Dazza290 Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Welcome to the Uk Dirt 2009 rFactor F1 season, which promises to be one of the best seasons the formula has ever seen. New ideas have brought in this season including more double headers, some more titles and the National Series championship. Its also going to be one of the busiest seasons ever with over 50 meetings available ensuring drivers really get there moneys worth. This preview is designed to show you what is coming up and when in more detail…… whilst also showing you some facts, figures and information on the season ahead. We will also be looking at some of the highlights of last year and conducting some ‘mini’ interviews with drivers on there current views within the sport. Uk Dirt admin wish you a productive racing season, and thank you for continued support. The TracksKings Lynn Important race(s): World Final –10th September After holding the Semi final last year, Kings Lynn has its turn at holding the premier race for drivers this year. The fast Norfolk shale way always plays hosts to some top meetings and is a track well liked by all drivers. Earlier in the year however it will host a WQR round enabling drivers to score those all important qualifying points which will place them onto a Semi final grid. Coventry Important race(s): World Semi Final 1 (16th July) and British Championship (15th October) A new addition this year to the Uk Dirt fixture list will be Coventry, a shale track situated in the midlands. One of the most popular F1 tracks in real life it will surely become a favourite online aswell. Coventry jumps straight in to host one of the Semi Finals aswell as arguably the 3rd biggest title in the sport the British Championship. The F1’s will also visit Coventry a couple of times for some WQ rounds.Birmingham Important race(s): World Semi final 2 – 13th August Another track situated at the heart of the country is Brimingham, which is a track drivers will visit no fewer then 4 occasions this year. Its biggest race will be the all important Semi final which is sure to be competitive as the straights are fast and the corners relatively tight. Birmingham is also a track which is hard to predict winners for as pileups regularly occur claiming even the best drivers. Going to be one of the tarmac tracks of the season this year.Cowdenbeath Important race(s): n/a[/b] Another track to debut this year here on rFactor F1’s is Cowdenbeath, which is a super fast tarmac raceway. Drivers and fans comment in real life how good the atmosphere is inside the stadium, and online its no different as you really do get a sense of immersion as you fly round the track. The track has no major championships to race for but it will still be an experience. Northampton Important race(s): European double header – 5th & 6th August & World Masters 17th September Northampton once again will hold the European double header in early August, whilst also holding the World Masters meeting in which is sure to see some drivers getting in some revenge hits. Northampton will also have one other national series outing, and whilst the quick tarmac track is not to everyone’s taste it will surely put up some close fought racing.Skegness Important race(s): Uk Open double header – 15th & 16th April After hosting both the Uk open and a Semi Final in 2008, 2009 sees Skegness keep the Uk Open only but in a slightly different format. It will now be run over 2 days which will hopefully see even more drivers competing for the title, which saw last years race as one of the best of the year. The usual tarmac will also get a coating of shale later in the year which will see a new challenge for all drivers competing.Belle vue Important Race(s): National Series finale Belle Vue hosted the hotly contested British Championship last year but has a change of title for its feature race with the British being replaced by the National Series Finale. We also visit the small shale track for a further WQ round and another national series round. Belle Vue is very much a driver’s track and seems to be one you get on with or one you don’t, and is certainly not for the faint hearted.Buxton Important Race(s): n/a Another new track to appear on the fixture list for this season is Buxton, which unfortunately will not host a major championship. However the F1’s will visit the track 3 times this year for a couple of WQ round and a national series round. Ultra fast straights into tight corners can provide some exciting bumper to bumper action, Buxton is certainly a track to keep you on your toes.Hednesford Important Race(s): n/a Hednesford is a tarmac track with loads of history but like Buxton, the track has no major titles in the 2009 season. It will get visited twice this year and will no doubt serve up some more top action to follow on from last year. It’s the biggest and fastest short oval in the Uk, so when the hits go in the drivers know about it. Will be anticipated more by the heavy hitters it will seem.Ipswich Important Race(s): Tarmac Masters final 12th November The track which held the World Final last year will this year see the Tarmac Masters as its main event, whilst it will also see 2 other visits for a wq round and a national series round. As with Hednesford, its super fast, but will also provide some controlled and close racing. Its another track which drivers love or loathe and im sure the 2009 season wont prove