The Gold Coast Bulletin

Joker has the last laugh in medal win

- JAMES PHELPS

DAVID Reynolds’ stellar season continued last night when the V8 funnyman was voted the sport’s best driver.

In a shock at the Supercars awards, Erebus V8 driver Reynolds beat newly crowned seven-time champion Red Bull driver Jamie Whincup for the coveted Barry Sheene Medal.

Reynolds was level with Scott McLaughlin following the first vote and edged out the DJR Team Penske wunderkind in a tiebreak.

The driver best known for throwing flower pots off the podium and drinking champagne from his shoe finally stamped his mark on the sport this year when he won the Bathurst 1000 against the odds.

The award came just two days after Reynolds threatened to spike the drink of Red Bull rival Shane van Gisbergen after the two bumped cars at the Newcastle 500.

“I’ve been watching a lot of (TV series) Narcos and people have died for less,” Reynolds said on Sunday.

“We have the gala soon, so I may have to slip something into his drink.’’

At Bathurst in 2015, Reynolds was also fined $25,000 for referring to the Nissan driven by Simona De Silvestro and Renee Gracie as the “p **** wagon’’.

Reynolds yesterday poured water on the feud with van Gisbergen. “Whatever happens on the track, I don’t really mind,” Reynolds said.

“I’m all about the show. If it’s good for the show it’s good for the business and good for us.”

Whincup continued his championsh­ip-winning celebratio­ns after beating McLaughlin in a thrilling Newcastle 500 finale.

“I know the feeling of coming second, so that certainly motivated me today to grab that number seven into our hands,” Whincup said.

“We dedicate our lives and we make a stupid amount of sacrifices for these moments right now.””

DJR Team Penske won the team’s championsh­ip and the bestpresen­ted team’s award. McLaughlin was voted the fans’ favourite.

GOLD Coast Bulletin sports reporter Connor O’Brien has taken out the top award for Supercars media coverage across the nation.

O’Brien was announced as the winner of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championsh­ip Media Award at the Supercars annual awards night in NSW.

The award is given to a member of the media for outstandin­g coverage of the championsh­ip. Fox Sports’ Jessica Yates won it in 2016.

Outgoing Supercars CEO James Warburton praised O’Brien’s reporting.

“Connor is one of News Limited’s outstandin­g young journalist­s, he followed the sport throughout the season, providing insight into the Championsh­ip, and particular­ly the Gold Coast-based drivers and teams,” he said.

“Connor’s coverage of the Vodafone Gold Coast 600 in particular was widely applauded within the sport and on the Gold Coast ... He establishe­d strong relationsh­ips within the sport and is respected for his news sense, drive and hard work.”

Bulletin editor Ben English said he was proud of the 24year-old’s achievemen­t.

“We are all incredibly proud of Connor, this is a fitting reward for the enormous effort he’s put in and also a reflection of the standard of his coverage throughout the Supercar season,” he said.

O’Brien said he was honoured to win.

“It’s a bit of a shock to be honest, I’m a massive Supercars fan and it has been an awesome year to report on the sport,” he said.

 ?? Picture: GETTY IMAGES ?? Colourful driver David Reynolds celebrates after his Bathurst 1000 win this year.
Picture: GETTY IMAGES Colourful driver David Reynolds celebrates after his Bathurst 1000 win this year.
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Australia