Sleepless Reynolds takes blame

A mentally battered David Reynolds has admitted a sleepless night has played a role in his mistake-prone qualifying effort in a "really good" car at the WD-40 Phillip Island SuperSprint this afternoon.

The Bottle-O Ford Falcon FG X driver was spun to last place by Tekno's Shane van Gisbergen in yesterday's opening 60km sprint and dropped from second to third in the drivers' championship as a result. Post-race a furious Reynolds confronted the New Zealander, telling him "you're dead to me bro".

Van Gisbergen was handed a 25 point penalty for the move, which Reynolds and the Prodrive Racing Australia team clearly believe is inadequate.

Reynolds has qualified eighth for today's 200km mini-marathon, while championship leader Mark Winterbottom is on pole in the Pepsi-Max Falcon, with primary pursuer Craig Lowndes second in the Red Bull Racing Australia Holden Commodore VF.

"The guys made a little change before my second set of green tyres and as soon as I started my warm-up lap I thought this thing is really good," Reynolds told v8supercars.com.au.

"My first lap I ran off the exit of two, then I went around again and the next lap I sprayed it at four, so I just did a bad job really myself."

Reynolds revealed how much yesterday's drama had affected his preparation.

"I didn't get much sleep, I was pretty wired.

"It does play on your mind. I don't get really furious or really angry, it's not like me. Usually I just sweep it under the carpet and try and move along.

"But it's a bit too late for that isn't it?"

Reynolds said he would now have to try and focus on the race and put Saturday's incidents behind him.

"I have got to," he said. "I cannot get involved in my own hang-ups out on the track. If I owe someone back I don't have to pay him back this year or next year. It can come whenever.

"It is going to be tough, really tough, especially when Mark is on pole and Lowndes is up the front.

"But championships aren't won and lost in this race they are won and lost over the year.

"It just made it really hard yesterday, mentally as well."