Erebus duo races city-built chassis to Bathurst win

VICTORY: Erebus drivers David Reynolds and Luke Youlden hold the Peter Brock Trophy aloft after claiming the Bathurst 1000 Supercars event on the weekend.
VICTORY: Erebus drivers David Reynolds and Luke Youlden hold the Peter Brock Trophy aloft after claiming the Bathurst 1000 Supercars event on the weekend.

MOUNT Panorama provided another great spectacle this year in the annual 1000km Supercar race at Bathurst.

For Mount Gambier fans there was some extra interest, with a couple of cars that managed to finish first and fourth.

The Erebus team car of David Reynolds and Luke Youlden was victorious, after a rain-affected race that saw many falter at the final hurdle, while the second car driven by Dale Wood and Chris

Pither came home in fourth place, capping off a big weekend for the small team.

Reynolds showed his true talent, guiding his Commodore along a dry line, staying off the treacherous wet sections of the track that caught so many others out.

With safety cars interrupting the final leg, the field closed up several times, but Reynolds remained composed, all while fighting off the chasing pack and conserving fuel to ensure he crossed the line in first place.

It was a major accomplishment for the small team, beating the “big boys” in pit lane.

But to add to the spectacle for the Limestone Coast, the winning car’s chassis was built in Mount Gambier, the first of the team’s internally-built cars.

Fabricator James White has been in the racing industry for 15 years, building V8 Supercars and various other forms of race cars through Jimmy’s Fab Shop.

A move to Mount Gambier with his family for a change of lifestyle saw the whole business move along.

He began building cars for the Erebus team, working for them at race meetings, then this year moved in full time.

As it panned out, it was a timely move, with the weekend seeing him finally crack the holy grail with a Bathurst win.

It was a result he was still coming to terms with yesterday when he spoke to The Border Watch back at home.

“I couldn’t even put it into words,” he said.

“People go there their whole lives trying to win it.”

White said he has been in situations in the past where a win was possible, but circumstances did not allow that to happen.

However, he said he was pleased with the way it all panned out on the weekend.

“I couldn’t be happier in the way it worked out with Erebus,” he said.

“We have stuck it to the big boys all year I think.

“It is the best group of people, everyone just wants to win and they do the best they can.

“Everyone works together – if the floors need sweeping the general manager will pick up the broom if everyone is busy.

“I think the crux of it is that’s why we are doing so well.”

White said inside the pit the usual frantic activity of a day at Bathurst meant few saw the entire race, but late in the day they were able to sit back and enjoy it.

“Most of our team haven’t seen the race,” he said.

“We saw the last 15 laps because that’s when the chaos ended for us.

“We were still prepared for another pit stop if we needed it, but we could relax then for five minutes to take it in.”

As the laps wound down White said the focus shifted, which was typical of the team dynamics.

“With about five laps to go we felt confident in Dave – I know I did,” he said.

“A lot of the cheering then was for Dale, hoping to get him on the podium as well.

“It was pretty surreal.”

When the dust had settled, White said when Reynolds crossed the line to greet the chequered flag, it was a special moment for the whole team, his own career, his family and friends.

“It was highlight of my career and my life,” he said.

“Each and every one of us in the team have given up so many family hours to go racing and our families have given up us so we can chase our dreams.

“To see the look on our wives faces and their level of pride in us – it just goes down the line.

“At the end of the day when the truck was packed, I looked at my phone and there would have been 100 messages.

“Then you realise the impact it has.”

White said despite the time away from home, he would not have it any other way.

“If you want a job, you don’t go racing,” he said.

“It is not a nine-to-five job, it is a passion and a hobby.

“We are very fortunate we can get paid enough to support our families and live our hobby.

“It is different to a normal job – I love it.”

While there are just three rounds remaining in this Supercars season, the Mount Gambier connection to the Erebus team is not going away in a hurry, with White saying he plans to remain in the Blue Lake City.

“My wife and I were after a change of lifestyle so we moved here,” he said.

“It works for me and works for the team.

“When Betty (team owner Betty Klimenko) and Barry Ryan (team manger) spoke about me joining them, they were aware I don’t ever want to move back to Melbourne.

“I like where I am.”

After the weekend’s result, Reynolds is in sixth place in the championship standings.

The next round of the Supercars series will be the Gold Coast 600, the final round of the enduro series on October 20-22.

TOP STEP: David Reynolds drives the Erebus Motorsport V8 Commodore across the finish line to win the Bathurst 1000 Supercars event at the Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst on Sunday.