Bathurst winner David Reynolds will not only join a new team in the form of Team18 for the 2024 Repco Supercars Championship season, but will be backed by TRADIE Beer.
Entering the sport through support of Tickford Racing rookie Declan Fraser in 2023, TRADIE was also ousted due to the Ford squad downsizing to two entries for this season and will make the switch to the Charlie Schwerkolt-owned squad.
Reynolds replaces Scott Pye for 2024, who in turn takes up a role as one of Red Bull Ampol Racing’s co-drivers for the endurance events.
It’s a big switch for the eight-time Supercars race winner as he departs Grove Racing after three seasons and in turn the squad’s major backer Penrite, which has backed Reynolds since he joined Erebus Motorsport in 2016.
Finishing the 2023 season with four podiums on-the-trot including victory on the Gold Coast ensures Reynolds arrives at Team18 in good form as he joins fellow veteran Mark Winterbottom at the Melbourne-based operation.
“ I’m really excited to partner up with Tradie Beer as my major partner with Team 18 and jump in a Camaro and hopefully win some races in 2024,” Reynolds said.
“I am really excited to partner up with Tradie Beer and have them on my Camaro. I like drinking beer, I like having fun, and they sort of go hand in hand, so it’s going to be an exciting year.
“I’m really looking forward to starting a new chapter. I’ve been with my last team for three years, so I’m starting something fresh. I’m in a Camaro now, so it’s going to be a little bit different for me, but I’m really looking forward to getting to know everyone at the team, understand how they work, see what knowledge I can bring and see how far we can get up the grid and win some races.
“I’m really looking forward to partnering with Frosty [Mark Winterbottom] again. I haven’t done that for a long time, but we stayed friends over that time, it’s going to be really fun.”
TRADIE will not only be naming rights partner, but will be the workwear supplier for Team18 as the burgeoning business continues to build.
“We’re absolutely pumped to team up with Team 18 and David Reynolds taking the wheel of the TRADIE Beer Racing Camaro for the 2024 Supercars Championship,” said TRADIE Founder and CEO Ben Goodfellow.
“It’s an exciting new relationship for us, joining an up and coming team on the rise, and our TRADIE Workwear will be a slick addition to gear up the team for success on track and in every tough job they tackle.
“David’s not just another racer, he’s a rockstar of the pit lane and one of the top characters in the paddock, so we’re really excited to join up with him. He’s a perfect fit for the way we showcase our brand, we’ll be sure to have some fun with him and the crew this year. His recent successes have us all hyped up to see what he can bring to the team as they enter a new era in 2024.”
Reynolds is set to appear for the first time in TRADIE colours at the Supercars official test day at Winton on February 7, with Schwerkolt welcoming the new association.
“We’re thrilled to welcome TRADIE Beer onboard as major backer for David Reynolds in 2024,” said Schwerkolt.
“TRADIE are proudly Australian and aren’t afraid to do things differently and have a bit of fun, so it’s a perfect fit to pair up TRADIE with Dave for what I’m sure will be an exciting year ahead on and off the track.
“We’re also proud to gear up with TRADIE as the Official Workwear Partner of Team 18, fitting our team in style in the workshop and all over the country during the 2024 championship.
“We can’t wait to show off the TRADIE Beer Racing Camaro soon as we as we prepare to make a strong start in the upcoming season.”