Experienced racer Craig Baird will replace Aaren Russell at Erebus Motorsport this weekend, steering the #4 Hungry Jacks Commodore at the Coates Hire Ipswich SuperSprint.
Erebus team manager Barry Ryan confirmed on Inside Supercars tonight that Baird will take the reigns of the team’s second entry after Aaren Russell severed his relationship with the Melbourne-based squad.
“I can confirm we’re going to put Craig Baird in the car,” Ryan told the Inside Supercars. “We’ve got an experienced head to put in the car, he gets on well with Davey [Reynolds], they’re like brothers almost.”
Last month the team announced the Kiwi racer would re-join it’s co-driver line-up for the PIRTEK Enduro Cup, pairing with David Reynolds in the #9 Penrite Holden.
Driving the #4 entry this weekend in the Championship will be a boost to Reynolds and Baird’s endurance campaign, panellist Mark Skaife said.
“This will make a big difference to how competitive Craig Baird’s going to be,” Skaife said. “This is a smart move.”
Baird has been racing a Scott Taylor Motorsport AMG in the Australian GT Championship this year and last raced a Supercar in 2014, where he joined Lee Holdsworth at Erebus for the enduros.
The 45-year-old will reacquaint himself with the Supercars environment on Friday at the Coates Hire Ipswich SuperSprint, taking to the track for Practice 1 at 2.30pm.
