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PREVIEW: UKDirt F1 2012 World Final


DanSkin

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UKDirt F1 Stockcars - Skegness - 8:30PM - 13 September 2012
World Championship Final (25 laps)


The time is drawing near… defending Champion Mike #1 has put himself in prime position to retain his title from the pole position… cars are no doubt being painted up ready for the big day… drivers hope that it will be their time to shine… and admin will hope for a good, clean race to review.

Of course, we’re fast approaching our biggest race of the year – the UKDirt F1 Stockcar World Final 2012!

The grid so far…


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Mike #1
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 2nd / 1st
National Points (Position / Average): 3rd / 28.4pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final win (Sexbierum 08/03)

Mike will undoubtedly be looking for a repeat of last season in the big race, and made his mark early in 2012 taking the final at the hectic and fun “Season Kickstart” opening meeting at Sexbierum. That was his lone final win of the season to date, but decisive action in his Semi-Final drive and recent results lead me to believe he has no intent of giving up his gold roof without a spirited fight!

TomD #112
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 1st / 1st
National Points (Position / Average): 2nd / 37.6pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final wins (Knockhill 24/05, Belle Vue 05/07)

One of two drivers to streak away in the national points chase this season, TomD is no stranger to these big races, or indeed finishing up the winner (I think he technically owns the Scottish Championship now with 4 consecutive victories!). There’s a lot of experience behind the wheel from the man who likely boasts the longest UKDirt roll of honour in the rFactor era. TomD is the only driver to have won the UKDirt F1 world final twice, so sets out in this race looking for his hat trick!


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Green #115
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 5th / 2nd
National Points (Position / Average): 5th / 25.3pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final wins (Northampton 22/03, Arena 11/07, Northampton 12/07)

Perhaps a surprise to some to see Green this far up the grid, but the renowned Northampton track specialist keeps on steadily improving. Tied on 3 final win this season with Harmen, Green recently qualified for the Shootout and always looks a likely candidate for a spell at superstar. He's done all his winning on tarmac this season so he should at least feel comfortable ahead of the big race.

DanSkin #236
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 1st / 2nd
National Points (Position / Average): 1st / 38.4pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final wins (Coventry 21/06, Lelystad 23/08)

The other guy in the national points chase is DanSkin, having successfully defended the British Championship earlier in the season, he added the Dutch Open to his collection recently. He was World Champion all the way back in 2004 and will look to repeat this feat and improve on his second position last year.


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Dodge #560
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 3rd / 3rd
National Points (Position / Average): 6th / 25.5pts
2012 Performances of Note: Heat wins (2)

The furthest forwards driver on the grid without a final in 2012 to his name, Dodge, perhaps starts in one of the favoured positions around the tricky Skegness track. His heat wins came from Sexbierum at the very first meeting and Lelystad recently, but make no mistake there have been plenty of competitively placed finishes between those two! Dodge has seen a little more success this season in the UKDirt F2 league recording a final win at Sheffield and taking a handful of heat wins.

StoxJack #249
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 4th / 3rd
National Points (Position / Average): 10th / 21.3pts
2012 Performances of Note: Heat wins (4), GN wins (2)

The 2011 World of Shale Champion finds himself on row 3 for a tarmac World Final...and I bet there's a great desire to turn those gold stripes into a full gold wing. Half of his race wins this season come from a dominant Kings Lynn meeting at the end of May, while the other half come from tarmac racing over the rest of the season. Stoxjack's very consistent and tends to get on with racing with little fuss, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in the mix towards the end of the race.


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Bailey #98
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 7th / 4th
National Points (Position / Average): 18th / 31.2pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final wins (Ipswich 28/06, Hednesford 19/07)

A relative newcomer, Bailey, has had a dominant start to his UKDirt F1 career - picking up two final wins in quick succession and settling in comfortably at the red grade. His abilities are well demonstrated in a steady Semi-Final race that saw him manoeuvre into a handy position for the World Final! His big point hauls and final wins have come on the tarmac, so he is certain to be a threat.

