Shrewsbury's Bryant has caught road racing bug
As the road racing season comes to a close, Tom Bryant can officially say he has well and truly caught the bug.
The Shrewsbury star has taken to the roads like a duck to water with ambitious plans to be on the start line for the 2020 Isle of Man TT.
The passenger has teamed up with driver Michael 'Jack' Russell – a solo rider with plenty of experience who has also enjoyed lots of success on the roads – and the pair have made a formidable team.
Using the British Sidecar championship, raced on the undercard of the British Superbikes series, simply to get extra track time, Bryant and Russell have already shown superb form on the roads.
And what has made it even more exceptional is the fact Russell is making his debut as sidecar driver this year while Bryant has been experiencing road racing for the first time.
After returning from the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man, which is raced around the 4.25-mile Billown circuit in Castletown, with two stunning sixth-placed finishes in July, they then headed to Oliver's Mount in Scarborough for a second outing on the roads late last month.
The meeting was made even more special because it marked the first time racing had returned to England's only road racing circuit in 17 months.
The 2.4-mile race track had traditionally attracted thousands of spectators but racing was postponed after competitors crashed through fencing at an event in September 2017, injuring 12 fans.
Scarborough Borough Council eventually granted a lease of the site to GrantRoberts Ltd, operating as the racing club and headed by two former Isle of Man TT racers, Eddie Roberts and Mick Grant, who took over from the Auto66 Club, following safety improvements.
And about 15,000 fans made their way back to the famous track for the Barry Sheene Memorial Classic, to see Bryant and Russell secure a superb fifth and fourth-placed finish, as well as picking up the fastest newcomer title for good measure.
Heavy sea mist called the meeting prematurely to a halt on the Sunday but Bryant said the meeting had been another wonderful experience with both racers keen to return in 2020.
"There were meant to be three races but in the end they only ran two because the final one was called off because of the bad weather – I don't think any of the classes managed to fit in all three," he said.
"We started off strongly in qualifying and came fourth. The only racers in front of us were previous winners so we were happy with that. We ended up finishing fifth in the first race and fourth in the second.
"We got a bit of a bad start in the first but it was still probably the best race we have been involved in so far.
"We were overtaken and then enjoyed a battle throughout the opener. We were warned about how tight Oliver's Mount is and how difficult it is to overtake round there, especially with a sidecar, and there were only a couple of places we could really try a move.
"Jack just could not find the right place in the first race but our lap times were actually faster than theirs. Either way, we really enjoyed it and both sets of riders congratulated each other afterwards.
"It meant they were named best newcomer for that race but we were determined to get the upperhand in the second."
Russell and Bryant again started fourth on the grid but once more their rivals were able to get off the line quicker.
However, this time Russell decided to make a bold move on the first corner of the first lap, which paid off as they reclaimed fourth sport
"It was very tight but he took full advantage by out breaking them – we actually overtook them on just two wheels – but he managed to get round the outside and then pull away," said Bryant.
"From there we just got faster each lap as we got to know the circuit better. Both sets of riders were really looking forward to the third race, to see who really was the best newcomer, but unfortunately it was cancelled.
"In the end, we had the fastest newcomer's lap so we were awarded the title.
"The track was in a pretty bad condition because it had not been used for two years.
"There were plants and moss growing in the road and when we came back in after the first practice sessions the sidecar was filthy.
"We were not sure what to expect before heading there and we were both quite nervous because it's like racing on a pavement, the roads are that narrow.
"The Southern 100 is obviously a road race too but this track was just lined with trees so you knew any mistake would be punished, however, we thoroughly enjoyed it and we're hoping to come back next year.
"That's it for us, for now, as Jack has been posted in Cyprus as duty calls but I'm hoping to unveil something for the rest of the British Sidecar championship soon."
