Racing a Mazda Motorsport RX8 for the first time, Reeves and co-driver Smyth got their 2012 season off to a flying start with consistently good times in the 14-stage race.

The Wedderburn duo finished day one of the two-day event in third place after setting a fastest stage time and two second-fastest times.

Reeves, 23, held on to the podium finish on Sunday with a trouble-free drive, while increasing his lead to more than a minute against fourth-placed Jim Richards in his Porsche GT2 RS.

Reeves was delighted with the performance in the Modern Category, which featured tough competition from Jason White in a Lamborghini Gallardo and Matt Close driving an Audi TT RS.

“We’ve had a fantastic weekend,” Reeves said.

“The car was great, Rhianon did a great job, as did all the Mazda team. I am really happy to reward their hard work with a podium place.

“I can’t wait for Targa Tasmania in April.”

The Targa Tasmania is a six-day event and in April Reeves and Smyth will again team up with Simon and Sue Evans, who won the Showroom Category for the Mazda team at Targa Wrest Point.

Meanwhile, Reeves and Smyth will set about fundraising for their entry into the 2012 World Rally Championship Academy – the competition they finished outright fifth in last year.

The siblings won a fully-sponsored drive last year after winning the Pirelli Star Driver competition, but they need to find sponsors within the next fortnight to compete in this year’s contest.