Chevykiller #184
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 6th / 4th
National Points (Position / Average): 7th / 20.4pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final win (Birmingham 05/04)

Chevykiller was the surprised package for the start of the season, racking up the bulk of his impressive race wins tally (20) very quickly. The jump to superstar was taken in his stride and by mid-season he had settled comfortably in with the reds and returned to race winning ways. Chevykiller did not race the UK Open meeting at Skegness, perhaps keeping his Skegness form under his hat!


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LeeK #39
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 4th / 5th
National Points (Position / Average): 9th / 19.5pts
2012 Performances of Note: Heat wins (3), GN wins (2)

Mr UKDirt has spent most of his season hopping between the blue and red grades, picking up a few race wins along the way. He’s arguably never performed as well as he did on Heat, but can still show many of the UKDirt veterans how it’s done as and when required... MoR's recent post with of the 2010 World Final video perhaps is a cruel reminder for LeeK of what could of been, but it should serve as a warning to anyone watching that he is more than capable of leading and driving away with the race given the opportunity!

Marten #291
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 8th / 5th
National Points (Position / Average): 16th / 17.6pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final wins (Buxton 14/06, European 12/07)

The UKDirt F1 2012 European Champion lines up on the outside of row 5, he had a late start to the season and seems to have taken a break since the Semi Final meetings a month ago. Performance wise, in a 6 week run up to the European win it is hard to find a race that Marten started in where he didn't pick up some points, and in fact he was quite regularly inside the top 4 positions in this period... Unfortunately that run seemed to come to an abrupt stop after the European win, but I'm sure the significant win was consolation enough!


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Lithgow #600
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 11th / 6th
National Points (Position / Average): 13th / 24.8pts
2012 Performances of Note: Heat wins (6)

Lithgow finds himself starting the World Final from the same position he lined up in for his Semi Final, although I would expect that he will plan to finish a little further forwards than sixth position in the big race! A mix of strong performances this season on tarmac and shale see Lithgow racing from the red grade alongside drivers who have raced at considerably more meetings.

MoR #137
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 11th / 6th
National Points (Position / Average): 22nd / 25.6pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final win (Yarmouth 17/05)

Another veteran UKDirt’er, MoR finds himself on the sixth row from very few qualifying rounds and a solid drive in the Semi-Final. He’s perhaps one that many would write off as Mr Nice, or out of practise – but his final win at his newly introduced Yarmouth Stadium proves otherwise, and if that wasn’t a good enough warm up for dodging the carnage of a World Final race, then I don’t know what would be.


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FastTrack #527
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 8th / 7th
National Points (Position / Average): 12th / 15.4pts
2012 Performances of Note: Heat wins (2)

FastTrack must rank somewhere between being the Frankie Wainman Jnr or Tony Smith of UKDirt F1 - he's the only driver to have raced at every single meeting this season, and another consistent performance progressed him from Semi to World Final (so I think that rules out the Tony Smith likeness?). His best meetings came at Bradford (Tarmac) and Northampton, and he's taken heat wins at Coventry and Northampton this year.

Dode #151
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 2nd / 7th
National Points (Position / Average): 4th / 22.5pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final win (Belle Vue 15/03)

The flying moaning Scotsman had an eventful (awful) Semi-Final race but in the end recovered well to qualify on the seventh row. Dode had slipped from the superstar position for most of this season, but a recent return and a stream of consistent performances tell us that this driver is back on form – perhaps peaking perfectly for Skegness.


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Southy #277
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 12th / 8th
National Points (Position / Average): 14th / 18.2pts
2012 Performances of Note: Heat wins (5)

Another driver who tends to keep his head down and get on with it, Southy, finds himself towards the top of the blue roof drivers and has a handful of heat wins to his name in 2012. He scored heavily at the start of the season at Sexbierum and Coventry, but hasn't (yet...) but able to return to that form. He has a solitary win on the tarmac this year at Hednesford and did race the Skegness meeting earlier in the season, but unfortunately with little success.