it to be any different.Sexbierum Important Race(s): Dutch Championship 25th June The dirt of Sexbierum will once again host the Dutch Championship which again, was one of the meetings of the year last season. Sexbierum will also host a national series round this year. It’s a track that is very popular as the bends and straights are very wide , making it very popular with beginners and novices aswell as the more experienced drivers.Sheffield Important Race(s): Clutch Start Classic 7th May & Consolation Semi Final 20th August To prove how busy the modelling teams have been over the winter period we are showing on the fixtures yet another new track in the shape of the super fast shale track Sheffield. Sheffield will host the Clutch start classic early on in the season whilst also the Consolation Semi Final for the drivers who need to make a last gasp effort to qualify. With the track being post and wire all the way round a lot of concentration is needed to be consistent and finish high up in the places, a different test of skill to all other tracks on the fixture list.Baarlo Important Race(s): Long Track Special 27th August Baarlo is like a few other new to the fixture list and comes in two disguises. There is a short and Long version to race around with the Long Track Special in August the highlight race of the year at the venue. Both sizes of track are mega quick with huge bends, it will really come down to how good a driver is consistently in order to get some good placings. A track most drivers will look forward to racing on.Bradford Import Race(s): n/a Bradford is another track to take on two identities in the form of a tarmac and shale version, with both providing equally as good racing. They have also been given two meetings each this season on the fixture list, although not one is a major title. Very much a flat out track on both surfaces, its another the drivers enjoy racing on with the different corner entry style of many on these tracks proving it is a challenge to pass on, and concentration is definitely needed.Knockhill Important Race(s): Scottish Championship Knockhill is the last track to feature on the fixture list, and similar to last season it is a lone fixture for the venue. It will once again feature its main race of the Scottish Championship, but the track, due to it being so unique and tough, is not a driver favourite. It will be interesting to see this year who does manage to avoid the carnage.Quick Fire Questions This section is where I sent out 5 questions to nearly everyone who raced more then 10 meetings last year. Some good responses here and it certainly makes some interesting reading. Apologies if you never received a pm, I did try and get everyone!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Johno (Johnathon Walmsley) Number: 3 Favourite Track: Skegness Best Race: Skegness Semi Final meeting - the meeting final Driver to Beat: 331 - Hutch (Has to be the man to beat in terms of the titles he holds) One to watch: 233 - Grasser (I think he is going to get it together this year, and is very under graded at blue) Comments: I think this year has all the ingredients to be a classic. Some of the ideas we have included this year are very brave, not least to increase the season to some 50 meetings. I just hope that we get the support that the team deserver, because behind the scenes, in both Heat and Rfactor, the Admin Team have worked their socks off. In terms of myself, I think that I really need to push on this year. I got better and better towards the end of the season, and need to keep that going. In terms of targets, the first one is to be at red for more than 1 month. The second is to have a good slot on the World Final grid. The third one will be very hard, and that is to get into the shootout. I think that is out of my reach, but never say never right? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Kruiz Number: 136 Favourite Track: Sheffield Best Race: Sheffield Final last season. Driver to Beat: Hutch - hope I'm more successful this time around!! Comments: Looking forward to a good season, hopefully I'm able to commit to more meetings this year as I'd really love to give the silver shoot out a crack but it’s a case of who knows at this stage. Other than that a couple of final wins would be nice can't really expect much more than that, I think a lot more people will be very fast this year leaving me with little chance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Ironmac Number: 288 Favourite Track: Skeggy/NIR Best Race: 08 WF coming from last row to finish 10th Driver to Beat: Hutch/ Marten Comments: n/a ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Ryan Walker. Number: 363 (used to be 74). Favourite Track: Shale: Kings lynn Tarmac: Birmingham. Best Race: Crossing the line in the kings lynn semi and making the world fina. Driver to Beat: Hutch 331 Comments: Lets make a brilliant season this year. Sybe 315 use your racing head this year instead of it being so far up your erse and trying to hit folk at the start of races you stupid kid. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Graham Cotterell (Spike) Number: 221 Favourite Track: Skegness Best Race: Birmingham heat I nearly won, was taken out by Matthew and was racing on keys then Driver to Beat: Hutch/ Dazza/ Kruiz Comments: Great game and just great fun and a great lot of guys from online racing and social side off online racing is great. