Grove Racing back in black for Gen3

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: 3 February 2023

Grove Racing will be back in black with two clean Penrite Mustangs for the new Gen3 era of the Supercars Championship in 2023.

The team revealed its new Penrite backed livery on both of its Ford Mustangs, which are the first Supercars built by the squad. They will be steered by lead driver David Reynolds and 20-year-old rookie Matthew Payne, who steps up in place of the retiring Lee Holdsworth.

Grove Racing will carry a revised Penrite livery, which is a simpler look compared to its previous colour schemes (see below).

Matthew Payne’s and David Reynolds’ new look Gen3 Ford Mustangs in the Grove Racing workshop.

The Mustangs are predominantly black with white and red highlights along the floor and on the rear quarter panels.

Being the first Supercars built by Grove Racing since it arrived in the sport after it joined forces with Kelly Racing in 2021, the Gen3 Mustangs already carry special significance.

Grove Racing owner Stephen Grove was thrilled with the end result, which is something he believes each team member should be proud of.

“The launch of our Gen3 Mustang liveries mark a significant milestone for our team and category,” he said.

“It’s always exciting to see the design concept when it is presented on a render, but to see it come to life on our Gen3’s is something quite special.

“The team have done a fantastic job getting them prepared; from the engineers and mechanics to the commercial team, and it’s a testament to their continued commitment during what has been a challenging period with the Gen3 build.”

The Grove Racing team with its new Gen3 cars.

With the addition of Garth Tander as the lead co-driver, plus the likes of David Cauchi and Grant McPherson behind the scenes, big things are expected of Grove Racing in 2023.

Main-game spearhead Reynolds also took a giant leap forward last year, rising 10 places in the championship between 2021 and 2022 with seven podiums.

The 2017 Bathurst 1000 winner hopes his new colours could give him the extra pace required to return to victory lane for the first time since Newcastle 2018.

“I’m super excited to get behind the wheel of these cars,” he said.

“They look so epic, and I think they’ll look even better on track.

“The whole team here has done an awesome job; they say that stripes make you go faster so let’s hope that rings true!”

Kiwi newbie Payne has done his apprenticeship via the Super2 Series, where he recorded a solid third place, which was enough to also earn the Mike Kable Young Gun award in addition to a full-time drive.

Matthew Payne and David Reynolds will race the new Grove Racing Gen3 Mustangs in 2023.

He also raced alongside Holdsworth at last year’s Bathurst 1000 and kept his nose clean in a solid P6 finish.

The colours will forever be connected to Payne’s first solo Supercars drive and he said it was a thrill to see his name on the door.

“It’s great to see the cars track ready for the first time,” he said.

“To see my name and number on the cars is pretty special. I am glad to be able to share this moment with the team whose support has been extraordinary.

“We’re setting our sights on our test days and Newcastle. I am keen to be alongside Dave and learn from him as well as Garth whose experience will be invaluable.”

The new livery Grove Racing will carry in the 2023 Supercars Championship.

The 2023 livery is a major change from the previous looks the team has used since Reynolds and Penrite jumped on board in 2021.

In Grove’s first year as a team owner alongside Rick Kelly, car #26 was predominantly black with red, white and blue outlines streamlined around the bodywork. At Sandown a special black and gold retro livery also made a one-off appearance.

Improvements identified by David Reynolds - Image: InSyde Media

David Reynolds in his Kelly Grove Racing debut at the 2021 Mount Panorama 500.

When racing resumed after a COVID-19 enforced break with a Sydney Motorsport Park quadruple-header, Reynolds revealed a bold new look featuring a splash of golden oil flowing across the front of the car. A fourth livery of the year was seen at the Bathurst 1000 where the black and gold was replaced by a massive Australian flag.

David Reynolds in the special golden livery seen at Sydney Motorsport Park in 2021. Photo by Mark Horsburgh / LAT Images

Now fully owned by the Grove family, the team expanded to two cars last year and returned to its original black look with a near identical livery to its 2021 car, albeit with extra white near the back.

A special livery designed by Lorraine Kabbindi White appeared on both cars for the Indigenous Round at Darwin and Townsville.

For headline events Bathurst, Gold Coast and Adelaide, the Reynolds and Holdsworth Mustangs showcased the latest edition of Penrite’s Australian flag liveries, which have been frequent since the Erebus days in 2017.

Lee Holdsworth fighting the elements at last year’s Bathurst 1000 in the latest Australian flag Penrite livery. Photography: EDGE Photographics

But in 2023 a new generation of car marks a new generation of livery, with Grove Racing to field a pair of clean-looking Penrite Mustangs.

Despite the cars appearing race ready, a date for Grove Racing’s maiden Gen3 shakedown is yet to be revealed, but a fan launch will take place on Saturday, March 4 – a week before the Newcastle 500.

For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.

AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport

Auto Action 1909

Search Auto Action

CONNECT

Recent Stories

array (
  0 => 
  WP_Term::__set_state(array(
     'term_id' => 11,
     'name' => 'Latest News',
     'slug' => 'latest-news',
     'term_group' => 0,
     'term_taxonomy_id' => 11,
     'taxonomy' => 'category',
     'description' => '',
     'parent' => 0,
     'count' => 16553,
     'filter' => 'raw',
     'cat_ID' => 11,
     'category_count' => 16553,
     'category_description' => '',
     'cat_name' => 'Latest News',
     'category_nicename' => 'latest-news',
     'category_parent' => 0,
  )),
  1 => 
  WP_Term::__set_state(array(
     'term_id' => 38,
     'name' => 'Supercars',
     'slug' => 'supercars',
     'term_group' => 0,
     'term_taxonomy_id' => 38,
     'taxonomy' => 'category',
     'description' => 'The Supercars Championship, currently known as the Repco Supercars Championship, is the premier motorsport category in Australasia and one of Australia\'s biggest sports. It originated from the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC), which held its first race in 1960 at Gnoo-Blas in Orange, New South Wales. The ATCC evolved over the years, and in 1997, it was rebranded as the V8 Supercars Championship, eventually becoming the Supercars Championship we know today.

Some of the leading drivers in the history of the Supercars Championship include Peter Brock, who is often referred to as the "King of the Mountain" for his nine victories at the Bathurst 1000, a race that is considered one of the biggest in the series. Other notable drivers include Dick Johnson, Marcos Ambrose, Craig Lowndes, Shane van Gisbergen, Jamie Whincup, who holds the record for the most championship titles, and Mark Skaife, who has also been a dominant force in the series.

The Bathurst 1000, held at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, is arguably the most famous race in the Supercars calendar. Other significant races include the Sandown 500 and the Adelaide 500, which are known for their challenging circuits and thrilling competitions.

The Supercars Championship has grown to become a globally recognized series, known for its competitive racing and passionate fan base. It continues to be a major part of Australia\'s motorsport culture, attracting top drivers and teams from around the world.',
     'parent' => 0,
     'count' => 5534,
     'filter' => 'raw',
     'cat_ID' => 38,
     'category_count' => 5534,
     'category_description' => 'The Supercars Championship, currently known as the Repco Supercars Championship, is the premier motorsport category in Australasia and one of Australia\'s biggest sports. It originated from the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC), which held its first race in 1960 at Gnoo-Blas in Orange, New South Wales. The ATCC evolved over the years, and in 1997, it was rebranded as the V8 Supercars Championship, eventually becoming the Supercars Championship we know today.

Some of the leading drivers in the history of the Supercars Championship include Peter Brock, who is often referred to as the "King of the Mountain" for his nine victories at the Bathurst 1000, a race that is considered one of the biggest in the series. Other notable drivers include Dick Johnson, Marcos Ambrose, Craig Lowndes, Shane van Gisbergen, Jamie Whincup, who holds the record for the most championship titles, and Mark Skaife, who has also been a dominant force in the series.

The Bathurst 1000, held at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, is arguably the most famous race in the Supercars calendar. Other significant races include the Sandown 500 and the Adelaide 500, which are known for their challenging circuits and thrilling competitions.

The Supercars Championship has grown to become a globally recognized series, known for its competitive racing and passionate fan base. It continues to be a major part of Australia\'s motorsport culture, attracting top drivers and teams from around the world.',
     'cat_name' => 'Supercars',
     'category_nicename' => 'supercars',
     'category_parent' => 0,
  )),
  2 => 
  WP_Term::__set_state(array(
     'term_id' => 2029,
     'name' => 'ZZZ-Email',
     'slug' => 'email',
     'term_group' => 0,
     'term_taxonomy_id' => 2029,
     'taxonomy' => 'category',
     'description' => '',
     'parent' => 2031,
     'count' => 7111,
     'filter' => 'raw',
     'cat_ID' => 2029,
     'category_count' => 7111,
     'category_description' => '',
     'cat_name' => 'ZZZ-Email',
     'category_nicename' => 'email',
     'category_parent' => 2031,
  )),
  3 => 
  WP_Term::__set_state(array(
     'term_id' => 2031,
     'name' => 'ZZZ-RSSFeeds',
     'slug' => 'zzz-rssfeeds',
     'term_group' => 0,
     'term_taxonomy_id' => 2031,
     'taxonomy' => 'category',
     'description' => '',
     'parent' => 0,
     'count' => 6466,
     'filter' => 'raw',
     'cat_ID' => 2031,
     'category_count' => 6466,
     'category_description' => '',
     'cat_name' => 'ZZZ-RSSFeeds',
     'category_nicename' => 'zzz-rssfeeds',
     'category_parent' => 0,
  )),
)