New Zealand drift scene pioneers Justin Rood and Adam Richards will be back on track at Hampton Downs tomorrow and on Saturday, taking on their counterparts from the V8 circuit racing world in a  special ‘Legends’ challenge.

The challenge is part of the on-track activity at the fourth round of this season’s Cody’s D1NZ National Drifting Championship Series with fellow former D1NZ champions Rood (2004) from Whangarei and Richards (2005) from New Plymouth joining another D1NZ series veteran Aaron Bennett from Matamata as they go up against 2011/12 BNT NZV8s champion Angus Fogg,  former Speedway, NZV8s and now MSC F5000 series front-runner Clark Proctor from Auckland, and Muscle Car men Dean Perkins from Pukekohe and Shane Wigston from Auckland.

Car-wise it will be a mix of existing drifters and hastily converted circuit cars.

Rood will drive a Nissan 180SX, Richards a Toyota Chaser and Bennett a Toyota AE86. Fogg, Perkins and Wigston will drive Ford Falcon V8s,  Proctor his V6-Nissan-engined Ford Escort Targa car.

As well as the Legends challenge, the Hampton Downs round will also see a special one-off Trans-Tasman battle between reigning Cody’s D1NZ champion Curt Whittaker (Autosure 2JZ Nissan Skyline R34) and reigning Just Car Insurance Australian Drifting Grand Prix Series champion, Rob Whyte (Achilles Nissan 350Z) from Queensland.

Having won two of the three rounds so far Whangarei’s Daniel ‘Fanga Dan’ Woolhouse (Castrol Edge Holden Commodore) heads the points standings going into the Hampton Downs round with 312 points, 75 more than current runner-up Andrew Redward (Achilles Mazda RX7 V8) and 82 more than defending Cody’s D1NZ champion Curt Whittaker (Autosure 2JZ Nissan R34) who is third.

Crowd favourite ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett (Red Bull/Speedhunters Mazda RX7) has been impressive in qualifying at all three rounds but after finishing third at the first one has been eliminated in the battles at both Whangarei and Baypark and currently lies sixth in the series points standings.

Three-time former D1NZ champion Gary ‘Gaz’ Whiter (Tectaloy Nissan S14 V8) had a big shunt at Baypark in January but will be back on track to make amends tomorrow and on Saturday.

Action at Hampton Downs begins early on Friday morning with practice for both D1NZ and Pro-Am groups then qualifying and the first Pro-Am (Top 16) battles later in the day.

Wellingtonian Matt Lauder (Shred Motorsport Nissan 180SX) still leads the series points standings in Pro-Am but after beating Lauder to the top spot of the podium at the two subsequent rounds Aucklander Darren Kelly (DKM Fabrication Nissan R32) has closed the gap to 21 points with former motorcycle racer Sam Smith (Franklin Cams Nissan S15) third and the country’s top female drifter, Tauranga’s Jodie Verhulst (Mag & Turbo Tauranga/Elf Toyota Supra), fourth.

Saturday brings final practice for the D1NZ drivers in the morning before the Pro-Am Top 8, then D1NZ qualifying and Top 32  battles.

The Hampton Downs round is the fourth of six for the 2012/13 Cody’s D1NZ championship series with the fifth in Christchurch at the end of March and the sixth and final at Pukekohe Park Raceway in April.