The circuit measures 2.870 km in length with 14 corners. Its most prominent feature is the main straight, which runs for 1.1 km and rewards cars with strong top-end power. The wider layout features flowing, sweeping bends through the infield that demand good mechanical balance and aerodynamic downforce, creating a demanding combination of high-speed straight-line work and technical cornering. The drag racing track runs parallel to the main straight, forming the centrepiece of the broader complex.
In 2021, the Australian International Drag Racing Association announced the establishment of an annual Australian Drag Racing Championship, with the Hidden Valley venue selected as one of five national circuits to host a round in the series' inaugural season.
V8 Supercars races have been held at Hidden Valley Raceway since 1998, with the first event in July of that year. The annual Darwin event is consistently scheduled in late June or early July to take advantage of the Northern Territory's dry season, when temperatures are cooler than the wet season that dominates the remainder of the year. Racing in the tropical dry season gives the Darwin event a distinct identity compared to circuits in the temperate southern states.
The event has carried the name Darwin Triple Crown, with the Triple Crown award presented to the driver who achieves the fastest time in the top ten shootout and goes on to win both races across the race weekend. The 2008 event was voted the V8 Supercar Event of the Year by the championship's community.
The Supercars Championship weekend in Darwin has historically been accompanied by support series that vary across years. Australian National Trans-Am Series and Porsche Carrera Cup Australia are current support classes at the annual June Supercars event. The GT World Challenge Australia runs a separate festival event at the circuit in July. The Motocross World Championship's MXGP of Australia visits Hidden Valley in September, exploiting the complex's purpose-built motocross facilities.
Former events include rounds of the Australian Drivers' Championship, the Australian Formula Ford Championship, the Australian Superbike Championship, the Touring Car Masters, the V8 Ute Racing Series, and Stadium Super Trucks. The S5000 Australian Drivers' Championship visited in 2022.
Darwin's geographic isolation in northern Australia and its small population base make the Darwin round of the Supercars Championship one of the most logistically distinctive events on the calendar. The proximity of the circuit to the city centre — just 10 km — along with the compact but complete facilities of the Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex, enables a concentrated event that draws strong local attendance despite the modest scale of the surrounding metropolitan area.