![David Reynolds attacks the Turn 2/3 chicane on the way to victory](https://speedcafe.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/V8SCR12_AUCKLAND500_DKIMG2420-e1446890986133.jpg)
After moving to second in points with victory in Race 29, David Reynolds has vowed to give his all in an unlikely bid to bring the #1 to Erebus Motorsport for 2016.
In the same week that his exit from Prodrive and move to Erebus were announced, Reynolds has been in fine form at Pukekohe.
He converted two front-row grid slots into a third and a first on Saturday, edging the gap to team-mate and championship leader Mark Winterbottom down to 287 points.
Despite his impending departure from the team, Reynolds isn’t expecting any instructions to assist Winterbottom as he hunts his own maiden championship.
“Anything can happen, as we saw today,” said Reynolds of the margin after Race 29, where fellow title combatant Craig Lowndes suffered a spectacular tyre failure while leading.
“Anyone can have tyre delaminations (on Sunday). It’s a longer race and most people are going to be pushing the soft tyre a bit longer.
“It (winning the championship) is definitely possible.”
Until this weekend, Reynolds had driven in a shadow of uncertainty over his future throughout the season.
Team principal Tim Edwards publicly declared on the eve of the Clipsal 500 that Reynolds “knows he is driving for his career” following three largely disappointing seasons with the Ford squad.
Stellar Dunlop Series results from Prodrive’s young gun Cameron Waters further heightened the pressure on Reynolds, despite career best results of his own aboard the potent Prodrive FG X.
Although turning down offers from rival teams as late as October while he waited for a firm decision from Prodrive, Reynolds replied “February” when asked on Saturday at what point he knew he was out.
“I always liked to think I was in with a chance there, but who really knows?” he added after further questioning.
“Every time you roll out of pitlane you always think it’s the last time you are going to drive, that way you drive a bit better.”
Reynolds insists that his impending exit from Prodrive does not provide extra motivation to win the championship and take the #1 elsewhere.
“Not at all,” he dead-panned. “I’m not vindictive. I’m not an a***hole.”
A total of 750 points remain available from the season’s final seven races, 150 of which are on the line in today’s 200km finale to the ITM 500 Auckland.