Last year Christchurch driver Troy Forsythe (Rapid Performance Nissan S13) took on and beat the cream of the country’s drifting talent at the one-off North Island  vs South Island Drift meeting at the Timaru International Motor Raceway.

It’s going to be harder to do the same at the penultimate round of the 2012/13 Cody’s D1NZ National Drifting Championship at Powerbuilt Tools Raceway at Christchurch’s Ruapuna Park this weekend.

But the 34-year-old panel-beater from Hornby says it’s not going to stop him trying.

“My goal is definitely a podium,” he says. “It’s a big ask I know but I certainly want to make an impression at my home round.”

Forsythe, nick-named ‘The Family Guy’ because wife Melissa and kids Jackson, Dillon and twins Madasyn and Tayla travel to most drift meetings with him, currently lies ninth overall in the Cody’s D1NZ series points standings with a best finish so far of fourth at the Tauranga round in January.

This is Forsythe’s first full year on the national circuit and he has quickly become one of the crowd favourites.

“Troy is the original rough diamond with a heart of gold, and people respond to that” says series commentator Warren Sare.

It’s been two full years since the Cody’s D1NZ series last had a round in the South Island and series CEO and event organiser Brendon White says that everyone involved is looking forward to an ‘epic’ weekend.

“The hype’s been building all week, and much of it is around Troy,” he said this morning.” We’ve also got Shane van Gisbergen back in the Federal Tyres Falcon this weekend plus a year’s free BP Ultimate petrol for the winner of the BP Triple Crown series-within-a-series which will be decided this weekend.”

Heading into the meeting former D1NZ champion and 2012/13 season series points leader Daniel ‘Fanga Dan’ Woolhouse (Castrol Edge Holden Commodore V8) from Whangarei is again the favorite from Aucklander Andrew Redward (Achilles Tyre Mazda RX7 V8) who is currently second overall, and the winner of the most recent Cody’s series round at the Hampton Downs circuit, high-profile Auckland-based international ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett (Red Bull/Speedhunters Mazda RX7/8).

Defending Cody’s D1NZ title holder Curt Whittaker (Autosure Warranties 2JZ Nissan Skyline R34) is also still very much in with a chance, while an outside bet is series young gun Nico Reid (Luxury Sports Nissan S15) who is fifth in the points.

Troy Forsythe, meanwhile, heads a line-up of local drivers which includes Drift South series regulars Cody Collis (Budget Tyres Nissan S13), Tom Hadlee (Southern Drifters Nissan R32.4), Johnny Latham (HBR Mazda RX7 V8), Chris Jackson (SurFab Nissan S14), Joel Counter (Achilles Tyre Nissan S14), Paul Tomlin (Nissan S13), Andrew Gnad (Nissan 180SX) and Jarrod Reid (Nissan S13).

In the Pro-Am ranks Wellingtonian Matt Lauder (Shred Motorsport Nissan 180 SX) has retained his series points lead from the first round but Aucklander Darren Kelly (DKM Fabrication Nissan R32) has been steadily chipping away at the difference since a dnf at the first round and is now just 13 points behind, with the country’s top female drifter, Tauranga’s Jodie Verhulst (Mag & Turbo Tauranga/Elf Lubricants Toyota Supra) third a further 37 points back.  Joining them for this round are three local drivers,  Guy Graham-Bagrie (KVS Mazda RX7 FC3), Chris Doig (Mainland Metals Nissan Cefiro A31) and Dan Robinson (1JZ Nissan S13).

There will be action on track both days on Easter Saturday and Sunday with practice for both the D1 and Pro-Am categories before Pro-Am qualifying and first battles on Saturday then the final Pro-Am battles and D1 qualifying and battles on Sunday.

For more information go to the Cody’s D1NZ facebook page.