'What an a***hole': Reynolds teases Payne over last lap contact
David Reynolds challenged Matt Payne on final lap for Bathurst win
Reynolds and Payne made contact at The Cutting on 161st and final lap
Payne won despite crossing line behind James Golding, who had a penalty
For a fleeting moment, David Reynolds looked set to pull off a final lap pass to win the 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000.
In a race for the ages, Payne raced from 18th to win on Sunday with Garth Tander, helping Ford claim its first Bathurst win since 2019.
It was a staggering performance from both Payne and Reynolds, with the latter claiming a shock podium with Lee Holdsworth and Team 18.
With leader James Golding carrying a penalty over earlier contact with Cooper Murray, the battle for the win boiled down to a last lap shootout between former teammates Payne and Reynolds.
After Golding got through, Payne had to hang on, and Reynolds threw everything on the line into The Cutting. Reynolds ran high, and got into position to take the lead.
Payne closed on the TRADIE Energy Chevrolet and held on, the two cars making light contact.
After the race, Reynolds quickly sought out Payne, the two embracing. In the post-race press conference, the Team 18 driver had no issue with the move, but in typical Reynolds style, teased his old mate.
“I’m actually like, pretty exhausted, exhilarated, proud of everyone. I’m also a little bit pissed off that Matt tried to put me in the fence on the last lap,” Reynolds teased.
“What an arsehole, hey, you wanker… mate, to be honest, I would’ve done the same anyway. I can’t see in my mirrors… yeah, bullshit.”
In response, Payne quipped: “It’s the Bathurst 1000."
It was more stressful for Reynolds’s co-driver Lee Holdsworth, who nearly added a second Bathurst win to his 2021 triumph.
Holdsworth joked that he “felt sick” several times in the closing laps, and hailed the efforts of Reynolds.
“I’m too old for this shit,” 42-year-old Holdsworth laughed.
“To be watching the last part of the race from the pits is not fun at all, I felt sick so many times just going, man can this just be over.
“I know that Dave is such a great steerer, I had full faith in him… we were within a cooee of the guys at the front, and Dave mowed them down.
“It was just incredible."
The season resumes on the Gold Coast on October 24-26. Tickets to the first Elimination Final are on sale now.
