IT won’t just be fresh-faced up-and-comers getting a crack at Erebus Motorsport’s Supercars evaluation day next week at Winton.
Renowned for talent-spotting prowess, Erebus will give its academy-aligned teenager Oli Wickham his latest shot at steering a Supercar in the wake of his Toyota GR Cup title triumph.
Joining him in sampling the #9 Camaro on Tuesday December 9 will be two drivers more than double his age: Glen Wood and Elliot Barbour, who are regulars in Trans Am and Carrera Cup respectively.
Wickham will also turn laps for Grove Racing, which has recently released Oscar Targett from its own junior team.
“They’ve spotted Oli Wickham as well and they’re going to give him a go in the morning and we’ll give him some laps in the arvo,” Erebus CEO Barry Ryan told V8 Sleuth.
“I’m fine with that, I spoke to Steve (Grove) and we’re all about young drivers, but both our teams probably haven’t got a spot for anyone for a couple of years.
“It’s still good to just try to keep making sure they’re recognised and we know we’re there at.
“Blake Tracey we were going to use, but Blake is doing Groves as well. So we sort of had the same two drivers in mind, and the Groves are going to use Blake for the day.
“Then I’ve got Glen Wood and Elliot Barbour. They might sound a bit random but it’s more that I really want to see how guys like that at their level, and they’re both hard battlers, they really deserve an opportunity.
Elliot Barbour in action. Pic: Ross Gibb
“I’ve known them both for 10-15 years, so I see what they do as privateers and Glen particularly in Adelaide, I don’t know if giving him an evaluation day inspired him (to a race win last Saturday) but he picked up his game and so did Elliot!
“It will just be nice to give those guys some laps and give them the opportunity to see what they can do, as much as us.”
Grove and Erebus will field the youngest set of teammates (by combined age) in the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship.