2018 2 Litre Best Buds Results

[Jon#606]

As with last year, Aldershot was the host of the 2 Litre Best Buds meeting. It was thought initially that due to the number of drivers, it would have to be cancelled and replaced by a non-points meet as did happen to the Micros Best Buds meeting back in March. However, we thankfully avoided that in the nick of time as an eighth driver appeared (we had 9 in the end but 217 Tilson was excluded from the results due to not being in a pair). As with last year, it was an enjoyable evening but the low showing slightly impacted on the action. The Needham brothers Jordan and Ellis returned to the league after their permanent bans were revoked.

The quarter of pairs were as follows:

RIOT SQUAD
606 Jon
27 Cap

EURO WRECKERS
870 Looney
66 Colin

TEAM NEEDHAM
83 Jordan N.
823 Ellis

PEPINOMOTO
616 Jam
961 Pepino

Unlike last year, the meeting went all the way to the DD and even then it went down to the last 2 cars...

Top 6 scored in heats and final. Allcomers were non-points. 5 points went to the winning pair in the DD.

CODES
RS = Riot Squad
EW = Euro Wreckers
TN = Team Needham
PM = PepinoMoto

Heat 1: EW66 Colin, PM961 Pepino, RS27 Cap, PM616 Jam, TN83 Jordan N., TN823 Ellis, RS606 Jon, EW870 Looney
Heat 2: RS27 Cap, EW870 Looney, PM961 Pepino, TN823 Ellis, TN83 Jordan N., RS606 Jon, PM616 Jam, EW66 Colin
Heat 3: EW870 Looney, PM961 Pepino, EW66 Colin, RS27 Cap, TN823 Ellis, RS606 Jon, PM616 Jam
Heat 4: EW66 Colin, RS27 Cap, PM961 Pepino, PM616 Jam, 217 Tilson, RS606 Jon, EW870 Looney, TN83 Jordan N.
Heat 5: RS27 Cap, PM616 Jam, EW870 Looney. 217 Tilson, TN83 Jordan N., RS606 Jon, PM961 Pepino
Heat 6: RS27 Cap, PM616 Jam, 217 Tilson, RS606 Jon, EW66 Colin, TN83 Jordan N., PM961 Pepino, EW870 Looney

Final: RS27 Cap, PM616 Jam, PM961 Pepino, 217 Tilson, EW66 Colin, RS606 Jon

Allcomers 1: PM616 Jam, RS27 Cap, EW870 Looney, PM961 Pepino, RS606 Jon
Allcomers 2: RS27 Cap, PM616 Jam, 217 Tilson, RS606 Jon, PM961 Pepino, EW870 Looney
Allcomers 3: RS27 Cap, PM616 Jam, 217 Tilson, PM961 Pepino, EW870 Looney, RS606 Jon

DD: PM961 Pepino

POINTS
1st: PepinoMoto - 59 points
2nd: Riot Squad - 56 points
3rd: Euro Wreckers - 41 points
4th: Team Needham - 15 points

Jam won this title alongside Michal last year, but repeated the achievement with Pepino after an incredible come-from-behind victory to leapfrog Riot Squad in the DD despite only winning one points race to RS's four! Cap was the main man on the night, winning three heats, the final and two Allcomers to top score with 42 points but crucially did not get enough support from partner Jon who only scored 14. In comparison, the 2016 2 Litre World Champion picked up two 2nds and a third in the final while the 2016 European Champion claimed three straight 2nds from heat 5 to the final. The decisive DD saw the drivers whittled down to just two: Jon and Pepino, and it was Pepino who deservedly prevailed to win the meeting for Jam and himself. The Euro Wreckers came up short in third despite two heat wins for Colin and one for Looney, while Team Needham never got anywhere close mainly due to Ellis's constant internet issues.

So, to conclude:
CONGRATULATIONS TO PEPINOMOTO - WINNERS OF 2018 2 LITRE BEST BUDS!