IPSWICH 31/3 Preview

[Corny 391]

Tomorrow's UK-Dirt F1 meeting takes place at super-fast Ipswich, the first of two visits to this venue in 2011. One of the biggest, speediest tracks on the calendar, its sweeping and relatively flat bends allow for good overtaking opportunities, with the vast momentum being carried down the straights offering the ability to push your opponent wide with what on many other tracks would seem like the most gentle of pushes. Get it wrong however and the steel plate fence is never far away, regardless of how wide the bends are!

The meeting should kick off with a Whites & Yellows series race, subject to numbers as we require at least 3 from these grades in order to make a race of it. spikejnr (172) currently leads the points standings as shown above, though as he is not currently booked in, it may present a chance for Big Al (515) to assume the series lead, with southy (277) also booked and hot in pursuit of Big Al currently only 4 points in arrears of the veteran driver.

Next up will be Round 2 of the Premier League. World and National Points champion Tom D (1) took a maximum 25 points at the inaugural round, King's Lynn last week, for the race win, most laps led and fastest lap. It was far from plain sailing however as after getting through to an early lead Tom struggled to make a break, and had to fend off more than one challenge from behind in order to secure the win. At the time of writing there looks once again to be room for a few reserves in the race.

Onto the main meeting and it is the 5th of 12 World Championship Qualifying Rounds, with each driver racing in 2 Heats prior to the Final and Grand National(s). Reigning UK Open champion MoR (137) tops the table for the 2011 Gold rush as things stand, though his 123 points mean he is only just ahead of Tom D's 119. Harmen (262) is next in line on 93 and having had a very consistent start to 2011, the young Dutchman from Ferwoude should be confident of adding liberally to his WCQR tally. Tosh (8) is next up on 91 and he also sits just behind Harmen in the National Points, in 5th place. Dode (151) and Aub (188) have some ground to make up in the World qualification stakes, with neither having appeared in the late 2010 rounds, and they sit in 6th and joint 10th places respectively. Having both started the season very strongly and topping the National Points with Dode heading Aub 145 to 128, with already a Final apiece to their names, both are expected to be significantly higher in the WCQR points after this meeting if recent form continues.

Of course with 2/3rds of the WCQR's still to go including this one, the door is very much wide open for anyone to stake their claim at becoming UK-Dirt F1's next World Champion. Ipswich can often play into the hands of lower grade drivers if they can get a good start in a race, so this may be as good an opportunity as any, for any racers out there who think they may be able to deliver the goods around one of the fastest tracks in UK-Dirt F1, to give their World Final chances a real kick-start.

Last time at Ipswich, 30th September 2010, MoR topped the points scoring for the meeting, though he was runner up to Jarry (164) in the Final. Towards the end of last season MoR won Finals at Birmingham and Arena Essex, so if he is able to click back into that healthy tarmac form, he will give his 2011 campaign a much needed shot in the arm as thus far in his three meetings raced, he has not quite managed to hit the high notes, presently sitting in a National Points 11th place.

With numerous points of interest, we should be set for an intruiging night's racing around one of F1's highest quality ovals. To book in please visit UK-Dirt and go to Member Options > Bookings. Late bookings will be available on this forum after 6pm tomorrow.



Thanks,
Corny Edited March 31, 2011 by Corny 391

[Corny 391]