Todd Hazelwood will make a shock return to the full-time fold in place of Brodie Kostecki at Round 1. Can the 2017 Super2 champ deliver for Erebus?
Todd Hazelwood appeared set for a stint on the sidelines in 2024, only to be called up to stand in for Brodie Kostecki at the first round.
Last year, he raced with Blanchard Racing Team and scored a season-best fourth in Perth, but eventually departed the team, which has signed on James Courtney and Aaron Love.
Hazelwood returned to Matt Stone Racing in 2022, having completed two seasons with Brad Jones Racing. He shifted to BRT, and scored a top four in Perth before ultimately making way for James Courtney and Aaron Love.
In 2020, Hazelwood claimed a maiden podium in Sydney and a maiden pole in Townsville, with the young gun battling at the front with aplomb.
The South Australian native has risen through the ranks since starting in karting in 2003, with the Hazelwood family well-known for their sausage sizzle fundraising efforts.
Hazelwood won numerous titles in both dirt and sprint karting before progressing to Formula Ford and Formula 3.
During his 2013 Formula 3 season, Hazelwood won the reality television series Shannons Supercar Showdown, landing a test driver role with Ford Performance Racing for ’14.
He also embarked on his first full Dunlop Super2 Series campaign with Matt Stone Racing in 2014, guiding an FG Falcon to an impressive eighth overall.
From there, he rose to fourth in 2015, third in ‘16 and finally, champion in ’17.
Hazelwood and MSR together rose to the main game the following season but had a torrid time of it, placing last in the standings as they switched mid-season from an ex-DJR Team Penske Falcon to a Triple Eight-built Commodore.
With lessons learnt and new hardware secured, the combination took big steps forward in 2019, headlined by qualifying fourth at Townsville and finishing fifth at Pukekohe.
He was forced to fight for his future though as MSR opted to go a different direction.
A new home presented itself at BJR, with Hazelwood stepping into the #14 Commodore previously driven by Tim Slade. He scored a podium in Sydney and pole in Townsville, and remained at the team for another season.
He returned to MSR in 2022, with the Super2 title-winning combination brought together once again. However, it only lasted a year, with Hazelwood joining BRT for the first season of the Gen3 era.