DAVID REYNOLDS was as surprised as the rest of the Repco Supercars paddock when it was announced that the Grove family had purchased a major stake in Kelly Racing prior to the start of the 2021 season.

The former Bathurst 1000 champion had only just signed his deal with the Ford team before the new partnership was announced, delivering Stephen and Brenton Grove an equal stake in the team before it was subsequently rebranded Kelly Grove Racing.

Talking to the On the Grid Podcast, Reynolds admitted his surprise when the long-time Porsche racing family were announced as major shareholders – and essentially, his new bosses.

“They kept it very quiet.. I signed my deal at the start of the year and then a few days, or maybe a week later, there was an announcement that Stephen bought into the team,” Reynolds said.

“I had absolutely no idea about it to be honest! No idea. It caught me by surprise and I was a bit stunned about it.”

The Penrite Racing driver has expressed his admiration of the Grove’s still new involvement in the squad and heralded their ‘winning’ mentality as something that would be of massive benefit to the team.

“His (Grove’s) involvement in the team, every time you talk to him it is about ‘how can we win?’, ‘what do we need to win?’,” Reynolds explained.

“As a racing driver or anyone in the team, that’s what you want to hear. ‘What can we do to win – what do you need investment wise, what do you need people wise.. what do you need?’

“It’s the best few words you could ever talk to anyone in a competitive sport who wants to win races.”

Having scored a podium in race five of the championship at Sandown, Reynolds sits 9th in the Supercars championship while teammate Andre Heimgartner sits two spots higher, in seventh.

Kelly Grove Racing sits fifth in the teams standings ahead of this weekend’s three races at Symmons Plains Raceway, near Launceston in Tasmania.