In conjunction with Stewart’s shift, Toyota 86 front-runner Jarrod Hughes has joined the Erebus Academy to drive the Image Racing Super2 entry.

Hughes has raced in 86s for the past two seasons, winning the Kaizen Award and scoring more pole positions than anyone else in 2022, as well as appearances in V8 SuperUtes and TA2.

“Competing in the Super2 Series with Image Racing and Erebus Academy is an exciting new chapter in my career,” he said.

“Alongside Jobe, I am eager to get to Bathurst for the first round of the 2024 season.”

Stewart has been part of the Erebus Academy since he was a 12-year-old kart racer back in 2017.

His rise to Super2 coincides with the return of Jack Le Brocq to the Erebus fold in one of its Coca-Cola Camaros.

Le Brocq is a former Academy driver who will now share the garage with Brodie Kostecki, winner last year of the teams’ first Supercars drivers’ and teams’ championship titles.

CEO Barry Ryan remarked, “The Erebus Academy has lent its support to many notable drivers, including Jack Le Brocq, Richard Muscat, Adam Marjoram, Anton De Pasquale and Will Brown to name a few.

“The fact we have Jack returning this year as a Supercars race winner is a testament to the importance of creating pathways to develop young talent – both on and off the track.

“Jobe is still only 19 years old but last year he showed exactly what we saw in him at 12. He has all the hallmarks of a future Erebus Champion and that is exactly what the Academy is about.

“It’s great to welcome Jarrod to the Academy. The Super2 category is extremely competitive and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the two of them go this year.”

This year will be the second in which Erebus directly enters Super2, having fielded Jack Perkins in its ZB Commodore in 2023.

The 2024 Super2 Series starts at the Thrifty Bathurst 500 on February 23-25.