Reynolds surprises in rollercoaster Tasmania practice

David Reynolds has set the pace on Friday at Symmons Plains Raceway, in what proved a rollercoaster first session of the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint.

The Team 18 driver recovered from an early-session engine misfire to top the session with a 51.1376s, with Reynolds leading an all-Chevrolet top nine.

James Golding, Jack Le Brocq and Cameron Hill made it four different Camaro teams in the top four, with Mark Winterbottom, Nick Percat, Bryce Fullwood, Broc Feeney, Will Brown and Cam Waters creating a mixed top 10.

Championship contender Chaz Mostert was 14th, 0.3117s off the pace, but opted to focus on race runs as others turned up the pace in the closing minutes.

“Really ecstatic for everyone. Like, this is the first round in a long time, both cars have been really quick,” 2017 Bathurst winner Reynolds said.

“Everyone's done a really good job to prepare the cars to get them to here. Everyone's ecstatic. Awesome to start the weekend.”

Reigning champion Brodie Kostecki, who ended up 11th, jumped to the top early on with a 53.0586s and, later, a 51.7332s. Waters then recorded a 51.4796s to head the field through the first runs, with Brown, Percat, Richie Stanaway, Kostecki, Le Brocq, Thomas Randle, Fullwood, Tim Slade and Hill rounding out the top 10.

The margin between Waters and Brown was just 0.0204s, before Brown returned and unseated his Ford rival to the tune of just 0.0242s.

Mostert was 12th, while Feeney was 18th, albeit just 0.4488s behind. Mostert remained on track as drivers pitted, but didn’t improve and remained 0.3087s off the pace.

All the while, there were issues for Courtney and Reynolds, who had picked up a power steering issue and engine misfire respectively. While Reynolds returned, Courtney was parked for the first part of the session, but returned and ended up 15th.

Le Brocq jumped to fourth with a 51.6067, Matt Payne to seventh with a 51.6879s, and Feeney to 13th with a 51.7894s. Reynolds, meanwhile, went eighth with a 51.6785s after his engine delay.

The session was briefly stopped at the 21-minute mark as officials retrieved debris at Turn 5, with the balance of the field returning to the session.

Reynolds quickly jumped to fourth with a 51.5704s, with Mostert moving to seventh with a 51.6709s, 0.2155s behind Brown. Reynolds continued his march forward and jumped to the top, albeit by just 0.0048s, with a 51.4506s. As cars returned to the lane, Reynolds, Brown, Waters and Percat were covered by just 0.0716s, with the top 20 covered by 0.3788s.

Andre Heimgartner, meanwhile, vaulted from 20th to sixth with a 51.6234s, with Stanaway, Mostert, Kostecki and Slade rounding out the top 10. All the while, Feeney was 18th, 0.2737s from top spot.

As Stanaway and Ryan Wood both had moments at the hairpin, Hill began to show pace and jumped to third with a 51.4575s. Mostert (51.4493s) and Reynolds (51.3854s) both jumped to the top before Hill took over with a 51.3142s.

Le Brocq went even quicker, albeit by 0.0138s, with a 51.3004s, with Percat third and Winterbottom putting both Team 18 Camaros in the top six. All the while, Mostert and Brown had been shuffled down to eighth and ninth, with Feeney 20th.

Cars were fitted with new tyres as Mostert pressed on with race runs. Feeney jumped from 20th to fifth with a 51.3443s, before Fullwood went to sixth with a 51.3344s.

Waters loomed to go to the top, going fastest in the first sector before locking up at Turn 6 as the Monster Mustang became unsettled over the bumps into the braking zone.

As Waters returned to the lane, Golding fired in a 51.2437s to jump to top spot, before Brown improved to eighth, Winterbottom to fourth, and Reynolds into first with a 51.1376s.

Supercars action will resume on Saturday with Practice 2 at 11:05am AEST, followed by Boost Mobile Qualifying at 1:00pm, and Race 17 at 4:10pm.