Television personality and motorsport enthusiast Grant Denyer swapped the television studio for the driver’s seat at the 2026 Custom Lithium Don River Dash.

After a full day behind the wheel, it was clear the experience had left its mark. “I sent it flying, got drenched in river crossings, sand in my bits and a smile that won’t leave my face,” Grant said. “The Don River Dash was epic. The people, the terrain, the location — everything was amazing.” He described the event as a “mega event” with a cool course and some of the most fun you can have in a car. For someone more accustomed to the racetrack than the riverbed, the constantly changing terrain, water crossings and sand provided a very different kind of driving challenge.

Grant’s participation added another dimension to the eighth running of the Don River Dash, putting him alongside experienced off road competitors and giving him a genuine taste of race weekend. After racing in the major sponsor’s car on Saturday, he swapped the driver’s seat for the commentary booth on Sunday morning, entertaining the crowd with a recount of his adventure and sharing insights from his own experience on the course. He also spent time meeting competitors, crews and supporters, embracing the atmosphere around the paddock and getting to know the people behind the event.

While Grant arrived at the Don as a motorsport enthusiast keen to try something new, he left having experienced much more than just a day of racing. The challenging riverbed course, the relaxed atmosphere, the passionate competitors and the community that comes together around the event all made an impression. And if his reaction after his first taste of the Don is anything to go by, it may not be his last.