Season highlights: First V8 Supercars win for Erebus

It was a mammoth task for Stone Brothers Racing to morph into Erebus Motorsport and run three Mercedes-Benz E63 AMGs for 2013, when the New Generation V8 Supercars debuted.

Hours of blood, sweat and tears went into building the cars over the off-season break -and once they were on-track, the team continued to push to try and match their competitors.

The first year was a tough one, particularly for seasoned driver Lee Holdsworth who experienced five consecutive DNFs across the Townsville and Ipswich events -this time one year ago.

But fast forward and Holdsworth now has a win under his belt in the E63, having made history for the Betty Klimenko-run Erebus squad earlier this year at Winton.

New teammate Will Davison scored a podium finish at last event the Castrol Townsville 500 -Driven by TAFE Queensland and the team is in a new phase of life, ready to challenge as the ever-important endurance rounds creep up.

For Holdsworth, the Winton victory is not just a season highlight, but one of the best moments of his V8 Supercars career.

"I told our CEO Ryan (Maddison), I just want to go home tonight and party, because this is the best feeling I've had in a very long time, probably the most emotional moment and I'll never ever forget it," Holdsworth said of the Saturday race win.

For the 31-year old, it was a relief to get a run on the board and follow on from his last win, which had been Sydney 2010 with Garry Rogers Motorsport. He has spoken out about the rough ride 2013had been many times.

"2013 was really, really tough.The driver carries a lot of influence in the workshop and in a race team, and it's really difficult to keep getting beaten down and keep my chin up, and press on and keep positive.

"We came out with a much better car this year and we were able to capitalise on it far earlier in the season than we thought we'd get it."

Holdsworth, who qualified fourth in the race, was in the game from the word go and in the closing laps chased down and passed Lockwood Racing's Fabian Coulthard, who had secured a win earlier that day.

With a 1.45 second margin, the Erebus Merc sailed into the history books as it crossed the line.

"I got my first podium (and) my first race win with Erebus, and they were things I needed to tick off the list and get the monkey off my back," Holdsworth said.

"I'd been there (the team) for quite some time... To get rid of that was a massive relief!"

Holdsworth currently sits 14thin the Championship, behind his teammate Will Davison in 13th, as the V8 Supercars head to the Coates Hire Ipswich 400 from August 1-3.

Was his win at Winton your favourite moment of the 2014 season so far?

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