2020: Our first year as Low Dempsey Racing
2020 has been quite a year. After buying the team from Cliff and Michelle in January, just a few short weeks later we were in lockdown. Filled with so much uncertainty of where our new venture would end up. And now as we emerge from a second lockdown, we are relieved to be able to share the best bits of our first year as Low Dempsey Racing, that managed to get going with a lot of hard work from the motorsport community.
Once the first lockdown restrictions had been lifted back in June, we were given the go ahead and it was time for some testing! Finally getting Grant Palmer in an LDR car after a long wait!! Then onto our first stop, Castle Combe in early July, with our two American drivers Bryce Aron and Grant Palmer. In the two races there, Bryce took P3 and P5, whilst Grant secured P9 and P4. It was our first time at Castle Combe and we had an absolutely brilliant time. The staff and the set up were spot on and we can’t wait to go back again next year.
Next on the agenda was the first race of the National Championship at Oulton Park, with Irish driver Jonathan Browne joining the set up. It was typical British weather with wind and rain throughout the weekend, but thankfully the results were a little brighter, with Jonathan Browne taking P3 and P4, Bryce Aron securing P9 and P7 and Grant Palmer grabbing P10. Unfortunately he sustained a DNF in the second race due to contact.
It was back to Castle Combe again the following weekend with Bryce and Grant, and the event saw Bryce taking P2 and P3 and Grant close behind with two P4’s. After a little time to catch our breath in August, it was on to Brands Hatch for the Champion of Brands on the fantastic Grand Prix Circuit for the bank holiday weekend! After qualifying in P1 (Bryce), P2 (Jonathan) and P4 (Grant), we were raring to get out on track for the race! The final results were just as good with Jonathan taking P1, Bryce P2 and Grant keeping his place at P4. It was brilliant for Jonathan to grab his first bit of silverware for the season too, as well as the Bert Ray Memorial Trophy. But there was no time to celebrate as we were back on the road to Castle Combe for the Combe Countdown the very next day!
At qualifying all the guys were straight back on it, securing P2 (Bryce), P6 (Jonathan) and P7 (Grant). The first race was just as exciting with Bryce maintaining his P2 positioning and Jonathan working his way up from P6 to grab P3, and the fastest lap of the race! Unfortunately Grant was a DNF for the first race and again at the second race with some engine difficulties. Jonathan also was unable to finish due to contact, but Bryce - who started the second race in P4 - worked his way up to secure P2 and some silverware!
Come September it was back to Brands Hatch, for the second Champion of Brands race! The pack was strong at qualifying once again with Jonathan taking P1, Bryce P4 and Grant P6. And they didn’t disappoint come the first race grabbing P1 (Jonathan), P3 (Bryce) and P5 (Grant). In the second race Jonathan again took P1, Bryce P3 (and the fastest lap!) and Grant P6.
In September we were also delighted with the announcement of this years’ Team USA Scholarship drivers. With Bryce winning one of the places, and Jackson Lee the other. We’d heard a lot of brilliant things about Jackson, so we were really excited for him to be joining the set up alongside Bryce.
As the summer came to an end, it was back down to Brands Hatch for the final round of the Champion of Brands. Qualifying went well, with Bryce in P2, Jonathan P3 and Grant P6. The race was tough and Jonathan battled hard to work his way up to P1, whilst Grant also moved up the grid securing P5. Bryce unfortunately had a DNF due to some electronic issues, and was also a DNF in the second race after some early contact. Jonathan however took another P1 and Grant grabbed P6. Jonathan’s win also meant that he was the first person ever to win the Champion of Brands five times in a row!
Shortly after we were back at Brands Hatch again for the National Championship. In qualifying we secured some fantastic results with P1 (Bryce), P6 (Jonathan) and P10 (Grant). The first race was hard though with some tough competition and ended with Jonathan taking P4, Bryce P5 and Grant P12. The second race also wasn’t easy, but it was great to see Jonathan grab a podium finish with P3, Bryce P4 and Grant P10. The third and final race of the weekend ended with all of our drivers in the top 10, with Jonathan in P4, Bryce P5 and Grant P10.
There wasn’t mush time to regroup before it was on to Silverstone for the final round of the National Championship on the International circuit, this time with Jackson Lee joining the team! It was a tricky qualifying session with only a small amount of laps on the Friday due to red flags. A tough group too, with less than a second between the top 12! Our guys took P6 (Bryce), P13 (Grant), Jonathan (P15), Jackson (P18). The first race was a corker, with Jonathan taking P8, Bryce P9, Grant P11 and Jackson P17. In race 2 the guys really built on their results with Jonathan grabbing P4, Bryce P5 and Jackson P12. Unfortunately Grant was a DNF due to contact, which was such as shame as Silverstone was his last race of the year with us.
As the weather turned it was on to the Formula Ford Festival and the Walter Hayes Trophy and the news that driver Max Esterson would be joining the set up for both! After some great qualifying heats, an intense semi final and even more dramatic final, the guys finished an incredible P2 (Jonathan), P5 (Bryce), P6 (Max) and P10 (Jackson). To have all our drivers finish within the top 10 was absolutely amazing! And then it was on to the Walter Hayes Trophy - back to Silverstone we went! A massively difficult weekend but it was great to grab another podium spot as Bryce grabbed P3! Max also did a great job and secured a P14 finish. Unfortunately despite some fantastic racing, it wasn’t the end we hoped for for both Jonathan and Jackson, who were caught up in a collision at Luffield with several other cars, with only five laps to go.
We are so very proud of all our drivers and what they achieved this year. They have all grown and developed and it has been an absolute pleasure to be part of their racing journey. We are so excited to see what great things they will go onto next!
2020 has been an enormously tough year, but we are forever grateful for our wonderful drivers (and their parents!), Team USA Scholarship and all of the amazing LDR team, who work so hard, and have made this year - our first year as Low Dempsey - so brilliant! Thank you all so much! Bring on 2021.
Andy and Rianna x
