Today’s second 250km Sydney 500 race around the street of Sydney’s Olympic Park was a tough slog for Bundaberg Red Racing’s David Reynolds and Team Autobarn’s Paul Dumbrell who both battled on to finish the final race of the season in 11th and 13th respectively.
Reynolds showed consistent pace and was amongst the front runners all weekend but just ran out of luck in the two arduous 74 lap races. He was fast in this morning’s 20 minute qualifying session and had another impressive run to secure 10th for the final race.
Reynolds was holding his own over the first part of the race but locked a brake and fell back to 25th place on lap 17 and a lap down. A safety car intervention allowed him to get back on the lead lap but he found himself chasing the leaders again shortly after.
The determined rookie fought on and with cars dropping out of contention as drivers succumbed to the pressure of a street circuit, Reynolds picked up additional positions. Only half the field managed to finish out the race and Reynolds crossed the line in 11th place, just missing a top ten finish.
Dumbrell was dealt another tough session and after bowing out of yesterday’s race he wanted to finish the final race strongly for the Team Autobarn crew. He qualified just outside the top ten in 12th for Race 2 and started well but he ran into the run off area on lap 4 and rejoined back in 25th place.
Another excursion on lap 17 caused him to fall a lap down and put him down the order again, but he pushed on in tough conditions to finish the race 13th.
Walkinshaw Racing ended the season eighth on the Team’s Championship points table with 3203 points. Dumbrell rounded out the 2009 season in 15th place while Reynolds, in his first full V8 Supercar season, finished 22nd with 1428 points.
The 2010 V8 Supercar Championship will start next February with the teams heading to Abu Dhabi and Bahrain for the first two events of the year.
David Reynolds - #24 Bundaberg Red Racing VE Commodore (Qualifying: 10th, 1:29.7327; Race 26: 11th)
“I ran out of water with about 25 to 35 laps to go and for the last ten laps I really struggled. I was dehydrated and starting to overheat and I slapped the fence a couple of times towards the end. I think I had reached my mental limits. We were running quite strong at the start and then I locked a front brake and went down the escape road which I was a bit disappointed with to be honest. I have had a fantastic year and I have learnt lots from my engineers and my crew and I am a much better driver now than when I came into the start of this year.”
Paul Dumbrell - #10 Team Autobarn VE Commodore (Qualifying: 12th, 1:29.8571; Race 26: 13th)
“It definitely wasn’t the way that we wanted to end the year, we had all the potential there having four cars quite quick in practice and qualifying and for some reason we couldn’t manage to pull it all together in the race. We had a few brake dramas and in the end I was just in conserve mode and it was a race of attrition and we ended up 13th. I have enjoyed my time with Walkinshaw Racing over the last two years and it will be sad to leave but I am looking forward to a new challenge next year.”
Sydney 500 Qualifying 2 Results:
1. Lee Holdsworth, Garry Rogers Motorsport; 1:29.3047
2. James Courtney, Dick Johnson Racing; 1:29.4040
3. Rick Kelly, Kelly Racing; 1:29.4306
4. Mark Winterbottom, Ford Performance Racing; 1:29.4418
5. Greg Murphy, Sprint Gas Racing; 1:29.5560
6. Michael Caruso, Garry Rogers Motorsport; 1:29.6110
7. Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team; 1:29.6169
8. Jason Bright, Fujitsu Racing; 1:29.6476
9. Craig Lowndes, Triple Eight; 1:29.7319
10. David Reynolds, Bundaberg Red Racing; 1:29.7327
12. Paul Dumbrell, Team Autobarn; 1:29.8571
Sydney 500 Race 26 Results:
1. James Courtney, Dick Johnson Racing
2. Michael Caruso, Garry Rogers Motorsport
3. Mark Winterbottom, Ford Performance Racing
4. Russell Ingall, Supercheap Auto Racing
5. Fabian Coulthard, Wilson Security Racing
6. Shane Van Gisbergen, SP Tools Racing
7. Greg Murphy, Sprint Gas Racing
8. Will Davison, Toll Holden Racing Team
9. Alex Davison, Irwin Tools Racing
10. Steven Johnson, Dick Johnson Racing
11. David Reynolds, Bundaberg Red Racing
13. Paul Dumbrell, Team Autobarn