Stewart stars on debut
By Andrew Clarke
Date posted: 24 September 2025
Cooper Murray and debutant Jobe Stewart converted were one of the leading combinations at The Bend’s AirTouch 500.
While the numbers tell a story, there is plenty to talk about in the execution of the young pairing.
In addition to rising prospects for a Bathurst win, Stewart did plenty over the weekend to make a case for a full-time in the #9 Erebus car next season.
The team switched its starting plan late, handing Murray the opening stint to remove pressure from Stewart’s first Supercar launch, leaving Murray one out among many co-drivers.
“It was his first Supercar race, so the call was to let me start,” Murray said. “Jobe was nearly as quick as me in race trim, so we knew he could hold his own against the primaries and he showed that today.”
The approach worked, with Murray carving through early to sit fourth by the first pitstops and then Stewart kept Erebus in the fight once the main drivers cycled in.
For Stewart, it was a composed first day at school. The Erebus Academy graduate, elevated into the enduro pairing this year alongside Murray, said the car came alive after an early tyre drama at Turn 1.
“The second stint was pretty faultless,” he said. “I was catching Thomas Randle and hanging on to a few of the other guys. For my first race in Supercars, it was pretty good.” Stewart said. “Cooper did a great job carving through early and putting us in a great position.”
Asked if he felt he belonged among the category’s front runners, Stewart said the helmet blinkers were on during the heat of battle, but the names on the timing sheet landed later. “You do your job and stay consistent. Thinking about it afterwards, it is pretty cool who I was racing against.”
On the bigger picture, he was clear about the opportunity in front of him. “We have had a couple of chats about next year, and these enduros are the best way to show I am ready for a drive. I will keep doing my job, and Barry [Ryan] can talk to me when he is ready.”
Erebus has been quicker at Tailem Bend in recent seasons and, as Stewart pointed out, the team’s package should translate even better to Mount Panorama.
The squad’s Bathurst platform last year was the benchmark with Kostecki and Hazelwood, and the Murray-Stewart seventh on debut shapes as a timely step forward for a group rebuilding momentum.
Image: peter Norton
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