PREVIEW: Champion of Champions

[DanSkin]

This Thursday we take to the track at Coventry for the final meeting of the 2012 UKDirt F1 season, which will see the conclusion to the National Points battle. In addition, throughout the grades drivers are battling for their positions to determine the 2013 season starting grades.

 

Thursdays meeting will run the normal format. After the allcomers race(s) there will be the Champion of Champions race to finish the season. This race is none point scoring, 20 laps and gridded in grade order with highest point scorers at the back of their grades.

 

The Champion of Champions race is first open to those drivers who have won a meeting final over the course of the 2012 season.

 

Meeting final winners (up to 22 drivers):

8 Tosh

65 Ali P

92 Hoggy

98 Bailey

112 TomD

115 Michael Green

122 Craig

129 Sije

137 MoR

151 Dode

184 Chevykiller

221 Spike

233 Grasser

236 DanSkin

249 Stoxjack

254 Samwit

262 Harmen

291 Marten

292 Marco

305 JakieJnr

315 Mike

380 Daveyboy

391 Corny

 

Additional significant winners:

525 Maverick (Whites and Yellows)

 

Travel was the 2011 Champion of Champions but will not feature this season, while Grasser, Mike and Corny are all former winners that make the grid this time around.

 

Interestingly (considering the last few previews) neither TomD nor DanSkin feature on the list of previous winners with DanSkin having made it to second last year, and TomD third in the year before. Corny may have some fondness for the title having held it a hat trick of times over the Heat and rFactor eras.

 

The list takes us back eight months to March and the start of the season when Mike and Dode took their only final wins of the season in the opening weeks. We’re also reminded of a dominant spell of three final wins for Harmen around the time of his Irish Championship glory. Green was another back to back final winner, taking charge at the European midweek-weekender winning finals at Arena Essex and Northampton. Grasser followed a few weeks later monopolising the meeting finals at both of the Semi-Final meetings.

 

Looking at the National Points table there are a few notable absences, in particular Kane and Dodge who have kept themselves around the sharp end of the table challenging for the superstar grade or getting involved in the shootout respectively. Johno has amassed a healthy number of race wins this season but did not sneak a final win into the mix, although he is a driver hindered by less regular appearances lately.

 

This year we seem to have a long list of final winners, and with little else to add in the way of championship winners, I hope we’re able to keep a good few drivers around after the allcomers race at the end of the meeting and get a respectable grid for this one! I’m sure Maverick would be pleased to see his name on the list of possible additional entrants as Whites and Yellows Champion, could he be tempted out of retirement for one more special appearance?