The spectacle of supercar racing was almost eclipsed by the spectacular cars themselves at the Indigenous round in Darwin last weekend.
For the Repco Supercars Championship annual Indigenous Round at Darwin Triple Crown, Supercars, Indigenous artists had come up with new livery for all 26 Gen3 race cars.
And the Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros looked brilliant at Hidden Valley Raceway.
Teams had worked with Indigenous artists and organisations across Australia for the art-meets-sport project, which was complemented by several programs aimed at engaging Indigenous communities and young people.
It was the 25th anniversary of the first supercars race at Darwin and the first for the Gen3 cars, which are new this year.
Credit: Supplied
THE CARS
Brad Jones Racing/Pizza Hut Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
The goanna (Googar) totem on the Brad Jones Racing car is an important totem for the Wiradjuri people. It represents the finding of strength, physically and emotionally. Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation Elders Working Group devised the artwork in collaboration with Pizza Hut Racing. A spokesperson for the team says: “The circles represent the meeting places of Albury-Wodonga and the arches symbolise the hills surrounding the twin cities. Wavy blue lines on the design signify the Murray River, which separates Albury-Wodonga, and the symbols that look like an E on the side are the goanna’s tracks.”
Tickford Racing/Snowy River Racing
Ford Mustang GT
Artist Jedess Hudson dug into the nomadic spirit of Indigenous people for this Ford Mustang GT. “The livery serves as a powerful representation of not only the way of life for Indigenous communities, but their strength, resilience and deep-rooted spirituality,” she said. Driver James Courtney said: “Jedess has evoked a sense of movement and freedom, symbolising the nomadic spirit that has been an integral part of Indigenous culture for thousands of years. That spirit and freedom was also embodied in the Snowy River Caravans’ brand. It’s fun, adventurous and the artwork on the car for Darwin reflects exactly that.”
Grove Racing/Penrite Racing
Ford Mustang GT
The cars told the stories of the freshwater crocodile and wild honey country of Darwin-born artist Lorraine Kabbindi White, Ankung Kunred did Wild Honey Country and Modjarrki did Freshwater Crocodile. The wild honey country design shows Kabbindi’s family’s Mok clan country in the Territory’s Arnhem Land. There are many honey dreaming sites along the Liverpool River, and the white colour represents bees.
Then come the freshwater crocodiles. “We use two names for the freshwater crocodile — Kumoken and Modjarrki,” she said. “Modjarrki is the long-nosed crocodile, different from the short-nosed Kinga saltwater crocodile. The Modjarrki are seen in the flowing water high in the stone country, they formed part of the traditional diet and don’t bite people.”
Triple Eight Race Engineering
Chevrolet Camaro ZL
Nine young team members from Racing Together collaborated on the design — with the car’s roof representing the a “meeting place”. Racing Together is a not for profit, privately funded organisation designed to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youngsters aged between 12 and 16 get a start in motor racing, as either a driver or member of a team. At the centre of the roof design was the Racing Together logo. Two rivers and two Earth pathways flow out to the wheels. The bonnet highlights a “meeting circle” which represents the original 10 members of the Racing Together team. A team spokesperson says: “The Larrakia totems of sea eagle, brown snake and crocodile, and footprints of local animals have also been integrated into the design. They are a tribute to the Larrakia people, the traditional custodians of the Darwin region.” Former Holden designer Peter Hughes then interpreted the artwork to create the car’s livery.
Tickford Racing/Tradie Racing
Ford Mustang
Emerging Indigenous artist Jedess Hudson created an artwork, which was focused on ancestors; skills as resourceful craftsmen and women. “Our people had a deep understanding of (the) environment,” she said. “They developed sophisticated techniques for hunting, fishing, toolmaking, shelter construction and resource management. I guess you could say they were the first ‘tradies’.”
Brad Jones Racing/Middy’s Electrical
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Hometown racer Bryce Fullwood’s car had a bright pink livery designed by Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation Elders Working Group, in collaboration with Middy’s Electrical Racing. The aqua green symbol signified the elders in the community.
Matt Stone Racing/Truck Assist Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Reconciliation inspired Rhonda Sampson’s artwork. A Kamilaroi woman, her artwork Under the Stars included the four pillars of a Reconciliation Action Plan — respect, relationships, opportunities and governance.
Premiair Racing/Nulon Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
The Gen3 Camaros wore the designs of Larrakia artist William Hewitt, who belongs to the Wadjigan/Yawuru/Karajarri/Bard clans. Called Sun Bliss Vibrations, the red on Tim Slade’s and James Golding’s cars signified the sun burning with energy lines, flowing in current reflections on the dusty earth. “The white represents heatwaves and clouds being pushed about by our deadly humidity and the colour-black vibrations stand for our rich culture and acknowledging the Indigenous Round 2023,” Mr Hewitt said.
