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HomeNewsREYNOLDS, PENRITE CONFIRMED AT KELLY GROVE RACING

REYNOLDS, PENRITE CONFIRMED AT KELLY GROVE RACING

THE worst-kept secret in Supercars racing for 2021 has finally been confirmed: David Reynolds will drive for Kelly Grove Racing in a Penrite Ford Mustang.

The union had been the hot rumour of the latter half of the 2020 season, gaining momentum when Erebus confirmed its split with its 2017 Bathurst-winning driver just one season into a 10-year contract.

The specific length of Reynolds’ deal with KGR isn’t specified in the team’s announcement – only that he’ll drive for the team for the 2021 season “and beyond.”

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Reynolds will replace the now retired Rick Kelly alongside Andre Heimgartner in the team’s two car Ford Mustang lineup.

“I’m unbelievably happy to be joining Kelly Grove Racing for the 2021 season and beyond,” Reynolds said.

David Reynolds will race a Penrite Ford Mustang for Kelly Grove Racing in 2021. Pic: Supplied

“It’s obviously a very exciting time for the team with the recent investment from the Grove Group and I believe the team has the resources and firepower to achieve great things this year and continue building on some of the success we saw last year.

“I think we’re on the cusp of something really awesome at Kelly Grove Racing, the infrastructure and culture that’s in place has already really impressed me and I’m excited for the 2021 season.”

The team’s announcement also confirmed its recruitment of Alistair McVean, the talented race engineer who has formed a special and successful bond with Reynolds since arriving at Erebus during 2016.

LISTEN: David Reynolds on the V8 Sleuth Podcast, March 2020

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McVean joined the team in December, and the announcement says he “has already had a significant impact on the engineering group and performance side” of the team since his arrival.

“It’s awesome for me to have a few familiar faces also join the team with Alistair to engineer my side of the garage and obviously Penrite continuing to back my car which is awesome,” Reynolds added.

“Penrite have been a big supporter of mine over the years, they’re family to me so I’m looking forward to continuing that great relationship.”

The team’s new pilot will also race with a new number. Gone is the #15 synonymous with Kelly; in its place comes the #26 as a nod to the founding of Penrite in 1926 as well as the January date that currently hosts Australia Day.

David Reynolds will race a Penrite Ford Mustang for Kelly Grove Racing in 2021. Pic: Supplied

It’s also somewhat of a homecoming for driver and team: Reynolds first drove for the then-Kelly Racing team a decade ago.

Photos of Reynolds in his original stint with the squad are among the hundreds that appear in our book Racing the Lion: An Illustrated History of Holden in Australian Motorsport.

The 400-page hardcover book pays tribute to the marque’s rich competition history, spanning over seven decades.

It’s now in stock in the V8 Sleuth Bookshop – click HERE to order!

The #26 Mustang will also be the first time Reynolds races a Ford Supercars product since the end of his four-year stint with Ford Performance Racing (now Tickford Racing) from 2012 to 2015.

“It’s fantastic to have Dave joining the team, he’s a driver with a lot of experience under his belt and who’s had a lot of success during his career in Supercars so far,” team co-owner Todd Kelly said.

“I believe that with the direction the team is heading in and our ambitions for the future, Dave will be an extremely strong asset who will have the ability to achieve strong results immediately and also compliment André and help him to continue his development path.

“I think with the driver line-up we’ve landed with, both drivers will push each other to succeed, as was the case with Rick and Andre last season, which is exactly what we were after when deciding on what direction to go in.”

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