Emotional Klimenko on being a Supercars champion

Erebus Motorsport owner Betty Klimenko was full of emotion having seen her team rise from being a “squashed bug” to Supercars champions.

A decade on from entering Supercars with three Mercedes in 2013 on the streets of Adelaide, Brodie Kostecki has pushed Erebus to the ultimate glory at the same circuit.

Being the first team other than factory backed heavyweights Triple Eight, DJR, Tickford and Walkinshaw’s HSV Dealer Team to win the drivers championship since SBR in 2005, it is one for the underdogs.

Erebus is the little team that has overcome the big boys and the leader throughout its entire journey has been Klimenko.

She was on cloud nine after achieving something herself and many others did not think was possible.

“This is very surreal,” Klimenko told Fox Sports.

“It is something you strive for but when people say what would you rather win, Bathurst or a championship? I always say Bathurst because it is obtainable. Being a privateer we didn’t think a championship was ever obtainable.

“But now we have done it and it just shows all the others that you can do it and you don’t need to be factory backed and can do it on your own.

“They said I could not do it and I was stupid to go into V8s and I would be squashed like a bug

“Yeah at the beginning we were squashed a bit but it was Barry (Ryan) who changed it all and two years later we won Bathurst.

“That was 5 years after we arrived and now another 5 years later we have won the championship and I am so proud.

“I hope that my father, mother and brother are all watching from up there and we are proud of you too.

“I look at all these faces in the garage and think ‘well done Betty’.”

It has not been a simple road to the title for Erebus, having arrived from the GT world in 2013 with three Mercedes E63 AMGs that finished no higher than 15th in the opening race.

However, the project carrying the three-pointed star only lasted 3 seasons after scoring just 2 wins in that period.

In 2016 the entire team moved to Melbourne and started racing Holden Commodores with Barry Ryan at the helm.

A year later the changes started bearing fruit with a special Great Race glory at the hands of David Reynolds and Luke Youlden in the rain.

By 2018 the team appeared ready to fight for a championship with Reynolds but could not keep up with Triple 8 and DJR.

After the double departure of Reynolds and Anton De Pasquale, Erebus reset in 2021 with Kostecki and Will Brown and the youngsters have risen with the team to the front of the grid.

Last year Erebus did not win a single race, but nailed Gen3 and won 12 in 2023, 4 more than the previous 10 seasons combined.

With the drivers championship secured, Erebus has the chance to take out the teams title as well on Sunday.

Klimenko could not describe how much she loves each member of her team of champions.

“There is nothing that I can say that tells you how much I love this team,” she said.

“We are literally like a family and tell each other how bad we are and throw things at each other, but we are all one.

“Yeah it took us a while and our pit stops were crappy but we overcame everything. 

“We are the underdogs and now I have to believe it really did happen.”

Kostecki himself said there is an extra bit of satisfaction knowing he has given Klimenko her first Supercars crown.

“Betty has been a part of this since she started this venture 13 years ago and for myself to deliver her first championship is something I am never going to forget,” he said.

Image: Mark Horsburgh

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