Tickford Racing/Castrol Racing
Ford Mustang GT
The story behind the livery was personal to driver Thomas Randle. Designed by Cairns artist Jedess Hudson, it captures Randle’s journey, his support network, and his dedication to raising awareness for better access to cancer treatment and support. Thomas is a member of the Victorian Youth Cancer Action Board and an ambassador for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, working to help young cancer patients. “This livery represents not only my own story, but also the stories of countless others who have faced challenges and fought their way back to what they love doing,” Randle said. Every day around five Indigenous people are diagnosed with cancer.
Walkinshaw Andretti United
Ford Mustang GT
Chaz Mostert’s Mustang was dressed by Kamilaroi artist Rhonda Sampson. Optus commissioned the artwork, Connected Communities, to reflect the company’s commitment to reconciliation.
And reconciliation was the inspiration for the artwork for driver Nick Percat’s car. Sydney artist Rhonda Sampson’s artwork Under the Stars.
Hino Trucks
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Artist Leah Cummins was inspired by the importance of the land, songlines and bora rings in Indigenous culture for her artwork, Travelling on Country. Grey lines represent roads, showing the modern way of travelling, while orange lines highlight ancient pathways travelled for generations. Leah is a Mayi woman from north-west Queensland.
Brad Jones Racing/SCT Motorsport
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Goomeroi/ Kamilaroi woman Elenore Binge was inspired by Australia’s rail history and reconciliation — the art depicting Mother Earth, with the blue lines as her veins, representing rivers and waterways. There are railway tracks and black and white hands symbolise the ongoing journey of reconciliation.
Brad Jones Racing/R&J Batteries Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
The car’s livery symbolises the community work of the Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation, based in the 13 towns and communities in the Ovens Murray region. Wavy dot lines symbolised the hills and four major rivers in the Ovens Murray region — the Murray River in Albury-Wodonga, Ovens River and King River in Wangaratta and the Broken River in Benalla.
Team 18/Dewalt Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Artist Chern’ee Sutton, a Kalkadoon woman from Mt Isa, in Queensland, focused on support, passion and hope of fans. At the heart of the design was a sun with the community symbol in the centre representing the wheels and the yellow sun rays signifying race tracks and circuits. Kangaroo and emu footprints represent the drivers and racing teams — moving forwards, never backwards. “The boomerang signifies the teams and their supporters returning year after year to compete and the dots in the background symbolise the spectators and supporters,” Chern’ee said.
Tickford Racing/Monster Energy Racing
Ford Mustang
Cairns artist Jedess Hudson drew inspiration from driver Cam Waters’ name and his connection to his hometown Mustang. In collaboration with Tickford Racing and Monster Energy, Jedess Hudson created an artwork inspired by that connection to Mildura in Victoria, and the Aboriginal spirituality associated with the land.
She said the artwork showed the fluidity, power, and ever-changing nature of water, reflecting the nature of motorsport. “Water also holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning for many Indigenous peoples. It represents life, purity, and regeneration,” she said. “By incorporating the element of water into the artwork the team is paying tribute to the region and traditional owners of the land that Cam is so proud to represent.”
Dick Johnson Racing/Shell V-Power Racing Team
Ford Mustang GT
The livery for the Shell V-Power Racing Team was by contemporary Aboriginal artist Zoe Raymond and inspired by the 2023 NAIDOC Week theme, “For Our Elders”. The songlines in the artwork represent the passing on of knowledge at Dick Johnson Racing (DJR) by former racing driver Dick Johnson and other motorsports mentors. Zoe is a Yindjibarndi/Pinikura woman born in Perth and raised in Queensland. She lives in Turrbal/Jagera country in Brisbane.
Erebus Motorsport/Coca-Cola Racing by Erebus
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
In collaboration with Coca-Cola Racing by Erebus, the car artwork was by Gunditjmara and Tiwi Islander artist Kiewa Austin-Rioli. Linea and patterns along the rear and front guards of the Chevrolet Camaros represented the team’s racing journey with the people symbolised by white semi-circles.
Triple Eight Racing/Red Bull Ampol Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
The driver was at the heart of the design by Warumungu artist Brock Compton. In The Spirit of the Driver, kangaroo tracks represent the paths and challenges of a driver’s career, from the early days to Supercars Championship. Brock, from Ambrose Treacy College Clontarf Academy in Brisbane, said that at the bottom of the artwork were the followers and supporters of racing, with the dots symbolising the spirit of the driver. “These dots are what bring everything together, from the family to the car and the track,” he said.
Credit: Supplied