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: MAV Number: 525 Favourite Track: Skegness Best Race: Sheffield Allcomer race (Grand National Meeting) Driver to Beat: SPIKE #221 for me anyway!!! Comments: Should be a better season than last year, more variety of drivers - Let’s see how it goes!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Matty Number: 300 Favourite Track: Northampton Best Race: European Championship Driver to Beat: Hutch Comments: Hope to make it beyond red as never been further then blue before. Need to be more aggressive. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Mike Number: 315 Favourite Track: Northampton Best Race: Champion of Champions race last year - had alot of luck at the start. Driver to Beat: Hutch Comments: This year I’m going to try to reach the red grade and try to stay there and hope to win some races from there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name :Marky Number:18 Favourite Track: Birmingham Best Race: Any race you score points in. All Cowdenbeath races are good loads of action Driver to Beat:2009s Drivers to beat will be Hutch and Marten Comments: Roll on the start of the season proper it was my 1st year on Uk dirt last year and I really enjoyed it hoping for more in 09 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Big Al Number: 515 Favourite Track: Bradford, it's good using tarmac or shale Best Race: That would be one of the white top battles with Mav and Spike when we were all as bad as each other, well nearly, I was still the worst Driver to Beat: Whoever else is at white top Comments: Hopefully if I can get a new steering wheel sorted to replace my kaput one then I will be doing some racing, although I aren't confident of being anymore than a backmarker as won't be practicing much ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: MoR Number: 137 Favourite Track: Bradford Shale Best Race: My final win at Bradford last year - really had to push hard! Driver to Beat: Hutch Comments: n/a ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Mr Beef Number:286 Favourite Track: Kings Lynn Best Race: World finaL Driver to Beat: Marten Comments: Good luck to all ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Dazzla Number:290 Favourite Track: Kings Lynn Best Race: Kings Lynn WQR Final Driver to Beat: Grasser/Kruiz/Marten Comments: Hopefully have a successful season with a couple of finals thrown in, oh and a little less bad luck! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Tom Drabble (TomD112) Number: 112 Favourite Track: Northampton at the minute lol Best Race: One of the best races by myself was the Winter Series Shootout and becasue I won lol Driver to Beat: I think there will be a number of different drivers that will be capable of winning the titles this year. So I think it will be Hutch, Dazza, Kruiz, Marten, Drumbstick, MoR, Johno, Tosh and Aub and many others could win so probably most drivers that race could win Titles this year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Season’s Highlights! 20/3/2008 – Opening meeting – Belle Vue The new era in F1 racing commenced on the 20th of March last year when the rFactor F1’s completed there first league meeting around the busy shale track of Belle Vue. The meeting provided 5 different winners from 7 races including 2 a piece for Kruiz and DB, Kruiz’s including the final. Hutch also began his impressive points hauling and average tallies with 43 points.24/4/08 – WQR1 – Bradford Shale 5 different winners from 5 races at the first road to gold meeting of the season, which also saw Leek take the main final. There were also good showings from star grade men Matthew and MoR in an action packed meeting which set the tone for both surfaces of Bradford for the season.5/8/08 – Uk Open Championship – Skegness The first championship of the season was the Uk Open at Skegness which saw newly promoted Superstar Dazzla taking the hours. The final itself was one of the races of the season for many including a big pileup on lap 2 making the title race itself wide open for lower graders and star men. 12/06/2008 – Scottish Championship – Knockhill A week after the Uk Open Championship saw the F1’s head to Scotland for the only visit to Knockhill. After a decent showing in the heats, The Green Genie put in a faultless drive to claim the Scottish title on home turf. 413 Matthew also put in a decent performance with a heat and GN doublewith 286 Mr Beef and 236 Danskin also showing well at a hard fought meeting, which also doubled up as a WQ round.17/7/08 – Dutch Championship – Sexbierum 290 Dazzla was in stunning form in the qualifying heats for the Dutch Open claiming all 3 but was to run out of luck in the final when blue grade star 236 Danskin drove a calm race to take the vistory. Many commented on the meeting and what good racing the track produced which was to carry on later in the season.31/07/2008 – World Semi Final – Kings Lynn After a shakey start, 290 Dazzla claimed front row of the World Final with a fairly comfortable victory in the Semi Final, followed home by the top talents of 137 MoR and 41 Drumbstick. Hutch continued his good form with a heat and final double whilst 288 Iron and 39 Leek also put in some good performances.7/8/08 – European Double Header – Northampton 259 Jimmy showed his quality on tarmac by taking the meeting final at both the Wednesday night