It was a rapid rise to the development series for Matt McLean, who also plays bass for Melbourne band The Crookeds.
A karting ace, McLean won the Australian Kart Championship in 2016, was runner up in 2017 and claimed the title for a second time in 2018.
He also combined with Team 18 co-driver James Golding to win a karting endurance race in 2018, defeating the likes of Chaz Mostert, Nick Percat, Cameron Waters, Michael Caruso, Anton De Pasquale and Andre Heimgartner.
The karting enduro win helped McLean receive an offer to race a Supercar for the Erebus Academy with Image Racing.
In 2021, Eggleston Motorsport handed McLean his Super2 debut, and he didn't disappoint.
McLean was a standout talent in his first year as a Super2 driver, with the Victorian scoring a number of Rookie of the Round awards.
He finished fifth overall, and was recognised with the Mike Kable Young Gun Award.