Complex sentence: Reynolds participated in the shootout and qualified the car 8th, and had a hard fought battle with eventual victor Jamie Whincup in the dying stages of the race, eventually crossing the line second, only 0.786 seconds behind Whincup, a record at the time.
Split into simpler sentences: Reynolds participated in the shootout and qualified the car 8th, and had a hard fought battle with eventual victor Jamie Whincup in the dying stages. He eventually crossing the line second, only 0.786 seconds behind Whincup, a record at the time.