meeting and the Thursday night meeting. However the Euro final was not to go his way after a simply mind blowing drive from the back of the grid from superstar 331 Hutch. Northampton is a track which typically favours the lower grade drivers and it was no different here with the aforementioned 259 Jimmy, 39 Leek, 112 Tomd and 291 Marten all in amongst the points.21/8/08 – World Semi Final 2 – Skegness As expected, 331 Hutch booked the other front row slot for the World Final, followed home closely by 291 Marten and 286 Mr Beef. The meeting itself produced a variety of winners, with 525 Mav claiming a heat and then yellow grade 3 Johno claiming the Final win. 525 Mav also went on to take the GN, again the lower grade drivers really mixing it up in the points.4/9/08 – Consolation Semi Final – Bradford 136 Kruiz booked a place via the back door on the World grid by taking the Consolation Semi final, but it was 331 Hutch who stole the show again with a heat and final double. 202 Vegas, 233 Grasser, 3 Johno and 291 Marten again all showed promise, whilst it was mainly left to the reds and superstars to take the points as the lower graded drivers struggled to get to grips with the Bradford Shale.18/9/08 – World Final – Ipswich A few drivers were unable to attend the World final meeting which unfortunately left some gaps on the grid. 331 Hutch and 290 Dazzla were away and gone within a few laps which saw a close battle for the lead until a backmarker ruled out the challenge of eventual runner up 290 Dazzla. 331 Hutch ended up cruising to the win whilst there was also a spirited drive from 137 MoR for 3rd and from 136 Kruiz who started near the back for 4th. 233 Grasser went on to finally take a final with 3 Johno, 8 Tosh and 300 Matty all getting in amongst the points. 2/10/08 – British Championship – Belle Vue After a 2 week break drivers came back to the British Championship which saw blue top 188 Aub take the top hours with a good drive in the main final. The heats were predominantly won by blue and yellows with drivers such as 531 Lee and 500 Allstar showing some of there true talent. 315 Mike, 300 Matty and 18 Marky all put in some good performances at what was another classic meeting within the 2008 season.30/10/08 – Grand National Championship – Sheffield Sheff’s debut meeting carried the Grand National title which was duly won by 331 Hutch after a good race long battle with 136 Kruiz however the tide was turned in the final with the top 2 finishing the other way round. 8 Tosh was impressive, as were 413 Matthew, 39 Leek and 41 Drumbstick. This meeting also saw 331 Hutch as the new official National Points Champion.6/11/08 – Champion of Champions – Northampton 315 Mike put in an impressive display at Northampton by taking both the Champion of Champion race and the Trust fund final with 259 Jimmy claiming his 3rd Northampton final of the year in the normal meeting final. 531 Lee, 3 johno, 18 Marky and 8 Tosh again all showed well whilst drivers such as 380 Daveyboy, 11 Chevy and 74 Walker all showed signs of vast improvement.2008 Driver Review and 2009 Season Preview HUTCH #331 2008 Last season, in the main, went perfectly for the man from Scotland. This guy took the World Championship, European Championship, Grand National Championship and National Points Championship, with the British Championship being the only exception where things went wrong. Hutch seemed in total control from start to finish despite many drivers trying their best to take the challenge to him, and he will be looking to do the same again. 2009 Much will depend on what Hutch decides to do this season. In the interview with Dazza earlier on in the year he stated that the F2’s is his passion and he will be focusing on them in the upcoming season. However, with Simstox not having a formula on a Thursday evening, he may well be tempted out to do 20-25 meetings this year. As for his titles, he will always be a threat in any championship that he takes part in, but this year he has a big bull’s eye on his chest, and I think there may well be more drivers step up to the plate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DAZZA #290 2008 Dazza should look at the 2008 season as a success. Came into UK Dirt F1 as a relative unknown and ended it as one of the top stars in the league. Sure he was disappointed not to take the silver roof after working hard to challenge for it, but he did have success in the UK Open Championship at Skegness, as well as matching Hutch in terms of final wins. 2008 was a success for Dazza in terms of establishing himself, and now is the time to kick on. 2009 There is no doubt that he will be one to watch. He will not have to be as committed as last year to take the silver roof, and this may play to his advantage as he can focus purely on certain meetings. Arguably on his day, he is the fastest out on track, but sometimes has trouble with his race craft. If he can improve this, then there is no doubt that he will be a threat for not only the silver, but any other championship he races in as well. Finally, a little more confidence in himself is a must, as he definitely has the talent to go far. