BRITISH SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP

In another great weekend for Connaught Competition Engines, 22-year-old Matt Oliver, driving the family run Gould GR37 4-litre Judd/Connaught powered sprint car, clinched the 2007 SBD British Sprint Championship.

With several round wins to his credit this year, Matt went into Aintree’s final round head-to-head with Pilbeam driver Dan Pickett, with both drivers in with a chance of the title. Matt’s drive into third place, two places ahead of Pickett, gave him the crown.

Fifth overall in the series, father Bill will also be toasting young Matt, who has become the youngest winner of the championship since Mark Harrison, another Connaught customer, took the title in 2003 in his Reynard-Mugen.

Second and fourth in the Aintree run-off were two more Connaught customers, Stewart Robb Jr and Stewart Robb Sr, in their new 4-litre Pilbeam-Judd KV while Phil Lynch and John Payne in their Judd/Connaught BV powered Ralt finished eighth and tenth respectively in the series’ final round.

With both Matt and Bill Oliver and Stewart Robb Sr finishing in the Championship Top 10 and set to carry permanent numbers in 2008, congratulations to them all. The awards dinner at Lea Marston on October 27 will be something special this year!