Penrite Racing has been denied their dream start after an eventful end to the season opener, David Reynolds finishing ninth and Anton De Pasquale 14^th.

The race started positively for David and Anton, starting from third and eighth on the grid.

Both Holden’s held their positions through the first corners until a hard charging Cam Waters tried to steal third from David. Contact was made at Turn 9, pushing the #9 to the side and down the order.

It didn’t stop there, with more Fords on his bumper and David unsettled, it was within a couple of corners that David was pushed further down to ninth.

It had been smooth sailing for Anton though, who elected to take his first pit stop at the end of lap 9.

David, opting to run for as long as he could, didn’t stop until lap 23.

It was three laps later where the race turned it up a notch; a Safety Car called for a stricken Jack Le Brocq at Turn 11, calling out the Safety Car.

The #99 bolted for pit lane with most of the field, only to be halted by a crash in the lane.

An unsafe release by Chaz Mostert’s crew saw him into the side of Rick Kelly; the whole field filing around the troubled cars.

One of only four cars to stay out, David sat second behind the Safety Car, only to take the lead when the lights went out.

He led for 17 laps before peeling off out of the prime spot. The crew were quick to do their part before immediately preparing for Anton’s entry.

David and Anton now 10^thand 15^threspectively, made up one more spot before meeting the chequered flag on lap 71 due to the time-certain finish.

DAVID REYNOLDS – 9^th

“I started third which was great, it was a really good qualifying and Shootout effort. I had a decent start, but it went terribly at Turn 8. There was a scramble, I got lunged by Waters and he ran me off the track, losing a few spots. It ruined my flow and it took me a while to get going after that.

“The first stop was good, and we had some good pace after that. The Safety Car came out I was able to get into the lead on the restart. Myself, Percat and McLaughlin were racing away from the field and we had good speed although I came in for my last stop and the car wasn’t performing right after that so I wasn’t able to race forward.”

ANTON DE PASQUALE – 14^th

“It was great to qualify for the Shootout; started that lap pretty good and was on for a time similar to Dave’s but had a moment into Turn 9 that ended the lap. I ended up starting eighth in the end so that was a good start but racing we struggled for pace and fell back a few positions. We have a fast car, but we just need to focus on making it last for the distance.

“The biggest positive this weekend was making the Shootout after a difficult start to the weekend, to turn it around and see that we had a quick car over one lap. It was good to reward the boys and girls and show that pace. “