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARTEN #h291 2008 Marten started last season slowly, but once Hutch had took him under his wing, the man came alight and became the clear Dutch number 1 in terms of Rfactor F1. Unfortunately for Marten, he possibly missed his best race of the season due to following the sport that a good majority of us love: he missed the Online World Final to attend the real life World Final with a Dutch driver. No doubt he would have made a good account of himself had he been able to make the grid. 2009 Hutch must look at Marten and worry about what he has helped to create. Marten is incredibly fast, and his track craft is improving meeting on meeting. Last year saw him come second in both the UK Open Championship and the European Championship, and nothing short of a first place in a championship will do to match the man from Holland’s obvious talent. Only took 1 final last year, and this is again something that he will no doubt improve on. Perhaps you need to keep your eye out for him in terms of the National Series as well. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KRUIZ #136 2008 Finished 2008 with the second best average of the season (of anyone that raced more than 10 meetings) and with 2 finals to his name, he must consider himself happy with that based on his limited appearances due to work commitments. Starting the season at blue, he very quickly found his way to superstar, a place which he held comfortably throughout the season. One thing missing perhaps from the 2008 season was that all important championship victory and this is bound to be an aim in the coming season. 2009 Much will depend on how many shifts this guy gets off work, as well as how much he keeps his real life F2 out of the fence. If he is able to do a substantial amount of meetings, then he will be a threat in everything, including the all new National Series. Throughout both UK Dirt and Simstox, the rivalry between Kruiz and Hutch is a big one, and Kruiz would dearly love to take a title from his arch rival. There is no doubt that he has the talent to do it, and I would expect Kruiz to take a big title in 2009. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IRONMAC #288 2008 When I was looking down the points chart for 2008, I was a little surprised to see Ironmac in 5th place. This is in no way a knock on the guy’s ability, but more that fact that he went about his business in a quiet manor. Took 8 heat wins in 2008, but did not win a final, and this is something that he will be looking to improve on in the coming year. With consistent top 10 finishes in the championships, 2008 can best be described as a very consistent year. 2009 There is no doubt that Ironmac is a settled red top driver, and but for a bit more look, perhaps could have had more from last year. The first aim for the season will be to take a final victory. After that he will be looking for a good semi final result to put him in the hunt for the World Final. He does not like the shale of Kings Lynn by his own admission, but with a bit more positivity he has the ability to get a good result. Could well be a contender to make the top 6 in the National Series, and thus make it into the shootout. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEEK #39 2008 I think that it is fair to say that LeeK is not a huge fan of Rfactor. Despite this, there have been some high points in the season. First of all he took 3 finals wins in the season, which actually matched that of the points champion Hutch. The problem was that all of these final wins were from blue, and the minute that he gets promoted to red, he starts to struggle again. Championship wise he has not finished in the top 10 of the 3 major championships, although a 6th place in the National Points chart shows that he does have potential. 2009 Much of his Rfactor F1 season will depend on what happens in the Heat F1 season. If he dominates, then we may see him race week after week. If he comes under pressure in Heat, then he may make limited appearances in Rfactor. Should he race, he first of all needs to get back to the red grade. He then needs a good month to help try and build his confidence. The problem for LeeK is that there are many new drivers that are going to be pushing for a red grade birth, and thus unless he applies himself quickly, he may not reach red in the season. It would be surprising based on his tarmac form if he did not take a final in the season though. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JIMMY #259 2008 The 2008 season has to go down as a highly positive one for Jimmy. Started the season a few meetings in, I think it was fair to say that he came into the league not expecting too much. However, in his third meeting, he took the meeting final at Ipswich and since then never looked back. In total he took 5 final wins which was more than anyone in the league. His high point had to come at the European Double Header, where he took final victories on both the Wednesday and the Thursday. If there was a weak point in his season, it has to be his shale form, and this is something that needs to be developed. 2009 It is fair to say that Jimmy seems to have settled nicely into the red grade and has the potential to go even further. As stated above, he will need to improve his shale form if he is to challenge for the big titles, especially when you consider that both the World Championship and the British Championship will be on the shale. Definitely one to watch in the European Championship as he is the only driver to have won a final at Northampton last season. Could well be an outsider to qualify for the shootout, and thus is definitely one to watch. