In-demand Kiwi Drift international ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett (Red Bull/Speedhunters Mazda RX7) will have every reason to wonder which country he is in when he goes into battle for the 2012/13 Cody’s D1NZ National Drifting Championship Series title at Taupo’s Ricoh Motorsport Park on Sunday.
A late season charge has seen Whiddett, from Auckland, close to within just 29 points of long-time 2012/13 series points leader Daniel ‘Fanga Dan’ Woolhouse (Castrol Edge Holden Commodore V8) heading into this weekend’s final.
But Whiddett – whose recent Crown Range drifting video has so far had almost 1.5 million views on YouTube – will only be home for a few days. After flying in tonight at midnight he will be back on a ‘plane to New Zealand on Monday.
“He’s certainly seeing a lot of the world at the moment,” says Cody’s D1NZ National Drifting Championship Series organiser Brendon White. “For the past three weeks Mike’s been working with his sponsor Speedhunters at the Players Classic meeting at Goodwood in Great Britain and at the first of the big Gatebil festivals in New Zealand and whichever way it goes at Taupo he will be straight back to Scandinavia on Monday to prepare for the main Gatebil Festival at Rudskogen in Norway on the second weekend in July.”
As well as the lingering effects of jetlag, Whiddett will also, by all accounts, have to factor in cold, wet conditions at Taupo.
“The (weather) forecast’s not the best,” admits White,” but we run rain or shine and it certainly hasn’t effected our pre-sales or our pre-event promotions. We’ve had our best pre-sales for any event this season and for the past two weeks we’ve had drivers visiting schools in the Bay of Plenty talking about the event and the feedback from the kids has been fantastic. They know it’s on, a lot of them know who the top drivers are and they’re all keen as to go. So we’re looking at a bumper crowd even if it is wet, fans are always encouraged to bring there own Ezyups which many do to make their own little areas at the event”
The re-scheduling of this year’s Achilles Radial-supported final series round – from Pukekohe Park Raceway in April to Taupo’s Ricoh Motorsport Park this weekend – has not had any adverse effect on entries either with 28 drivers confirmed for the premier D1 class and 29 for the Pro-Am support.
With just 28.5 points separating leader ‘Fanga Dan’ Woolhouse and second placed ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett, and only 71.5 separating Woolhouse from fourth-placed defending Cody’s series title holder Curt Whittaker (Autosure Warranties Toyota 2JZ-powered Nissan Skyline R34), the 2012/13 title could, in fact, go any one of four ways – to Woolhouse, Whiddett, third placed Andrew Redward (Achilles Radial Mazda RX7 V8) or Whittaker.
There is also every chance that round victory could go to someone else – like three-time former series champ Gaz Whiter (Tectaloy Nissan S14 V8), former circuit star Daynom Templeman (NAC Insurance Toyota 2JZ-powered Mazda RX7) who won the last time the Cody’s series visited Taupo, or one of the series young guns who has made a big impression this year like Nico Reid (Luxury Sports Nissan S15).
Also doing better with each round is the series’ most high-profile recruit, V8 Supercar and SuperTourer racer Shane van Gisbergen who will back at Taupo sharing the crowd-pleasing Federal Tyres-backed ‘Rattla’ Ford Falcon V8 with friend and namesake Shane Allen from Tuakau.
It’s just as close points-wise in the Pro-Am support class heading into the final series round with less than 100 points separating leader Darren Kelly (DKM Fabrications Nissan R32) from Auckland from fourth-placed Jacob Hakaraia (DTM Wheels Nissan S13).
In-between are Matt Lauder (Shred Industries Nissan 180SX) from Wellington and the country’s top female drifter, Jodie Verhulst (Mag & Turbo Tauranga/Elf oil Toyota Supra) from Tauranga.
Having won Pro-Am at three of the five previous rounds Kelly is the obvious favourite, but a low-scoring opening round (thanks to turbo failure) means he is still just 33 points up on first round winner Lauder who in turn is only 28 points ahead of Verhulst.
This weekend’s final series round is a full two-day meeting with practice for both D1 and Pro-Am categories on Saturday morning before Pro-Am qualifying and first battles in the afternoon.
Sunday then brings D1NZ qualifying, the final Pro-Am battles, and the final D1 battles of the season in the afternoon.
With support from Replay XD local car enthusiasts group Undefined Car Club is also putting on a Hard Park (car show) at the event with prizes for the best car in a number of different categories.
For more information on the event go to the Cody’s D1NZ facebook page.
