DAVID Reynolds has become the Border’s most successful driver in the 55-year history of the Australian Touring Car Championship.
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Reynolds grabbed a career-best third placing in the V8 Supercars after turning in strong performances in the final round at Sydney’s Olympic Park on the weekend.
After finishing a close second to Red Bull Racing’s Jamie Whincup in Saturday’s race, he followed up with great drive to fifth on Sunday to secure third place.
The title was won by teammate Mark Winterbottom.
“It’s been great to be a part of a championship winning team and seeing Mark take the title is very pleasing,” Reynolds said.
“I’m very happy for him.”
Reynolds is no stranger when it comes to winning titles having won two national titles, in 2004 as a 19-year-old, he won the Australian Formula Ford Championship and then in 2007 when he took out the Porsche Carrera Cup title.
“It has been a really long year”, Reynolds said.
“I was in with a shot at winning the championship up until the second last round, but to finish third is great.”
In a season which saw him come of age as a driver, Reynolds secured two wins and eight podium finishes.
He is hungry to take the next step and win a V8 Supercar title.
”It was great to finish off my year strongly this weekend with second on Saturday and fifth on Sunday,” he said.
“It gives me a positive mindset to begin next year.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge of working with the guys at Erebus to make the Mercedes a consistently fast car, win some more races and build towards another tilt at the championship.”
Reynolds moves to the Erebus AMG Mercedes Team for 2016 and will take on the role as the team’s lead driver.
Brad Jones Racing team owner Brad Jones reflected on “one that got away”.
“We had great speed all weekend but didn’t capitalise on it,” Jones said.
“We should have had a couple of podiums and even a race win.
“It has been tough end to the year, but the team has stayed at it and kept producing fast race cars that were capable of winning, so we are very happy with that.”
With Tim Slade joining the team next year, replacing Fabian Coulthard, Jones is upbeat about their prospects.
“Brighty (long-term BJR driver Jason Bright) is as quick as ever and that side of the garage are working really well together,” he said.
“We will get Tim settled in quickly and are confident he will have true race speed also, so we are looking forward to having another year at the front of the field next year.”
