IT is perhaps fitting that Jobe Stewart’s 2026 Repco Supercars Championship preparations will ramp up today at the very location that put his name on the map.

The 21-year-old is diving straight in for a rookie test on the first day that Supercars’ testing ban lifts.

Erebus Motorsport is taking the chance to run him at The Bend Motorsport Park, where Stewart shone in last year’s 500km enduro.

Of course, Stewart was already a Super3 champion and Super2 race winner by then, but it was an almighty impression to make on main game debut as a young co-driver peeling off overtakes on multiple full-timers.

Now, the #9 Camaro is all his.

“It will be good to back after racing there last year, and obviously it’s my home state in SA so that will be cool,” Stewart, who moved from Mount Gambier to Melbourne in the off-season, told V8 Sleuth.

“It has come up quick to be honest but the whole team is pretty ready and for me I’m just excited to get back in the seat and develop the relationship with Dan (Frencham, engineer) a bit more and kind of figure out how each other works.

“I’m sure we’ll learn more and more about each other throughout the year, so just gelling with him and working with the rest of the team and seeing how it operates from the driver’s seat.”

Besides being a useful opportunity to run through procedures and set-up changes, Stewart will get a headstart on understanding The Bend’s West layout that will be used this September (as opposed to the International Circuit last year).

“We actually had the International (layout) booked and then they changed it, so we had to do a bit of magic there,” he said.

“It will be good to drive on the West track. I probably prefer that track, it’s easier on tyres and also creates another passing opportunity. It breaks up all the sweeping corners with that tight hairpin.”

Jobe Stewart. Pic: Mark Walker

Oh, and the rookie is not shy on setting the bar high for the season ahead.

“A big goal would be to make finals. We saw that Kai (Allen) could do it last year so hopefully with a bit of luck and a fast race car we can aim for that,” he said.

“So that will be the goal from the start.”

Stewart’s teammate Cooper Murray will also attend The Bend today and will be permitted to cut up to 10 laps.