Regardless of the above, 15 drivers in total attended (2 missed the first two races of the meeting) and with 8 of them having qualified automatically, the Champion of Champions Last Chance Race was gifted an extra qualification place to make up for the absentees. The five drivers who competed in the last chance race were 70 Aaron, 380 Pennywise, 515 Joshua, 910 Niall and 911 Cole: with 3 of the 5 being Northern Irish, this guaranteed a CoC representative from across the Irish Sea. Only two drivers finished LCR and both qualified for the Champion of Champions:
Last Chance Race: Pennywise, Cole
As a result, the grid for Champion of Champions was as follows:
66 Hammertime - - - - - - 616 Jam
870 Looney - - - - - - - - - 606 Jon
27 Cap - - - - - - - - - - - - 212 Bokito
47 Michal - - - - - - - - - - 960 Pepino
911 Cole - - - - - - - - - - 380 Pennywise
Although the lead changed a bit in the early stages, one driver got away from the rest of the field and claimed his second title of the year...
2016 CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS:
1st: Pepino
2nd: Cap
3rd: Michal
Other finishers: Jam, Looney, Pennywise, Bokito, Hammertime, Jon
To go alongside his 2 Litre World title, Pepino can now display a gold AND magenta roof for 2017 as he claimed the Champion of Champions crown. Although the two Last Chance Qualifiers Cole & Pennywise got a good start, they both faded away early on and Pepino took advantage. As seems custom now, Cap ended up on the podium despite having led himself for a good number of laps while Michal ended a successful 3 months with a third place. As always, commiserations to those who finished the 22 lap race but got nothing for it.
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: Michal, Niall, Pennywise, Jam, Cole, Cap, Pepino, Miniman, Looney
Heat 2: Michal, Cap, Jam, Pepino, Niall, Cole, Pennywise, Hammertime, Bokito, Looney, Joshua
Heat 3: Michal, Joshua, Pennywise, Pepino, Jam, Cap, Cole, Bokito, Niall, Looney
Heat 4: Jam, Miniman, Michal, Joshua, Bokito, Cole, Pepino, Cap, Niall, Looney, Jon
Heat 5: Cap, Michal, Jam, Miniman, Bokito, Cole, Niall, Pepino, Joshua, Looney
Heat 6: Miniman, Michal, Cap, Niall, Bokito, Pepino, Jam, Looney, Aaron, Niall
Final: Miniman, Cap, Niall, Bokito, Pennywise, Jam, Pepino, Looney, Jon, Michal
Allcomers 1: Bokito, Michal, Cap, Jam, Miniman, Pennywise, Jon
Allcomers 2: Jam, Michal, Cap, Pennywise, Miniman, Jon
DD: Pennywise
A massive thank you to everyone who has raced in 2016 and we hope you compete again in 2017; this league wouldn't be possible without you.
So, just to remind you:
CONGRATULATIONS TO 960 PEPINO - 2016 CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS!