NEWS
Photo Credit: Gary Hawkins
stunning podium Finish for bryce at Walter Hayes Trophy Final
Bryce had an impressive end of season performance finishing the Walter Hayes Trophy on the Podium in 3rd Place overall. Without previous experience racing on the Silverstone National Circuit, and despite ongoing treacherous and tricky conditions, Bryce accomplished a long time dream.
The Walter Hayes Trophy is conducted through a weekend long knockout format. The field, originally consisting of 104 cars, was whittled down to the final grid of 36 cars. Bryce had progressed directly from his heat race to the semi-final. This was an accomplishment in and of itself as Bryce had been placed in what was most widely considered the most difficult heat.
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The two semi-finals were then combined with the top 18 drivers from each going through to the final. Bryce had a great start and quickly moved up two places prior to the deployment of a safety car. A good restart helped Bryce stay up front but a few laps later a red flag was thrown. Following the red flag the drivers had a standing restart for a 5 lap shootout. Bryce crossed the finish line in a well earned 3rd place!
Click on any of the images below to read the article.
Bryce Aron Walter Hayes Trophy Podium
Aron and Lee Advance to Semi-Final
Bryce Aron at Silverstone for Walter Hayes Trophy
Walter Hayes Trophy Path to the final
103 Entries
Qualifying
Heat Race
Qualifying Heat 3
Heat 3
Positions 14-18 Proceed to Last Chance Race
All Remaining Drivers Proceed to Progression Race
Top 13 From Each Heat Progress Directly to Semi-Finals
Top 16 Finishers of Progression Race Make Up the Back of the Last Chance Race
Top 16 Finishers of Last Chance Race Make Up the Back of Semi-Final Grids
Top 13 From Each Heat Progress Directly to Semi-Finals
Top 18 From Each Semi - Final In Final
Top 18 From Each Semi - Final In Final
Top 5 Finish for Bryce in Formula Ford Festival Final and 3rd Place in Semi-Final
Click on the image above to link to the full article in Racer Magazine..
"Along with a top-five, I also got to enjoy a great battle with some very experienced drivers in Jonathan Browne and Joey Foster,” added Aron. “There’s still much to learn but a solid first weekend with the Team USA Scholarship. Lots of fun to say the least – especially in a large field this close which proved once again to be a great experience. I can’t thank Doug Mockett, AERO Paints, Cooper Tires, SAFEisFAST.com, Jeremy Shaw, and everyone involved with the Team USA Scholarship enough for making this experience happen.”
Bryce had a top 5 finish this past weekend during the last round of the BRSCC FF1600 National Championship at the Silverstone International Circuit. Limited practice coupled with challenging conditions provided a great learning experience for both Team USA Scholarship drivers.
Race Report
National Round 2: Brands Hatch
Pole
Bryce began the National Championship weekend by grabbing pole over the highly competitive field. Bryce had a great start and led the field for the first several turns, but was quickly under attack. Competing against drivers who have been racing the U.K. National Championship for 3-6 years, Bryce is learning their tactics with each race. A normal season consists of 23 races. This year the championship is only 7 races, which does not provide as much learning opportunity. Bryce finished all 3 races in the top 5 and had excellent pace in every race. At one point Bryce closed a 1.5 second gap to the race leader in approximately 2 laps. Bryce learned a lot and is looking forward to the last national race weekend at Silverstone.
Book It Episode 1: Team USA Scholarship
In this debut episode, veteran motorsports journalist and commentator Rob Howden will talk with the recently announced 2020 Team USA Scholarship winners, Bryce Aron, Jackson Lee, and Simon Sikes. Aron and Lee will fly the Team USA colors at the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in October, as well as the final BRSCC National F1600 event and Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone later in the year, while Sikes will have the opportunity for valuable test outings in the US due to a date conflict with his current USF2000 program.
Team USA Scholarship Winner
It is a very exciting time for Bryce who was just announced as one of three 2020 Team USA Scholarship Winners! Bryce is honored to have been selected and looks forward to representing America in the upcoming races.
Bryce qualifies on pole at brands Hatch against the 2 most recent Formula Ford festival winners
Pole, near record Fast Lap, 2nd place
The opening round of Champion of Brands saw Bryce Aron winning pole position over the reigning (2019) and previous (2018) Formula Ford Festival winners. - August 30, 2020
Bryce backed up his qualifying performance scoring the fast lap of the race, nearing an all time track record. Bryce missed the track record by 0.050 without the benefit of a draft.
At the start of the race, Bryce was quickly embroiled in a battle with the 2018 Formula Ford Festival Winner, a battle in which Bryce prevailed. The battle allowed the race leader to escape. After Bryce passed Smith he was able to put some distance between them, and he began on a quest to chase down the race leader.
In approximately 3 laps Bryce successfully whittled down the leaders margin from 4 seconds to 2 seconds. Bryce finished in 2nd place in what was best described as a stunning display of race craft and pace. Bryce was the only driver to get into the 1:35's, which he was able to sustain for the last three laps of the race.