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MIKE #315 2008 Mike had a mixed 2008 season. At times he looked sensational and very quick, especially when winning the Champions of Champions race at Northampton, but then there are other times where he gets too involved in battles, and thus loses a lot of time and ground. Had a cracking battle with Aub in the British Drivers Championship Race on the way to a good 4th place finish. Perhaps may have had a better World Final result had he been able to race in the Semi Final, so that is something to watch out for next year. 2009 The first thing that Mike will be looking to do is get to the red grade. He does have the pace to do it but he really needs to develop his race craft. Sometimes he gets himself into battles with people he does not need to. He needs to try and see the bigger picture and work with drivers to get up the field rather than battle with them. The good thing is that he is young, and thus far in his UK Dirt career, he has always improved season on season, and I can’t see any reasons why that does not continue to happen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JOHNO #3 2008 Last season finished up being a very good season for the man from Doncaster. As was said in the awards, he has gone from a driver that would spin on his own, to a man that threatens to win races. The first half of his season was poor, but once he settled down, he started to win races, including 2 finals, and thus climb the grades, so much so he starts the first meeting of this season at red. Championship wise, he had a good run in the British to finish 2nd, although his World Final performance was disappointing, with him only finishing 16th. 2009 First of all, he needs to look to continue the steady improvement that he made at the back end of last season. He is not comfortable in traffic, and he is going to have a lot of that to get through if he is to be successful at red. His first aim will be to try and maintain his red roof, and from there try and take a final win from that grade. He would like an improved performance in the World Final, and this will come with an improved performance in his Semi Final. If he continues the progress that he made at the back end of last season, then there is no doubt that he should enjoy a good season. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOR #137 2008 The season started off so well for the man from near Coventry. Took his first career Grand Final win at the track that he designed, Kings Lynn, and then promptly followed that up a couple of months later with his second final win at Bradford Shale. But then unfortunately for UK Dirt, but fortunately for MoR, he then found himself a job that he could not turn down, and thus his time for racing was cut short. He did however find the time to once again finish on the podium in the World Final and then backed that up two weeks later with another podium finish in the British Championship from further down the grid. 2009 After finally getting the ‘monkey of his back’ in terms of winning the final, this year should see him adding to his tally, assuming that work allows him to race. He will be very keen to get himself into the National Series Shootout, and thus have a crack at the silver roof. He is definitely more than capable of doing so, but attendance at the early meetings will be essential to do this. With the addition of a new steering wheel, I am sure he will be looking to try and get on the top step of the podium in a championship race, and who knows, this may come at in the World Final at his track, Kings Lynn. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR BEEF #286 2008 It is fair to say that Mr Beef has a superb start to his career in UK Dirt Rfactor F1. Starting the season at blue, he bagged many points and was quickly promoted to the red grade. Once again, he quickly settled in at red, and continued to maintain a fine average and keep the red roof. But about half way through the season, he had to work, and thus race from a hotel room. This made sure that coupled with some bad luck, he did not score many points, and was relegated to the blue grade. He continued to pick up points, but not quite enough to start at the red grade for the new season. Only 2 race wins in the season does not show just how talented this guy is. Perhaps he could be too nice? 2009 His first aim will be to get to the red grade: the grade where he belongs. After this, he would dearly love to win a few more races, including perhaps taking his first final win. His championship form was not too bad last year, with him finishing in the top 10 in most championships, and I am sure he would love to not only continue this, but improve on it. Looking at the stats, he seems to be good on both surfaces, and this can only be a positive thing with the championships split evenly between the shale and the tarmac. The main thing for him though is to try and get a little more aggressive. He is such a nice guy and a more than clean driver that I think with a little more aggression, he could be even better. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DB #318 2008 Last season started off superbly for the mechanic of Rob Speak. A good start in the first meeting from yellow saw him promoted to blue. 4 wins in the first grading period saw him then promoted to red. After dropping down to blue for the third grading period, his finest moment of the season came along. After coming so close to winning the final at Hednesford by finishing second, just one week later he went on to take the meeting final with a cracking drive at Belle Vue. From there he was once again promoted to red. After racing the Skegness Semi Final meeting, he was not seen again until the last meeting of the season, and thus finds himself starting the new season at blue. 2009 This is another driver that will be looking to get his red roof back. DB can be a very aggressive driver, which sometimes works for him and sometimes works against him, but one thing you can guarantee is that on his day, he is as good as anyone. Won 9 races in 2008 and I am sure that should he race at UK Dirt, he will no doubt add to that tally. I would also expect him to add to his final tally as well. Has a good record in championship races, so clearly has a good temperament for the big races, and thus he could well be a threat in the graded championships such as the UK Open and European. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOSH #8 2008 Tosh started his UK Dirt Rfactor F1 career a little later than he would have liked due to the split start times falling the wrong way round for work. Eventually however, work patterns changed and he was able to settle into the league nicely. In fact, in only his second meeting of the season, he went on to win the final at Bradford Tarmac, and seemed to really kick on from there. A small stumble around World Final time saw him drop to blue, but after a good final grading period, he once again finds himself with a red roof. Championship wise, he was a little disappointed, with the exception of a fine 6th in the World Final, and thus I am sure he will look to improve on this in 2009. 2009 This season has the makings to be a cracking one for the man from Scotland. Worked very hard to win the recent Winter Series Points Title, and came very close to taking the Winter Series Shootout as well. In fact, if the Winter Series is anything to go by, then he could well be taking top honours at some point during the season, as his consistency was fantastic. First of all, he needs a good start to the season, as Tosh can be a confidence driver. When his tail is up, he is as good as anyone, but if he is low on confidence, he makes mistakes, and this is why he found himself at blue during last season. Overall, it is expected that this is going to be a good one for Tosh. He may well take the title, and is possibly, if he can do enough meetings, an outsider for the National Series Championship.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOMD #112 2008 The 2008 season for Tom can best be described as a consistent one. He started the year at the yellow grade, and was quickly promoted to red. From here, he then struggled and drop to the blue grade. Since then, he has been very consistent, and managed to maintain his blue grade status for the rest of the season. Part of the reason it was only a consistent season was due to the fact that he only won 3 races. This was a surprise to read, as despite the fact he uses a pad, he has the pace to do well, and the talent to take victories. He also would be a little disappointed with his championship form, with 8th place being his best finish in the Dutch Championship. Finished 5th in the semi final, which was a great result, but then only lasted 1 lap in the World Final race itself. 2009 This calendar year has already been a successful one for TomD. First of all he has made a good start in Heat F1, but perhaps more importantly, he won the Winter Series Shootout title at Northampton, after a cracking drive. In fact, at both Northampton meetings, he drove well, and thus the signs are good for the new season. Hs first target will no doubt be to try and get up to red, and unlike this time, should he get there, he should be in a position to maintain it. Another target must be to win more races. He definitely has the talent and ability, and this is one thing that will help in his quest to get to red. Finally, his final target will be to improve his championship record. Although there are three big targets, he definitely has the ability to achieve them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Although this preview has only covered the top 15 drivers from last years National Points chart, there are many more drivers looking to have a good season for many different reasons. One of those people is Grasser (233). Last year was not one of his best seasons, and he was punished a little due to the fact that he was the outgoing National Points Champion last season, and thus meant that he could not drop below the red grade, when he probably could have done with a period at blue. Towards the end of the season though, he was on the pace, and with a bit more luck he would have had better results. Should he start the season at the beginning of the year, he will definitely be one to watch. There is no doubt that the blue grade is not where he belongs, and he is fully expected to cash in. Drumbstick (41) is another driver in the list that we would expect to go well. Unfortunately his health last season meant that he could not take part in many meetings, and it is looking like that he will only race a handful of meetings this year due to wanting to give his full attention to his F2 campaign. Should he make an outing, he will always