Former Albury Woodnga karter and now BOB Jane T-Marts driver David Reynolds has claimed the 2007 Carrera Cup Championship after a dramatic final race of the season at the Indy 300 yesterday.

Marcus Marshall (ACER/Leading Solutions) claimed the round win after finishing second behind Alex Davison (OAMPS Insurance), but Reynolds’ third place yesterday was enough to hand him the championship.

In a fiercely fought championship, only 63 points separated the top three drivers, and Reynolds said the tight finish made the win even more satisfying.

“That is awesome,” he said.

“It’s so satisfying because it’s the closest category going around because all the cars are the same.

“They’re all made the same, same engines, same tyres, same brakes so it is all down to how you set up the car and drive it.

“To beat guys like Marshall, Baird and Davison is just sensational because they are amazing drivers and guys I looked up to when I was younger.”

Davison conceded Reynolds was a deserved winner.

“I said at the start of the year that to win I would have to be consistent but I didn’t practice what I preached,” he said.

“But Dave drove fast all year, raced really well and he deserves the trophy.”

Reynolds went into the race knowing he had to finish within five places of Baird and within eight of Davison to take his maiden Carrera Cup title and while he was confident of doing so he went within a whisker of seeing his title hopes evaporate.

Soon after the start Reynolds was battling for fourth position with Paul Stokell (Sherrin Equipment), when Stokell attempted a move on him just before spinning off at Falken Corner.

The spinning No. 27 car avoided Reynolds by mere millimetres before causing an eight-car traffic jam.

Two laps later Baird was leading and with Reynolds in fourth, the championship looked like going down to the wire.

But Baird locked up his brakes heading into Falken Corner — relegating himself to 12th and destroying his championship hopes — and Jane and Grant Sherrin came together in the second chicane, calling the safety car for the second time.

The race finished under safety car conditions two laps later.

Border Mail 22 October 2007