Bryce Moves into 2nd place in the castle combe championship standings
2nd Place, 2nd Place, Fast Lap Race 2
Qualifying: Bryce qualified P2 behind track specialist and series leader Cooper. Much of the qualifying session seemed to be spent with various drivers looking for the tow.
Race 1: “Vivian tried in vain to hold back the Low Dempsey Ray of Aron, the American racer … making a move stick for second just prior to mid-distance. By this point Cooper had escaped to the tune of 2.6 seconds, Aron immediately beginning to eat away at the leading gap....” -FF1600 website
Race 2: After carnage on the opening lap led to a complete restart of race 2, Bryce quickly made his way onto the gearbox of the race leader.
“ Aron refused to give Cooper any respite across the full distance, the duo covered by fractions as the American racer desperately looked for a way to deny Cooper....” -FF1600 Website.
Attempts to pass were made difficult as, in the main passing zone, a coating had been applied to the track to clean up an oil spill. Bryce finished in 2nd place and also scored the fast lap. This was Bryce's 2nd Fast Lap of the series, he is the only driver to have scored 2 fast laps in this series thus far.
Bryce Brings home win, pole, fastest lap Both races and nears track record
According to the race commentators "Bryce blew away the competition" at the Champion of Cadwell race. Bryce qualified on pole, nearly a second faster than the rest of the field. His qualifying time of 1:32.371, was a sliver away from the all time track record. Impressive as this was Bryce's first time driving on the undulating 18 turn Cadwell Park track.
Bryce went on to get the fastest lap for both races and a win, finishing 10 seconds ahead of the field. A track limit penalty of 5 seconds was applied which whittled the margin to a still sizable 5+ second victory. Bryce was the only driver to get into the 1:32's which he did repeatedly throughout the day.
Bryce Brings home 2nd Place, 3rd Place and FAST LAP at castle combe after fierce battles with track specialists Cooper and Fisher
After a fast qualifying without the benefit of a tow, Bryce started both races of the weekend in third position. The 2020 Premier Financial Planning Castle Combe FF1600 championship Series frontrunners, Cooper and Fisher, found a third driver, Bryce, had "joined their party." In both races the three drivers ultimately pulled away finishing several seconds ahead of the rest of the field despite their battling.
In race 1 Bryce battled hard with Fisher, ultimately passing him to take 2nd place in what was termed "a brave around-the-outside manoeuvre at Quarry with just a couple tours remaining..."
Race 2 was similarly very close. Well stated by the FF1600 Website article about Aron, Cooper and Fisher "The three covered by little more than a cigarette paper... Cooper led Fisher across the line by just 0.126s, while Aron completed the podium for Low Dempsey Racing just a smidge further back-all three covered by less than three-tenths."
Bryce nabbed Fast Lap of Race 2 with a 1:10.765.
After a fun day of intense battles, Bryce is hungry for more and thankful to Low Dempsey Racing as well as his sponsors MPEC/NAPA and Imperial Motors Jaguar.
Coverage of the weekend can be found on the FF1600 Website:
BRSCC Avon Tyres Formula Ford National Championship
Round 1 Oulton Park
The first round of the Avon Tyres BRSCC National Formula Ford Championship took place during a rain soaked weekend at Oulton Park. After a beautiful practice day conditions took a turn and the 34 car grid set about qualifying on a track with rain, standing water and low visibility. Bryce had to pass several cars on his flying lap which led to a less than desirable 12th place qualifying position. Though this was not what Bryce had hoped for he knew he would just have to work harder.
Bryce rapidly moved from 12th to 9th during race 1, ultimately finishing the race in 7th place under a red flag. Unfortunately the final lap of the race was repealed and the finishing positions were determined by the previous lap leaving Bryce with a 9th place finish in Race 1.
The recalibrated finishing order meant that Bryce would start Race 2 in 9th position. Bryce made quick work of carving through the field. "With MacLennan leading Smith, Browne and Middlehurst, a few cars back Bryce Aron was making the most of his debut with Low Dempsey Racing and picked off both champion Martin and then Oliver White to move up into 6th place early on the second lap." - BRSCC
Bryce then moved up into 5th place where he remained for most of the race continuing to battle to the end of the last lap, he ended Race 2 in 7th place. Though the fastest lap of the race was captured by another driver, Bryce showed great pace going purple on the 3rd lap.
Turn up your volume!
Bryce Aron picked as top 10 most promising driver for 2020 - motorsport news
Bryce Featured in sheridan road magazine
Bryce Featured in Classic Chicago magazine
FRP pro Series Finale at NJMP
2019 Final Pro Standings
3rd Place 1st year in cars
Bryce had a great transition to cars. As the youngest and least experienced driver in the pro series Bryce was a quick study, making the most of every opportunity. In one season Bryce went from keeping up with the lead pack to leading the pack. Bryce delivered consistent podium finishes which increased in number greatly by the end of the season. Bryce ended the United States Pro F1600 Series in 3rd place by a margin of almost 200 points over the next competitor. Thank you to everyone at K-Hill Motorsports for their outstanding driver development.