In an effort to bring the Ford Mustang Dark Horse R to a global audience, The Blue Oval introduced a one-make series built specifically around the track-ready pony car. Enter the Mustang Cup, which is expanding to Australia in 2026 to give racers a surefire way to enter motorsports under the Ford banner.
Mustang Cup Australia is the first single-make Ford series fielded outside of the U.S. The Blue Oval is partnering with Driving Solutions to make the series happen in 2026, and it’s open to drivers with plenty of experience – or none at all. Ford describes the series as a proving ground for emerging Australian motorsport talent, offering a pathway to Mustang GT4, Supercars Championship, or Mustang GT3 racing in the future.
The Ford Mustang Dark Horse R will race in the Shannons SpeedSeries weekends, which will be sanctioned by Motorsport Australia. Driving Solutions is the regional licensing partner, and its director, James Stewart, brings over two decades of motorsports and automotive industry experience to the table. Ford Australia and Driving Solutions have collaborated since 2005 for various projects.
Each race weekend will have up to three 30-minute practice sessions, along with two 15-minute qualifying sessions, and finish up with two 40-minute races. Multiple drivers will be able to share a single Ford Mustang Dark Horse R over the course of the weekend, a concept that is unique to series Down Under.
“Adding Mustang Cup Australia will create a feeder system not only for us at Ford but also throughout most of the continent’s motorsports landscape,” Ford said in a statement.
Through the Ford Mustang Dark Horse R and the Mustang Cup Australia, Ford Performance continues a longstanding relationship with the country. Blue Oval models have long raced on Australian circuits, dating back to the 1960s. The Ford Mustang currently represents The Blue Oval in the Supercars Championship, while the Mustang GT4 holds down the fort in the Monochrome GT4 Australia series.
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