Mostert's cheeky response in the face of youth rush
David Reynolds, Chaz Mostert oldest drivers on 2026 Supercars grid
James Courtney, Will Davison and Nick Percat won't return in 2026
40-year-old Reynolds, 33-year-old Mostert now the elder statesmen
The headlines in recent weeks may have been dominated by several big silly season plays throughout the field, however Chaz Mostert and David Reynolds proved that the old dogs still have plenty of tricks to show.
The 2026 Repco Supercars Championship grid will take on it's youngest-ever complexion, with more than 1800 races worth of experience making way for the next generation of young stars.
All told, there will be five rookies in the field, the biggest crop of first-year drivers since 2018, with four of them coming direct from the Dunlop Super2 Series - including reigning champion Zach Bates and current series leader Rylan Gray.
With the likes of 2010 champion James Courtney, two-time Bathurst winner Will Davison, and 2011 Bathurst winner Nick Percat all on the way out, that will leave Reynolds as the oldest driver on the grid at 40 years old.
Amazingly, 33-year-old Mostert will become the second-oldest driver in the field, ahead of the similarly aged Jack Le Brocq.
Yet, when all was said and done at the end of Friday's action in Sandown, it was Reynolds and Mostert who led the way, the Team 18 veteran continuing a run of form that saw him go within a tenth of a second of claiming a second Bathurst win.
"I don't see Chaz as old," said Reynolds in the post-day press conference, to which Mostert thanked his former Tickford/Prodrive teammate.
Mostert is also in rich form himself, having got of to a dream start in the inaugural Repco Supercars Finals Series with a clean sweep three weeks ago on the Gold Coast, surging into title contention.
The WAU spearhead had fighting words for the incoming youth in 2026, suggesting that there would be no easy favours heading into the new season.
"Obviously we're first and second today, so if I was a team owner out there I'd be calling a few of the older generation boys and giving them a drive because we've still got it obviously," said Mostert.
For loveable larrikin Reynolds, it was more a sense of disbelief that he is set to become the elder statesman of the field.
"I can't believe next year I'm the oldest by a mile, it sucks. It's terrible," Reynolds joked.
"Nah not really, I don't care."
Reynolds and Team 18 will enter 2026 with GM homologation status, whilst Mostert and WAU will bring Toyota into the sport with the GR Supra, potentially with the #1 on the car.
Saturday's Penrite Oil Sandown 500 action begins at 11:50am AEDT with Boost Mobile Qualifying, followed by the Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout at 12:40pm. Race 30 will start at 3:20pm.
