Reynolds stars in Tasmania as Murray hits early trouble
David Reynolds tops opening Tasmania practice session
Reynolds and Team 18 teammate Anton De Pasquale both in top three
Session interrupted by early red flag for Cooper Murray off
David Reynolds has commenced his charge to fight back into Finals contention, setting the fastest time in an action-packed first practice at the Tyrepower Tasmania Super 440.
Through 25 interrupted minutes of practice, the #20 Snowy River Caravans Chevrolet emerged fastest of all, and by an impressive margin at the pint-sized Symmons Plains Raceway.
Reynolds beat Brodie Kostecki by 0.13s at the 2.4km Launceston circuit, with Anton De Pasquale making it both Team 18 Camaros in the top three.
The biggest headaches were down at Erebus Motorsport, with Cooper Murray undone by a steering failure on his out-lap. The #99 TotalEnergies Camaro went off into the Turn 2 gravel, triggering a lengthy red flag.
The likes of Macauley Jones, Ryan Wood, Chaz Mostert and Andre Heimgartner all ran long at the hairpin, while Reynolds and Cam Waters locked up at Turn 2. Jackson Walls, meanwhile, sent his #11 Objective Ford off at Turn 6.
The start of the session was delayed by 10 minutes as officials cleaned debris left behind by the the preceding support category race.
Drivers were armed with just 25 minutes to get to grips with their cars before Practice 2. However, the session was suspended almost immediately as Murray sailed off at the first corner with a suspected steering failure in the left front. With Murray stranded, the red flags flew.
Broc Feeney held sway before the stoppage, before 2025 Sunday winner Matt Payne jumped ahead with a 51.9523s. Kostecki, Reynolds and De Pasquale improved, with Brown lowering the number to a 51.4290s.
Reynolds (51.3130s) and Kostecki (51.2702s) traded fast times before coming into pit lane, with Wood moving to fourth with a 51.3506s behind Feeney. Mostert, Heimgartner and Cameron Hill made it four Toyotas in the top seven.
Reynolds returned and improved to a 51.2882s, only to pinch the front right and lock up heavily into Turn 2. The 2017 Bathurst winner kept his Camaro out of the gravel, but damaged a tyre in the process.
With nine minutes remaining, Jones also locked up the right front, this time at the Turn 4 hairpin. Jones, like Reynolds, managed to avoid beaching his car. Waters was another to lock up into Turns 1 and 2.
Kostecki stepped out of his car with seven minutes to go, with Reynolds returning to go fastest of all.
Supercars action in Tasmania commences on Saturday morning with Boost Mobile Qualifying from 10:00am local.
