HGTCC Donington Park | Oliver Bryant Racing

22nd April 2007

Strong drive by Oliver nets the Bryant Morgan a podium place

Towards the end of the afternoon, another tremendous field of cars lined up for the 45-minute two-driver race. Lloyd set the pace again from the start, from Bussell, Peter Hall (Chevrolet Camaro), Oliver Bryant (Morgan Plus8) and Jenkinson. But fresh from competing in the British GT race, Bryant quickly picked his way past his rivals and, after going side by side into Redgate with Lloyd on lap six, took the lead into the Old Hairpin.

Bussell had slipped to fourth on lap three, but continued to shadow Hall, leaving Jenkinson and Hollins filling the top six. But everyone moved up when Lloyd pulled off at the Old Hairpin after nine laps. “The motor just went pop,” he explained. Bryant was left with an increased lead, which was held as father Grahame took over the car. But with Hall handing the Camaro over to Rouse, the chase was on for the second half of the race. “I had a strategy which was to get out of the car as soon as I could and give it to Andy,” said Hall.

Apart from the lead pair, the order was now settling down, with Jenkinson, Paul Burry in the Hollins’ Morgan and Ben Samuelson’s Aston Martin DB4 making progress to fifth as both he and Joe Cann’s Aston Martin demoted the Wilkinson/Bussell Jaguar E Type. But all eyes were on the contest for the lead as Rouse hunted down the Bryant Morgan.

Rouse’s charge finally paid dividends on lap 24, when he dived inside the Morgan at Redgate to take the lead. Bryant tried all he could to re-challenge, but Rouse just had the edge and took his second win of the day. “I closed on the brakes but he had the puff on the straights every time,” said Bryant after an absorbing contest.

Jenkinson was an excellent third overall after a strong solo drive, while Burry/Hollins retained fourth despite a grassy excursion on the Craner Curves. Samuelson/Wheeler closed slightly on Burry towards the end and the Aston Martin DB4 was well clear of the Cann’s DBS V8 at the flag. Boot clinched seventh with a couple of laps left to run, moving ahead of the Wilkinson/Bussell E Type and leaving John Shoesmith/Ray Barrow (Chevrolet Camaro) and Tony Lees (Morgan Plus8) to complete the top ten.

“That’s my first ever class win,” said a delighted Lees after clinching class B. Harvey and Clive Death once again headed Streeter in class A with their hard-driven Mini Cooper S.