The pressure came from every quarter, but Whangarei driver Daniel ‘Fanga Dan’ Woolhouse (Castrol Edge Holden Commodore V8) kept his cool to claim his second Kiwi Drift King title at the final round of this season’s Cody’s D1NZ National Drifting Championship at Taupo’s Ricoh Motorsport Park on Sunday.
Series stalwart Woolhouse won his first D1NZ crown in 2006 and since then has come close but has never quite been able to repeat the feat.
This weekend he did, despite a less than auspicious start.
“Yeah, ” he said as he waited for the podium ceremony, “we only did quarter of a lap of the track on Saturday before the oil light came on and when we pulled the motor we found we had a cracked oil pump. It took all night for my engine builder who came down from Whangarei to fix it, then this morning, just before qualifying, we did a diff.”
Not the best way to start arguably your most important event of the season but Woolhouse didn’t let it get to him, pipping title rival, ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett (Red Bull/Speedhunters Mazda RX7) by half a point to top the standings in qualifying then beating Hamilton’s Bruce Tannock (Achilles Radial Nissan S13) in the Top 16, Drew Donovan (Mag & Turbo Tauranga Nissan S15 V8) in the Top 8 and Driftcorp teammate Gaz Whiter (Tectaloy Nissan S14 V8) in the Top 4 before meeting and beating defending Cody’s D1NZ series champion Curt Whittaker (Autosure Warranties Toyota 2JZ/Nissan Skyline R34) for the number one spot on the podium.
Having closed the series points gap on Woolhouse with wins at the Hampton Downs and Christchurch rounds Whiddett had everything to win and little to lose at the weekend’s final but after getting so close in qualifying his challenge was quickly derailed in the battles, the Auckland-based international having a bye (like Woolhouse) in the Top 32 but getting no further than the Top 16 after going down to fast-rising young Auckland drifter Zak Pole (Rollei HD Nissna R33).
Pole first came to prominence this season by beating Whiddett at Whangarei and he did it again at Taupo, though so closely were the pair matched that the judges asked for a One More Time (where the drivers have to repeat their battles) before a final decision could be made.
Also out earlier than expected was Andrew Redward (Achilles Radial Mazda RX7 V8) who was also a serious title threat. Qualifying 13th was definitely unlucky for the Aucklander who went down to class rookie Shane Allen in their Top 32 encounter.
That left defending Cody’s D1NZ series champion Curt Whittaker as the only serious title threat to Woolhouse as the battle scene unfolded, and the pair duly met in the finals after Whittaker beat Zak Pole in the Top 4 and went on to face Woolhouse, the win and round victory going to Woolhouse from Whittaker with Zak Pole third.
The round win was Woolhouse’s third this season and gave him his second title in eight years from Whiddett, Whittaker, Redward, Whiter and series young gun Nico Reid (Luxury Sports Nissan S15).
For a second time in as many rounds, V8 Supercar and SuperTourer ace Shane van Gisbergen got into the Top 8 (the driver he has been sharing the Federal Tyres-backed Ford Falcon V8 with, Shane Allen, also got to the Top 16 this time) after qualifying seventh and ending up a season-best sixth place for the round and the 24-year-old says his ‘toe-in-the-water’ exercise this season has been a real eye-opener.
“It’s certainly given me a better idea of it (drifting) and it is a lot more competitive and professional than I ever thought it was going to be. I knew the top drivers would be talented, but they are really good. It’s been good in other ways too, everyone is really open and friendly and I have learned a lot.”
The battle for the Pro-Am support class also had its dramas, beginning when Vincent Langhorn (Nissan Laurel) outscoring both Jodie Verhulst (Mag & Turbo Tauranga/Elf Oil Toyota Supra) and series points leader Darren Kelly (DKM Fabrications Nissan Skyline R32) in qualifying on Saturday.
Langhorn then went on to beat Zane Marshall in the Top 16, Geoff Muggeridge in Top 8 and Gareth Grove in the Top 4 before finally meeting his match – in Kelly – in the Final.
Kelly won his Top 16 encounter (with Troy Jenkins) but found it a little tougher in the Top 8, he and title rival Matt Lauder having to repeat their battle (going One More Time) before the judges could finally split them, and let Kelly proceed to the Top 4. That wasn’t all either.
To get to battle the on-form Langhorn , 24-year-old Aucklander Kelly, in only his first full season on the national drift circuit, had to battle and beat Jodie Verhulst.
It was again close but he made it through, leaving Verhulst to battle – and win – against Gareth Grove for third.
Car issues meant Matt Lauder’s weekend didn’t get off to the best of starts but the young Wellingtonian was able to do enough to – just – hang on to second place in the series points standings behind Kelly, albeit by just three points from the hard-charging Verhulst.
The Taupo final again attracted a large and vocal crowd, boding well for the opening round of the 2013/14 season, now just over four months away.
YEEEEEE HAAAAAA!!!!!