be a threat, as he has remarkable pace and driving skill in traffic. Elsewhere, blue grade drivers Matty (300), Vegas (202), Marky (18) and Lee (531) will all look to continue to remain at the blue grade, and perhaps even push onto the red grade. Lee is certainly looking to achieve this after taking a couple of race wins in the recent Winter Series. These drivers will also be looking behind their backs at some of the lower grade drivers from last season. Mav (525), Walker (74), Allstar (500) and Spike (221) all made progress throughout the season, and having had a season under their belt now, they will be looking to try and continue their progress, and perhaps get more race wins. Further down the list comes the British Champion Aub (188). Last season was not one of Aub’s best, attending very few meetings during the season, and generally struggling at the ones that he did attend. However, his British Championship victory was a classic, and there is no doubt that he will be looking to show people that this was no flash in the pan. DanSkin (236) is another champion who had a poor season based on what he would have been expecting, and the pace that he shown in pre-season. It is very unlikely that we will see the man from Newcastle though, as he takes a sabbatical from UK Dirt. However, once the real F1 season starts, I am sure there is a chance that he will realise he misses some of his old mates, and may make a comeback as the season rolls on. A look down the Winter Series Points Chart shows that there are a few drivers to watch out for. Dave had a cracking series coming second in the Winter Series Points Chart, and although these points were scored from the yellow grade, he showed that he has the consistency and ability to be a very good driver, and although he will start the season from blue, it is fully expected that he will continue with his improvement. Other revelations from the series were Dode (151), Speedtech (216), Gary (7) and Grant (321). Al these drivers came into the Winter Series new, and scored some good points and took some good race wins. Other new faces came into the Winter Series in the form of Fasttrack (527), Neil (507) and Nezza (46). These drivers settled down very nicely into the league, and although they will start in the lower grades, big things could well be expected of them. Add these names to some other faces like Albz (106), Tinman (48), Murf (561) and JK (16), and there will be some good people and action to watch throughout the field. One name that has not been mentioned so far, that appears on the Winter Series Points Chart, is Michael (2). The 2007 Heat F1World Champion appeared at the final double header of the series at Northampton, and after having the year off due to work commitments, he was looking to settle back in ahead of a renewed challenge this season. Michael was always quick when the mod was being tested, and should he settle down quickly, then he will most definitely be one to watch. Finally, I have heard a rumour that a certain UK Dirt Chairman could well make it onto the grid in Rfactor F1 this season. Rumour has it that he has a new steering wheel, and has been taking race wins and gaining good results in the new Rfactor F2 mod. I will allow you to work out who it is, but when he returns to the track, you need to beware, and be on your guard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazza290 Posted March 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Would just like to add a huge thank you to Johno who once again has put in a massive amount of effort with this. Hope you enjoy the read, thanks for sending back the questions I sent out and aplogies it wasnt out a little sooner. Cheers Dazza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tosh924 Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Would just like to add a huge thank you to Johno who once again has put in a massive amount of effort with this. Hope you enjoy the read, thanks for sending back the questions I sent out and aplogies it wasnt out a little sooner. Cheers Dazza Fantastic read guys looking forward to the season. and also like johnos comments on me only met johno once but knows me oh so well racing here with such comments. for the 2008 season you summed that up nicely johno lol. wd all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kruiz 136 Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Stunning write up guys, absolutely excellent work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave488 Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 brilliant work lads, a great read Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker363 Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Awsome read well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big al 515 Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 excellent read! Well done Dazza & Johno, a lot of work went into this, great stuff lads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johno3 Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Can I just say, because Dazza is being far too modest, that this is a fantastic preview. Sure I worte a bit of it, but majority of the work is Dazza's and he has been collecting and compiling all this information over many weeks now. It really is a top effort sir Johno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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