The country’s top Drifters will find themselves facing a brand new temporary course when they arrive in Whangarei for the second round of the 2012/13 Cody’s D1NZ National Drifting Championship this weekend.

The tightly-looped course is in transport operator’s Toll’s yard on Rewa Rewa Rd and brings the event closer to the centre of the city than previous courses at Ruakaka and Port Nikau.

“That’s one of the keys when we are looking for venues,” says D1NZ CEO Brendon White. “Drifting is all about putting on a show and if you can take that show to where the people are, all the better.”

Particularly in Whangarei where the sport first found its feet in this country thanks to local man Justin Rood.

Rood and a group of friends set up the country’s first drift team (Driftcorp) and over the years the now 35-year-old has mentored a number of Northland drivers including Whangarei’s Daniel ‘Fanga Dan’ Woolhouse, Dargaville’s Gary ‘Gaz’ Whiter and now Waiotira’s Robbee Nelson.

Woolhouse (Castrol Edge Holden Commodore V8) is the best placed local driver heading into the Whangarei round after finishing a close second to defending series champion Curt Whittaker (The Mount Shop 2JZ Nissan Skyline) from Auckland at the opening round of this season’s Cody’s D1NZ series at Feilding’s Manfeild circuit last month.

Whiter, meanwhile, will be the dark horse this weekend, having used the Manfeild round to get to grips with his new, now Chev V8-powered, Tectaloy-backed Nissan S14 V8.

Series young gun, 17-year-old Robbee Nelson (Koba Batteries Nissan S15), is also short of current season form having burst onto the scene with some stirring performances (including a memorable battle with Gaz Whiter at Ruakaka) last season but struggled with engine issues in his ex Woolhouse Nissan S15 at the first 2012/13 series round at Manfeild this year.

Over 60 drifters from as far afield as Christchurch have entered this weekend’s Whangarei event, with Curt Whittaker heading the points standings (by 10 points) over Woolhouse. High-profile Auckland-based international ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett (Red Bull/Speedhunters Mazda RX7) is third just two points adrift of Woolhouse and series rookie Ben Belcher (Green Brothers Racing Mazda RX7) from Tauranga is fourth a further 17 points back.

The field is split into two categories, Pro and Pro-Am with Wellington’s Matt Lauder (Nissan 180SX) leading the Pro-Am standings after a dream debut at Manfeild. Second in that category is Auckland’s Russell Scifleet, third former motorcycle road-racer Sam Smith (Nissan S15) from Pukekohe.

There will be action at the Toll Whangarei circuit in Saturday and Sunday with gates opening at 9am and proceedings finishing each day by 5pm.

Saturday sees practice for both D1 and Pro-Am classes as well as the Pro-Am qualifying and Top 16 elimination battles, while Sunday has the Pro-Am Top Eight and D1 qualifying and Top 32.

Tickets cost $10 on Saturday and $20 on Sunday. For more information check out the Cody’s D1NZ Facebook page.