Karl Reindler has described his performance at the weekend’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 as a “turning point” in his rookie V8 Supercar season.
Teamed with David Wall, the 25 year old West Australian spent much of The Great Race running inside the top 10, and briefly led the field at the end of his second stint.
Reindler also proved to be one of the fastest on track early in the going – quickly dipping into the 2m09s bracket as he moved up from 22nd on the grid.
Helped by strong fuel economy and robust strategy calls, the #21 Fair Dinkum Sheds Commodore found itself in the top six with less than 30 laps to go, but fell to 15th by the flag due to fading tyres.
While Reindler had mixed feelings about the result, the former Australian Formula 3 Champion said that the race was an important one for him personally.
“We showed that we could race against the best cars and best drivers,” he said.
“This weekend has been a turning point for us, no doubt. I’ve always believed that I can do the job, but you can never be sure until you actually get in there and do it.
“We had great pace, and at one stage James Courtney emerged from the pits behind us and couldn’t make any inroads. That was a big moment for me personally.”
Reindler, who is 27th on the championship ladder after a season littered with unreliability, says he can’t wait to race again at the Armor All Gold Coast 600 in two weeks time.
“This weekend really gives us good momentum heading into the final three events of the season,” he said.
“I just can’t wait to get back in the car again – the Gold Coast event can’t come around quick enough.”
