David Reynolds was not the only driver to struggle physically during the season-opening Thrifty Newcastle 500.

The Penrite Racing driver once again had to persevere with the effects of cabin heat, which seem to impact him more than most in the field.

However, it was his rookie team-mate Matt Payne who was physically ill before the start of Race 2 of the Repco Supercars Championship, vomiting in his helmet.

“You’ve got to save a thought for Matt Payne because, on the warm up lap, he spewed in his helmet and thank god there was a red flag,” recalled Reynolds.

“Because, he had to go in for a new suit, new helmet, and there were chunks of chicken and rice everywhere apparently in his car.

“Poor fella. I’ve never seen that before in my life,” he laughed.

As Reynolds noted, a red flag after Declan Fraser and Macauley Jones clashed when lights went out gave Payne an opportunity to switch into some fresh gear.

It was quite the spectacle for the 2017 Bathurst 1000 winner.

“I think he probably ate too much and then he got a bit too nervous, the poor little soul,” added Reynolds.

“In the red flag, I saw him and there was white stuff caked everywhere. I thought, ‘Oh no.’”

Team Principal David Cauchi told Speedcafe.com, “He did have a bit of an incident. It’s good, it means it means something to him.”

Grove Racing was one of the better performers at the Newcastle East Street Circuit, which it left in second position in the teams’ championship, 78 points behind Erebus Motorsport.

That was thanks in no small part to Reynolds, who finished 10th in Race 1 then qualified on pole position for Race 2 and went on to claim third at the chequered flag.

He is now fourth in the drivers’ championship while Payne occupies 12th spot, best of the three rookies in the field, after finishes of 12th and 14th.