Reynolds exhausted after steering wheel drama

Steering wheel dramas left David Reynolds exhausted en route to second place in Race 31.

Reynolds raced to second in the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 opener behind Shane van Gisbergen.

The Penrite Racing driver started from pole, and was passed for the lead on lap 15 by van Gisbergen.

Reynolds kept van Gisbergen within reach after the first stops, but quickly dropped behind.

The root cause was a faulty steering grip, which began to come loose.

The issue ensured Reynolds had to balance keeping with van Gisbergen with the thought the grip would come loose.

Penrite Racing changed the steering wheel on the #26 Ford at Reynolds' second stop.

He fell into the clutches of Chaz Mostert late on, but managed to retain second position.

It was the 37-year-old's first podium since he finished second at Winton in May.

A gassed Reynolds was later accompanied by medical staff to the drivers’ press conference.

“I’m exhausted,” a blush-faced Reynolds said in PIRTEK Victory Lane.

“We put a new steering wheel in in practice because it had a new grip.

“It started coming loose; you brace yourself so much in these cars under brakes and through the chicanes.

“I just started to wiggle a bit, and I was bloody nervous it was going to come off entirely.

“The boys tied it up at the stop, and didn’t lose a second.

“A bit on… I’m cactus.”

Reynolds ended a 16-race wait for a podium, which was made all the more sweeter following his Bathurst heartbreak.

The eight-time race winner didn’t event turn a lap in the Great Race following an early crash.

“It’s been a great day for us,” he said.

"To get a podium and a pole position is a fitting reward for all the hard work done by the team to have my car ready.

“That was one of the hardest races I’ve ever done, 85 laps around here is tough work.

"I really felt the heat in that one. I’m totally smashed.

"I did my best to keep van Gisbergen behind after the start of the race but just couldn’t match his car pace.

“My steering wheel started coming loose and it hurt my lap times. I was glad to hang on for P2.

“Backing up tomorrow will be a real test."