DAVID REYNOLDS WINS SECOND CONSECUTIVE BARRY SHEENE MEDAL
David Reynolds awarded Barry Sheene Medal – Photo: InSyde Media
David Reynolds has won the most coveted award of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, the Barry Sheene Medal, for the second year in succession.
The 33-year old from Albury was voted the winner of the sport’s best and fairest award, named after former motorcycle World Champion and popular Supercars commentator, the late Barry Sheene.
Reynolds was joined by the stars of Supercars at the annual Gala Awards in Sydney tonight as the Championship swapped race suits in pit lane for the glitz and glamour of black ties and ball gowns.
He had a stellar year on track, recording three race wins, five ARMOR ALL Pole Positions and nine podium finishes to record a fifth-place finish in the Championship standings. Reynolds won the last race of the year at yesterday’s Coates Hire Newcastle 500, including ARMOR ALL Pole Position.
It was his best Championship result with the self-confessed “reject” team of pit lane, Betty Klimenko’s Erebus Motorsport.
Along with the highs, Reynolds rode the lowest of lows this year. In heartbreaking scenes while trying to defend his 2017 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 victory, he suffered severe cramps which led to some critical errors late in the race, taking him from the race lead to finish thirteenth.
Reynolds was one of many award winners on the night with Scott McLaughlin honoured for winning this year’s Supercars Championship, sealed at last weekend’s Coates Hire Newcastle 500. Another kiwi, Garry Rogers Motorsport’s Chris Pither was recognised for winning his first Dunlop Super2 Series title.
The late Tom Walkinshaw, the influential motorsport figure who helped establish one of Supercars greatest ever teams, was inducted into the Supercars Hall of Fame, with the award accepted by his son, current Walkinshaw Andretti United Team Owner, Ryan Walkinshaw.
Rising Dunlop Super2 Series star Thomas Randle from Tickford Racing won the coveted Mike Kable Young Gun Award following a standout rookie year in Super2, while Ryal Harris claimed the inaugural ECB SuperUtes title.
The spectacular return of night racing, the Red Rooster Sydney Supernight 300, was awarded the 2018 Best Event by fans and McLaughlin voted by the fans as the Most Popular driver.
Supercars now break over summer, before returning in mid-February, when official testing begins for the Ford Mustang, which will make its long-awaited return to the Supercars grid in 2019.
2018 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Series awards:
Barry Sheene Medal: David Reynolds, Penrite Erebus Motorsport
2018 Supercars Champion: Scott McLaughlin
Supercars Drivers’ Driver: David Reynolds
Champion Team Award: Red Bull Holden Racing Team
2018 Supercars ARMOR ALL Pole Position: Scott McLaughlin, Shell V-Power Racing
Hall of Fame Inductee: Tom Walkinshaw
Champion Manufacturer of the Year: Holden
Most Popular Driver – Fan’s Choice: Scott McLaughlin
Best Event – Fan’s Choice: Red Rooster Sydney SuperNight 300
Mike Kable Young Gun: Thomas Randle, Tickford Racing
Dunlop Super2 Series Champion: Chris Pither, Garry Rogers Motorsport
2018 Dunlop Super2 ARMOR ALL Pole Position: Chris Pither, Garry Rogers Motorsport
ECB SuperUtes Series Champion: Ryal Harris
Boost Mobile Supercars E-Series Winner: Matthew Bink
Best Presented Team – Fan’s Choice: Shell V-Power Racing
Supercars Media Award: Ian O’Brien
Virgin Australia Best Volunteer Group: CrownBet Darwin Triple Crown
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