantastic mix of eighth mile and quarter mile facilities across the country.
“We can’t wait to see the season begin with the incredible energy Alice Springs Inland Dragway and the Desert Nationals are known for.”
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