RDTCC 2008 - Rami Kaukola Champion
RaceDepartment's largest championship so far was one to remember!
Rami Kaukola (r) in action during Round 9 at Monza.
It was a long and restless season, that saw many familiar drivers and big names. All in all over 350 people signed up and tried their luck. Amongst them were Sim-Challenge winners
Greger Huttu and
Mathieu Prevot, V-WTCC runner-up
Bastien Bartsch and RD Mini Cooper winner
Attila Domjan, The latter one dominating most of the season, until our eventual winner came passing by.
In a season where everything moves fast and where standstill is regression, the most consistent driver takes the win. This season that driver was
Rami Kaukola from Finland.
No wins, no square domination, but sheer consistency made Kaukola the winner of the RaceDepartment WTCC 2008. He scored one pole position and seven podiums, but was ever amongst the top finishers and thus claimed the title for himself. The orange-black Chevrolet Lacetti manouvred in the shadow of the incidental BMW wins only to rise above the rest when the big loot was presented. And he took it, without a show, but with all the glory.
Close behind him we find ourselves a surpirse of significance. Nearly everyone had neglected the Alfa Romeo, assuming it to be outdated and not competative. Sweden's
Peter Eriksson proved that choice wrong. Almost as consistent as Kaukola Eriksson drove his Alfa to good results, eventually bringing him second place in the championship's final standings.
In third position we find the onnly other driver that was allowed to stay within 100 points of Kaukola.
Erik Ahlen, NineCraft's prodigee, brought his SEAT Leon home in a comfortable third position, not leaving any doubts about claims on that final podium position. He was closer to being first, than to being fourth when the final score was settled.
The team championship fell prey to
Roaring Pipes Maniacs - Full Throttle, Kaukola's team. He and his team mate
Jari Vinnari (FIN) who ended up 18th in the individual championship took a nearly 600 points lead over and had assured themselves of the before the final races.
It was Scandinavia all the way, but nonehtless congratualtion to Rami Kaukola, Peter Eriksson, Erik Ahlen and Roaring Pipes Maniacs - Full Throttle!
See you all next season in the RaceDepartment Touring Car Championship 2009!
