David Reynolds in vintage form in Gold Coast opener
Reynolds claimed runner-up finish after inspired strategy call
Team 18 yet to announce driver plans for 2027
A second podium of the 2026 Supercars season couldn't have been better timed for David Reynolds, nor was it considered by many to be a possibility.
Starting 14th in what turned into a rolling start, Team 18 made an inspired strategy call to bring in Reynolds after just nine laps, giving him clear track in soaking wet conditions.
The 2013 Gold Coast winner made the most of it, charging forward into effective P2 off a massive undercut, and despite needing a long drink of fuel at his final stop, jagged second when second on road Matt Payne was slapped with five seconds for track limits.
Reynolds' second runner-up finish of the season came at an important juncture in his career, with Team 18 yet to announce that he will continue on full-time next year.
It was proof that on his day, Reynolds still has what it takes to be one of the sport's elite, despite admitting he had no answers for dominant winner Chaz Mostert. When asked if the podium renews his drive to continue on full-time, Reynolds told media: "Of course it does, you wanna race all the time.
"When you drive cars like that, it makes our job heaps easier, so I'm just lucky or thankful that I had a good car today, and I was able to maximise it.
"Of course, if I can have more days like that, then my job becomes a lot easier."
The call to drag Reynolds out of the pack immediately paid dividends, with the #48 Snowy River Chevrolet the fastest car on track early by some distance. It was night and day to running around in the mist, with Reynolds admitting he could barley make out where the track was in his short opening stint.
"Starting 14th, having no idea where the track was at the start because there was so much spray, the first couple of laps I was hugging the right hand side fence, just so I could see some reference point," Reynolds said.
"I was too scared to go in the middle in case I lost all my reference points. I'm glad they pulled me out of the traffic and got clean air, and my car was actually really good.
"I knew it was going to be good based on Practice 1, we had a pretty speedy car straight up in the wet, so I just put everything I could together and getting P2 is pretty good."
It was a strong day for Team 18 on the whole, Anton De Pasquale finishing fourth and extending his Finals safety margin to 77 points.
The final day of the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 begins with Boost Mobile Qualifying at 11:20am local time/12:20pm AEDT.
