Motorsport: Bryant gears up for tilt at Touring Cars

DALMENY race ace Rory Bryant has his sights set on the British Touring Car Championship after a stunning start to his track career in a Ford Fiesta, writes JIM McGILL.

The 22-year-old raced in both the British and Scottish Ford Fiesta Championships last year but this season he has really grabbed both series by the scruff of the neck.

Driving his Fiesta, prepared by Ian Cowie of ICR Motorsport at Knockhill, Bryant has won all four opening races in the Scottish.

Not content with that, he started his British campaign with two podiums — a second and a third — at Lydden Hill, before a winning double at Snetterton.

"It's a reasonably good success rate," said Bryant, who helps fund his racing by working with Edinburgh Leisure, before heading south for the next British double-header a Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire this weekend. "I finished fifth in the British Championship last year, having hardly done any rounds, and just missed out on the Scottish title by 20 points — there's 25pts for a win — basically because I didn't start the season early enough because of a lack of funding."

This season Bryant leads the Scottish championship by 28 points and he added: "I've improved a lot this year. Last year if I'd led the races, as I did a few weeks ago at Snetterton, I'd have become flustered. This year I'm more in control, confident and well-rounded in my driving."

Bryant intends to graduate to the British Clio Cup before making a name for himself in the British Touring Car Championship.

And he's already had his first taste of the action. "I tested a Clio at Silverstone in April with Total Control Racing," he explained, " and though it took me a few laps to get used to the car, especially the brakes, as soon as I got the hang of it I managed to put in some very fast times.

"I know the team was happy with me and it certainly made me even more hungry to move up the ranks next year."