SUPERCARS’ beloved larrikin David Reynolds is about to enter a club dedicated to the championship’s most enduring competitors.
Reynolds is due to chalk up his 500th race on the Sunday of the upcoming ITM Taupō Super440, on April 12.
He’ll become the 13th driver to reach that figure, and is bound to overtake both Shane van Gisbergen and Lee Holdsworth later this season to move into 11th on the all-time ATCC/Supercars Championship starts list.
So, V8 Sleuth takes this opportunity to recapture the journey to this point for the Albury-born 40-year-old.
2007: Paul Weel Racing co-driver
A young David Reynolds. Pic: an1images.com / Dirk Klynsmith
The year that Reynolds became a Carrera Cup champion proved far less fruitful at Supercars level, as he and Cameron McConville failed to finish the Sandown 500 before an engine failure took them out of the Bathurst 1000 before race start.
2008: HSV Dealer Team co-driver
A stuck throttle caused Paul Radisich to crash heavily, and saw Rick Kelly take David Reynolds’ place in the #16 sister entry. Pic: an1images.com / Justin Deeley
His tough initiation continued despite switching to the powerhouse HSV Dealer Team. He and Paul Dumbrell were non-finishers in the Phillip Island 500, while a mammoth Paul Radisich crash resulted in Rick Kelly taking Reynolds’ place in the Great Race.
2009: Walkinshaw Racing full-time
Reynolds on solo debut. Pic: an1images.com / Justin Deeley
Along came Reynolds’ rookie season, and he was finally able to register his first championship points in his maiden solo race. He ultimately recorded two top 10 finishes with a best of eighth at Winton.
2010: Holden Racing Team/Walkinshaw Racing co-driver
David Reynolds partnered Will Davison in the 2010 enduros. Pic: an1images.com / Dirk Klynsmith
Having lost his full-time ride, Reynolds teamed up with Will Davison in the Phillip Island 500 and Bathurst 1000, before partnering Fabian Coulthard at the Gold Coast 600.
2011: Kelly Racing full-time
Reynolds shone for Kelly Racing under the Abu Dhabi lights. Pic: an1images.com / Justin Deeley
Reynolds’ return to the grid started with a bang, charging from 21st to fourth in Race 2 of the Yas Marina season-opener. There would be plenty more flashes of pace, and soon enough a big opportunity would come knocking…
2012: Ford Performance Racing full-time
David Reynolds and Dean Canto finished second in 2012 at Bathurst. Pic: an1images.com / Justin Deeley
Reynolds slotted in sweetly at FPR, displaying consistent frontrunning speed. Chalked up his first pole position in Townsville and first podium by finishing runner-up in the Bathurst 1000.
2013: Ford Performance Racing full-time
Reynolds and Canto after winning at Surfers Paradise. Pic: an1images.com / Justin Deeley
After failing to convert a couple of Darwin poles into victory, Reynolds made sure not to repeat that fate on the Gold Coast as he drove his way onto Supercars’ winners list.
2014: Ford Performance Racing full-time
Homebush was the site of Reynolds’ 2014 highlight. Pic: an1images.com / Ross Gibb
Came crashing back to earth with a down year, finishing 15th in the championship with just the one podium achieved at the Homebush season finale.
2015: Prodrive Racing Australia (FPR) full-time
Reynolds (middle) after winning in New Zealand. Pic: an1images.com / Ross Gibb
Third in the championship with wins at Darwin and Pukekohe as PRA blitzed the field.
2016: Erebus Motorsport full-time
Pic: Supplied
A fresh start, with foundations being laid for future successes. Reynolds got Erebus back to the podium at Homebush.
2017: Erebus Motorsport full-time
Luke Youlden piggybacked David Reynolds onto the podium after winning the 2017 Bathurst 1000. Pic: an1images.com / Dirk Klynsmith
The holy grail. Reynolds and Erebus clicked superbly, culminating in them upstaging the big guns to win the Bathurst 1000.
2018: Erebus Motorsport full-time
Reynolds and Youlden went agonisingly close to back-to-back Bathurst 1000 wins. Pic: Mark Horsburgh
The good times kept rolling, with Reynolds running top-three in the championship for the bulk of the first half. Picked up wins at Albert Park, Darwin and Newcastle – and almost pulled off back-to-back Bathurst 1000 triumphs.
2019: Erebus Motorsport full-time
Pic: Supplied/Mark Horsburgh
Another strong campaign in what was a Ford-dominated season, winding up sixth in the points.
2020: Erebus Motorsport full-time
Pic: Supplied
The year that the happy driver/team marriage fell apart, and it showed on-track as a podium-less Reynolds limped to 12th in the standings.
2021: Kelly Grove Racing full-time
Reynolds simultaneously reunited with both Ford and the Kellys for 2021. Pic: Supplied
A decade after his prior Kelly Racing stint, Reynolds took just five races to get onto the podium in a sodden Sandown race.
2022: Grove Racing full-time
Pic: Mark Horsburgh
Returned to his best with seven podiums, including four in a five-race span.
2023: Grove Racing full-time
David Reynolds withstands pressure from Brodie Kostecki to win on the Gold Coast. Pic: Supplied/Jack Martin
After being on the wrong side of the parity war, Reynolds broke through to deliver Grove Racing its first ever main game race win.
2024: Team 18 full-time
Big crashes marred Reynolds’ first season at Team 18. Source: Fox Sports
A mixed year. The rounds where Reynolds threatened to properly contend, Bathurst and Adelaide, both ended up marred by major shunts.
2025: Team 18 full-time
Lee Holdsworth, David Reynolds and the Team 18 crew celebrate second-place in the 2025 Bathurst 1000. Pic: Supplied
While often outperformed by teammate Anton De Pasquale, Reynolds again stood tall on the big stage that is Bathurst to get Team 18 its maiden Great Race podium.
2026: Team 18 full-time
Pic: Supplied/Mark Horsburgh
Holds 12th two rounds into the new season.