Corny #391
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 21st (reserve) / 8th
National Points (Position / Average): 28th / 15.0pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final win (Sexbierum 16/08)

A late start to Corny’s season and sporadic appearances have left him out of position, another dominant force from Heat era that retains that ability to read a race and consequentially pick up positions and results. A recent return to form, including taking the meeting final at Sexbierum is interesting, perhaps a message of intent.


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Tinman #48
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 7th / 9th
National Points (Position / Average): 15th / 16.1pts
2012 Performances of Note: Heat wins (3)

The final Dutch entrant on the grid and former owner of the stand out paint job of 2012 (Red Bull) is Tinman, perhaps he would have expected to find himself a little further forwards. Tinman is undoubtedly quick, but as yet has struggled to turn the lap times into results at the end of the night. Wins on both surfaces show he has the ability, but an increase in aggression and consistency seem to be needed for him to make an impact in this World Final.

Drumbstick #41
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 21st (reserve) / 9th
National Points (Position / Average): 33rd / 21.5pts
2012 Performances of Note: Heat wins (2)

A cheeky qualification by way of a reserve spot at the Kings Lynn Semi-Final means that Drumbstick appears to have a lot of work to do starting from the 18th place grid spot. He will be expecting to make quick progress and hope that the front runners play into his hands and let him to work himself into contention. The former UKDirt F2 World, National Points (etc, etc, etc) would no doubt happily add the 2012 UKDirt F1 World to his list of accomplishments... and it would be a brave man to write him off, even from the back of the pack.


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JakieJnr #305
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 13th / 10th
National Points (Position / Average): 21st / 24.6pts
2012 Performances of Note: Final win (Sheffield 26/04)

A solid drive in the Kings Lynn Semi Final saw JakieJnr follow Drumbstick home ahead of Johno to take the final qualifying position. Over late April and early May he had series of 3 stand out meetings, starting with his final win at Sheffield. Since then he has struggled to recapture that form, but in general has scored well from the few tarmac meetings he has raced - maybe he's not favourite for the race, but he certainly starts in one of the more desirably positions!

Kane #238
Semi-Final (Position Start / Finish): 9th / 10th
National Points (Position / Average): 11th / 18.3pts
2012 Performances of Note: Heat wins (7), GN wins (1)

He’s dubbed himself Mr Chaos, perhaps an unfair assessment of his driving (although open to debate), but if there is any carnage ahead of him, then the last qualifier is in prime position to make the most of it. Kane's only missed a few meetings this season, and consistent performances mean he's only recently slipped to the blue grade, which has allowed a return to winning ways.



Row 11 & Row 12

Qualifiers from last chance race held before the World Final, positions first to fourth.

World Championship Consolation-Semi-Final eligable drivers (in order):
Group 1 (drivers who raced a Semi-Final and failed to qualify):
3 122 92 525 300 517 504 65 221 172
129 262 233 254 237 516 255 33 365
Group 2 (drivers who did not race a Semi-Final):
292 380 341 285 520
290 515 131 21 150 164 90 16 31 419 550 495 450 124 126 518 8 29 87 456
Race info: 16 laps, up to 20 cars, top 4 through to World Final, groups line up closed grades, gridded inside grades on wqr points & two grade gaps between each group.

*Please note that stats should be correct prior to the Scunthorpe 6 September meeting.



Thanks & Good Luck!

DanSkin
(on behalf of F1 Admin Team)


:king:

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World Finalists Bookings List:

(red bold = booked in)

 

1 112

115 236

560 249

98 184

39 291

600 137

527 151

277 391

48 41

305 238

 

 

Consi-Semi Final Bookings List:

(red bold = booked in)

 

255 65 172 129 516 237 517 33 525 122 254 221 233 504 300 92 3 365 262

(reserve drivers)

292 380 341 285 520 290 515 131 21 150 164 90 16 31 419 550 495 450 124 126 518 8 29 87 456

 

 

The sooner you all book in, the sooner I can make less of a mess of the grids. Also if you know you can't race, please let me know!

 

Thanks! :king:

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The last chance is the consolation semi final which the qualified drivers are listed in the preview. If you are not in that list or the reserves then you will not be able to qualify for the big race.

You can by all means race in the rest of the heats.

Edited by southy277
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