Supercars’ loveable larrikin David Reynolds notches up his 500th race start in Taupo’s 200km Sunday finale.
Reynolds is one of many drivers to come out of the Sonic pathway by winning the Formula Ford and Carrera Cup titles.
Getting his start at Walkinshaw Racing, but really his breakthrough came at Kelly Racing after scoring top five finishes in what was previously unfancied entry.
Then came a move to Rod Nash Racing’s Ford Performance Racing aligned entry where he really excelled and nearly won the Bathurst 1000.
It was during this association when he secured his maiden race win on the Gold Coast and to ensure it was remember, Reynolds hit the Armor-All mascot with his own foam hammer in addition to throwing pot plants off the podium.
However, the making of Reynolds was at Erebus Motorsport.
Entering the team after its failed Mercedes program, Reynolds was along for the journey from the squad being a back marker to a consistent race winning operation.
A win at Bathurst in 2017 was icing on the cake for Reynolds after going through the hardships of the team’s development.
It marked the most successful stint of his career before moves to Kelly Grove Racing and Team 18, which has failed to return him to a consistent contender.
On the eve of his 500th race, Reynolds is matter of fact about the achievement.
“To be honest, I’ve been thinking about what 500 races means for a while and I still don’t really have a perfect answer,” he said.
“I guess it just shows I’ve been around a long time, I’m experienced, and I’ve been good enough at what I do to last this long.
“I’m really thankful for everyone who’s helped me get here. When I first started out, just making it to Supercars felt impossible. Now I’ve been here this long, it almost feels like my dream wasn’t big enough at the start. Once I got here, the goal became to win a championship, and I haven’t done that yet, so I’m still going. That’s probably what 500 races means to me.
“At the end of the day though, it’s just another weekend. Whether it’s 500 or 5,000 races, you turn up, do your job, drive the car as fast as it can go, make no mistakes and enjoy it, because you don’t know how long it’s going to last.”