Shop
Reynolds came unstuck in spectacular fashion heading through The Esses, spinning and making head-on contact with the left-side concrete wall at the entry to The Dipper.
The 2017 Bathurst 1000 winner had just set the fourth fastest time as the session approached its halfway point and was attempting to improve.
“We’ve got a big night ahead. It’s pretty damaged,” Team 18 owner Charlie Schwerkolt told Speedcafe in the Bathurst paddock on Friday evening.
“The whole front clip will have to be replaced. There’s quite a few repairs to be done but our goal is to get it out first thing in the morning.
“Dave was quick, as you could tell, he was on it, just got a bit loose at the top and when it started that momentum that was the end of it.
“We’ve got a great team of guys here, they’ll get it back together, but there’s a lot of damage and a lot of work to be done.”
It was all-hands-on-deck as the repair effort began, with team principal Adrian Burgess joining crew chief Dennis Huijser and his mechanics on the tools.
“Yes, it is unusual to see Adrian working,” joked Schwerkolt, “but we’ll get it going. Dennis is in his element.
“We built the cars, we know what we’ve got, we’ve got a full set of parts there and a clip ready to go, but it will be an all-nighter for sure.
“Front-clip, engine out, the whole thing, and then we’ll assess the bars underneath, etcetera.
“Fortunately, there’s no damage at the rear, he only just shaved the wall.”
HUGE SHUNT FOR REYNOLDS 🤯
Follow all the action of the @RepcoAustralia Bathurst 1000 on our Live Feed here 👉 https://t.co/qyu6AAgclo#RepcoSC #Supercars #Bathurst1000 pic.twitter.com/fNKf4YXxeI
— Supercars (@supercars) October 11, 2024
Asked if there is any fear that the team could still find damage that can’t be repaired, Schwerkolt added: “It’s always a risk when these things happen.
“I’m hoping there’s nothing bent, but we’ll see.”
Team 18 has a poor record at Bathurst, with its history of woes including Mark Winterbottom recording a last-lap DNF after running short of fuel 12 months ago.
The team’s two cars are set to share the 11th row of the grid on Sunday after Reynolds slipped to 21st by the end of the session, one place ahead of teammate Winterbottom.
“It’s a cruel, cruel place. But this year I’ve got one car that’s really quick, we’ve got to get Frosty up there,” said Schwerkolt.
“It hasn’t been the best place, I think I’ve got a fifth or a sixth, but there’s always drama, always something.
“Hopefully all our problems are finished tonight and in the early hours of the morning and we have a good race.
“You can win it from a fair way back.”
