David Reynolds’ Crash Disrupts Bathurst 1000 Qualifying

David Reynolds, the 2017 Bathurst 1000 winner, experienced a significant crash during the qualifying session for the 2024 Repco Bathurst 1000. The incident occurred when he lost control of his #20 Tradie Camaro while navigating through The Esses, resulting in a heavy frontal collision with the concrete barrier.

The crash, which happened around the midway point of the 40-minute session, led to a red flag as officials worked to clear Reynolds’ damaged vehicle from the track. At the time of the accident, Reynolds was positioned fourth on the leaderboard but dropped to 12th after losing his fastest lap.

Reynolds’ co-driver, Warren Luff, expressed relief over Reynolds’ well-being despite the crash. “He’s fine, that’s the most important thing,” Luff stated on the broadcast. He acknowledged the unfortunate nature of the incident, noting that Reynolds was on an improving lap before losing control.

Following the crash, Reynolds communicated with his team over the radio, apologizing for the incident. “Mate I’m fine, I’ve just had a massive shunt,” he told engineer Richard Hollway.

Reynolds later expressed frustration at the crash during a broadcast interview, blaming his aggressive approach during the qualifying session. “We’re pushing the limits, and every now and then it happens,” he said, mentioning that his decision to push the car to its limits on a second consecutive lap might have led to the loss of control.

The incident marked a challenging lead-up to Sunday’s Bathurst 1000 race, as other teams also faced difficulties during the practice and qualifying sessions. Matt Stone Racing and Triple Eight encountered significant repair challenges earlier in the day as well.