Reynolds determined to buck 'nightmare' Supercars curse

No driver has ever won their 500th race, and while it seems a tall order for David Reynolds, the milestone man is determined to undo previous efforts.

The Team 18 driver will become just the 13th driver in ATCC/Supercars history to record 500 race starts when he lines up for the ITM Taupō Super 440 finale.

Reynolds is the first since Shane van Gisbergen in 2023 to reach the milestone, and just the sixth in the last six years.

Race No. 500 has been a hard one to tame for drivers. Just four drivers have finished on the podium in their milestone race, while four missed the top 10 altogether.

Russell Ingall was first to the 500 in 2012, before Craig Lowndes turned his 500th start into a Bathurst podium in 2013. Former flatmates Jamie Whincup and Will Davison finished second in their 500th starts, which remains the best result by a driver in their milestone race.

Nearly 20 years on from his debut, Reynolds is hopeful he can avoid a 500th to forget.

“I never would've imagined doing 500 races in the sport when I set out to do it,” Reynolds told Supercars.com.

"The majority of the time it's not the ones you win that you remember the most. It's the ones that you've suffered pain, misery, and drama that sort of stick around in your head the longest.

“Obviously winning Bathurst, that's a big one. In my head, it’s not so much races, but laps I've done. Like, when you put like the best lap of your life together and you're on pole position, that's a good feeling.

“Statistically the 500th race is a bit of a nightmare. They say no one does any well in your 500th race, so I've got to buck that trend."

Like those before him, Reynolds’ 500th comes against the backdrop of speculation over his future, although the 2017 Bathurst winner admits winning is the best tonic to banish questions.

Reynolds will be the last ‘Mr 500’ for some time, with Chaz Mostert the next most experienced driver on the grid with 389 starts.

What matters most to Reynolds, is that he still loves what he does, adding: "That's the funny thing about this sport — you’re 500 races in, yet you're still learning so much about the track, the tyre, the set-up, the Gen3 car, this and that.

“This sport is forever changing and it never stays still. You feel like you can just keep going into the abyss about driving.

“You’re always trying to improve on your last performance. That’s why I love to do what I do, because you're forever trying to be better.”

Most ATCC/Supercars Championship races

Correct to 2026 Melbourne SuperSprint

*2026 full-time driver

^2026 co-driver

How each driver fared in their 500th ATCC/Supercars race starts