Tom Bryant

[Dynoroom]

Just learned from Gary Bryant's Facebook page of the passing of Tom Bryant.

Tom had raced at Bonneville & El Mirage as far back as the 1950's and was president of the SCTA for awhile and also was a member of both the El Mirage And Bonneville 200 MPH Clubs.
He will be greatly missed.

God Speed Tom

[Stainless1]

Well crap, another one of our LSR founders/innovators is gone.... GodSpeed Tom

[Glen]

RIP Tom.

[SPARKY]

RIP Tom  Thoughts and Prayers for grieving family & friends.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Oh, man-o-man, what a loss.  We've known Tom (and Margaret, may she rest in peace) since we started going to the salt.  I've got a great Pork Pie photo of me leaving the line - with Tom's car right next to me and in full sight of folks looking at the picture.  That's a great way for us to honor and remember him.  When we went to the NW Reunion he and Margaret would always take plenty of time to chat with us new folks.  Tom would stop at our pit to say hello and talk.  And on and on.  A true Bonneville racer - friendly, willing to help, willing to experiment.  He was even active on Facebook - no mean trick for someone that's older than me.

And after his son crashed the car and died - Tom and Margaret were very gracious to all, returning to the salt and knowing they'd hear near-endless repetitions of sympathy - stirring up, perhaps, more of their sorrow.

To all of Tom's family and the zillions of people that knew him from Redding and everywhere -- May you Rest In Peace, sir.  It was an honor and pleasure knowing you.

Nancy and Jon

[Joe Timney]

Tom & John Beckett are sitting at the Great Salt Flats in the Sky discussing who had the baddest D/GCC!!!

When I blew a tire qualifying on Tom's record in 2000, Tom pulled the rear tires off the coupe and offered them to me for the next morning backup run...a true sportsmen and good friend.
God Speed Tom!!!
J

[dw230]

Sad news. Those of us that followed Tom on Face Book learned of his recent cross country trip to visit Family and friends. He seem to be in good health and spirits to attempt a trip of this sort.

As dynoroom Mike mentioned, Tom was a member of both the Bonneville 200 MPH Club, 1990 and the El Mirage 200 MPH Club.

Joanie and I will keep him and Margaret in our prayers.

Dan Warner
President
Bonneville 200 MPH Club

[BSTER]

RIP Tom  you were a very good guy and an outstanding racer.  You will be missed for sure.

[PorkPie]

Tom,

it was great to know you as a friend for so many years, I will miss you

R.I.P.

[velocity]

I am betting Tom and Barry are already laying out an heavenly course. . . .

Gonna miss walking the aisles of the PRI Show with him, it was nice to have a red hat escort.

LSR was made better because he spent time in the hobby - as a racer, as a volunteer, as a leader, as a voice of reason.

My heartfelt condolences tothe entire Bryant family.

[USFRAMONTE]

Would like to add some of my thoughts to the others.  Tom was a true gentleman and always had a smile for me.  I always had to get on my knees and extend my arms as far as I could, to reach his belts and check things out before he made a run.  A very unique car and driver/builder.  Several of you will remember him putting Mary West in the car and letting her run it.  I think we are all a bit better off for having know him and his family. RIP.

[hotrod]

Land speed racing will miss Tom, I wish I would have had the opportunity to get to know him better.
RIP Tom.

[Kiwi Paul]

I felt very fortunate to meet him on my first trip to the Salt, in 1984, and then to apologise to him in person in 2013 for borrowing a set of plugs from him way back then, and not returning same...He said the joke was on me as he had all the plugs Champion could give him back then....

My heartfelt condolences to the entire Bryant family......

[PorkPie]

this for my friend Tom

[Tom Burkland]

Just a few comments on our good friend Tom Bryant for those of you that may not have had the pleasure of knowing him well. Take a close look at the photo Pork Pie posted above and note the 1986 date and El Mirage 200mph entry speed posted on his jacket, 202.705 in D/CC. He would later join the Bonneville 200mph club in 1990 at 217.236 in his first '34 Ford comp coupe. This started back in the day of three run records and no gas/fuel class split (all comp coupes were expected to run fuel) and a blower advanced two displacement classes. The Bryants had always run their small block normally aspirated so it was a 302 cubic inch displacement. Tom extended the invitation to virtually everyone in his family, including a driver's licensing episode for Mary West, to take a ride in his 216 comp coupe. If you check the current record book you will find son Jeff Bryant in D/FCC at 244.260 and son Dan Bryant in D/GCC at 242.934. There are actually seven Bryant family members that have entered the 200mph club under his experienced direction. Check the starting line photo posted above by Louise showing his concentration on those final critical details and checks before pushing the coupe off on another fast run. This man's dedication to his family and the sport of land speed racing run plenty deep. Think of what it takes to campaign a land speed vehicle in the same class for over 30 years and raise its top speed by almost 50mph! Through all of this activity Tom Bryant always maintained the same calm, patient, methodical demeanor while extending his hand of friendship to everyone he met along the way. We are all better for having known him.
God Speed Mr. Bryant, we're glad to have called you friend.
Tom Burkland and the 411 crew