As with last year, there were a number of Top 20 ranked drivers who did not attend the meeting, with nine in total. However, there were five reserve drivers and three non-qualifying drivers who attended to give a grid of 19 for the British Championship. As there were only three non-qualifiers who turned up, no Last Chance Qualifier was run. It would have been incredibly unfair on any of the three to be prevented from racing via the LCQ that would have only awarded places to the top 2. 142 Tomski, one of the non-qualifiers, raced in his first LFS Bangers meeting since December 2014!
Here is the grid of nineteen drivers that contested the 2016 British Championship (reigning champion denoted by the italic C in white brackets next to their name):
200 Youngy - - - - - - - - - 997 Rik
171 Nay - - - - - - - - - - - 238 Kane
307 Foster (C) - - - - - - - 220 Nova
669 DarkMetalTim - - - - 27 Cap
760 Ryano - - - - - - - - - 870 Looney
83 Jordan N. - - - - - - - - 616 Jam
606 Jon - - - - - - - - - - - 70 Aaron
919 Macca - - - - - - - - - 186 Brett
142 Tomski - - - - - - - - 649 Dumbo
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 726 Sam
One driver led from the start and after the chasing pack put each other out, drove all the way to the chequered roof...
BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP:
1st: Rik
2nd: Kane
3rd: Ryano
Other finishers: Youngy, Looney, Nay, Jam, Jordan N., DarkMetalTim, Foster, Sam, Dumbo #649, Macca, Tomski, Brett
Foster's chance of a fourth successive British crown were ended early after Nova punted him wide on the top bend, but nobody could stop Rik from winning his first ever graded title. Runner-up to Rik for the second title in a row was Kane, whose second place put him back into Superstar after he avoided an almighty pileup two laps from the end that removed Youngy, Nova and Cap from contention. Ryano was the beneficiary of this pile-up as he sneaked through to take third and improve his own Superstar average. As always, commiserations to those who finished the 22 lap race but got nothing for it.
It has been a remarkable set of achievements for Rik with three titles in just six months: the Banger World Series in November 2015, the World Cup this April and now the British Championship. Could he go on to claim Foster's other title of the 2 Litre World Championship at Arena Essex in September? It's possible...
The British Championship was the fifth qualifier for the Champion of Champions meeting at the end of the season. The lucky person who qualified will be revealed below the results...
Here are the results from the other races that took place on Friday, which were all non-points. Well done to all the winners:
Heat 1: Cap, Ryano, Jordan N., Jam, Kane, Youngy, Macca, Dumbo #649, Aaron, Sam, Brett, Looney, Foster
Heat 2: Ryano, Kane, Cap, Jordan N., Sam, Jam, Macca, Looney, Foster
Heat 3: Jordan N., Ryano, Kane, Jam, Nova, Sam, Rik, Brett, Looney
Heat 4: Ryano, Jam, Sam, Jordan N., Jon, Nova, Kane, Brett
Heat 5: Ryano, Sam, Nova, Cap, Kane, Jam, JOrdan N., Rik, Brett, Looney, Jon, Aaron
Heat 6: Ryano, Cap, Kane, Jam, Sam, Looney, Brett, Aaron, Jon, Youngy
Final: Ryano, Kane, Cap, Jam, Brett, Sam, Looney, Macca, Dumbo #649, Youngy, Foster
Allcomers 1: Sam, Cap, Ryano, Dumbo #649, Brett, Jam, Jordan N., Looney, Youngy, Rik, Foster
Allcomers 2: Ryano, Jam, Cap, Dumbo #649, Aaron, Rik, Jon, Macca, Sam, Tomski, Brett, Looney, Youngy, Jordan N., Foster
DD: Youngy
CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS QUALIFIER
The Champion of Champions qualifier from the British Championship meeting is the winner of the British Championship.
Rik won the British Championship, but had already qualified for the Champion of Champions meeting after winning the qualifying race at Metal Mania. Per the rules, this means the qualifier from the British Championship is the next best non-qualified driver, so the British Championship Champion of Champions qualifier is...
760 Ryano
Ryano's place on the CoC grid is the INSIDE of the SIXTH ROW.
It has been a great return to LFS Bangers for Ryano after his 18 month absence. Getting on the British Championship grid in his first meeting back before following it up with a third in the big race itself is a more than worthy achievement to get onto the CoC grid, alongside the already qualified top two in the British Championship of Rik and Kane.
So, just to reminder you:
CONGRATULATIONS TO 997 RIK - 2016 BRITISH CHAMPION!
