1st May 2006
DONINGTON PARK TOP HAT FESTIVAL
Oliver Bryant scores 3 wins from 5 starts at the Donington Classic weekend.
20 year old Oliver Bryant had a very successful weekend at Donington Park with 3 wins in 3 different cars.
Win 1
He qualified 6th on the Grid in the Morgan +8 in the Sebring Salute race. Bryant worked his way into the lead and held onto it through raining conditions. Despite running out of fuel on the last lap and spluttering across the line, he took the win with a 15 second margin to Simon Hadfield in the 2nd placed Elva. Running out of fuel meant he missed getting onto the grid for the next race in the Lotus xv which he was on pole position for.
Win 2
Oliver started from the pit lane and worked his way up through the field in this 45 minute race. As with the previous race, he completed the races driving Solo because farther Grahame was not feeling 100%. After the compulsory pit stop, Oliver overtook Peter Horsman in his Lotus to take the win and fastest lap.
Win 3
Oliver’s father Grahame started the car from Oliver’s pole position (a time of 1m21.3s). The car had gear change problems due to damage from the differential breaking when Oliver was 2nd in the Cloth Cap race on the previous day. This meant that the whole race had to be completed using 3rd gear only. Fortunately, the car’s 3rd gear was ample for the straights and corners at Donington Park enabling Oliver to bring the car home for his 3rd win of the weekend.
Oliver also raced in the Top Hat race for historic Touring cars and brought the heavy Plymouth Barracuda (a car that favours dry conditions) home in 6th place and 3rd in class on a very wet Donington circuit. |