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'MAD MIKE' HAS GROUND TO MAKE UP AT TAUPO

D1NZ NATIONAL DRIFTING CHAMPIONSHIP
Press release
For immediate release
 
* 2011/12 D1NZ NATIONAL DRIFTING CHAMPIONSHIP
Rnd 3
Taupo Motorsport Park
Taupo
Fri-Sat
Dec 16-17
2011   
 
09-12-11 
 
'MAD MIKE' HAS GROUND TO MAKE UP AT TAUPO
 
D1NZ Round 3 Taupo Madmike
Top New Zealand drifter 'Mad Mike' Whiddett (Red Bull Mazda RX7) has some ground to make up on early season series points leader Cole Armstrong (V Energy Nissan Skyline R34) at the third round of the 2011/12 D1NZ National Drifting Championship in Taupo next Saturday (December 17).
 
Auckland-based international Whiddett won the opening round of the 2011/12 D1NZ championship at Feilding's Manfeild circuit in October but was an early casualty of diff failure at the second round at Pukekohe's Pukekohe Park Raceway last month.
 
That round was won by fellow Aucklander Curt Whittaker (Whittaker Motorsport 2JZ Nissan Skyline R34) but it was runner-up Cole Armstrong from Tauranga who assumed the lead in the series points standings thanks to a better finish (4th compared to Whittaker's 9th) at Manfeild.
 
At each round of this season's D1NZ National Drifting Championship there are $5000 worth of cash and products up for grabs for the winner. At the first round that prize - courtesy Wellington preparation specialist Shred Motorsport - went to Whiddett, while at the second, thanks to body kit supplier Drift Max, it went to Whittaker.
 
At Taupo the winner's award will be supplied by race fuel specialist Alcotane and is the last stop for 2011
 
Drifting remains the country's fastest growing and most vibrant motorsport category with over 60 drivers from all over the country set to descend on Taupo for the two-day third round on Friday December 16 and Saturday December 17.
 
That number is split fairly evenly between the D1NZ (Pro) and ProAm (Rookie) categories with Armstrong the man to beat in D1 and Pukekohe round winner Shane Poulton (AOSC Nissan Silvia S15) the new points leader in ProAm.
 
However series organiser Brendon White stresses that it is still early days yet.
 
 
"We've had two fantastic rounds so far and points-wise there's still nothing in it. It was a shame for Mike (Whiddett) that he broke a diff at Pukekohe but he's by no means the only one who has had problems meaning that heading to Taupo there are only 12 points between Cole and Mike, another five between Mike in second and Curt in third, and only one between our top new face Darren Benjamin in fourth and Fanga Dan (Daniel Woolhouse) in fifth."
 
So competitive is the series this season that defending and three-time former D1NZ champion Gaz Whiter (Tectaloy Nissan Silvia S14) is back in sixth place and former off-road and circuit racing star Daynom Templeman (NAC Mazda RX7) is 13th.
 
Taking the battle to the established series stars like Armstrong and Whiddett, meanwhile, is Hawera driver Darren Benjamin (2JZ C35 Nissan Laurel).
 
After impressing in Pro-Am last year Benjamin has been nothing short of sensational in D1 this year, qualifying seventh and finishing fifth at the first round at Manfeild then qualifying first and finishing third at Pukekohe.
 
Top 'local' driver heading into next week's event, meanwhile, is Rotorua's Brad Lauder (Nissan Silvia S14) who is currently tied for seventh place in the series points standings with New Plymouth's Steve Sole (Steve Sole Customs Toyota Mk11).
 
Hastings driver Mac Kwok (Milwaukee V8 Nissan Silvia S13) will also be a driver to look out for.
 
In the ProAm competition for newcomers to the Drifting scene, it will be interesting to watch the return of round one winner Russell Sifleet (Nissan Silvia S14) from Auckland.
 
Sifleet beat Waiuku's Shane Allen (Nissan Skyline R32) to the top step of the podium at Manfeild but damaged his car's radiator in qualifying at Pukekohe,  leaving fellow Aucklander Shane Poulton (AOSC Nissan Silvia S15) to win that round from Pukekohe's Cam Vernon (Gull Nissan Skyline R32) and Aucklander Joe Kyle (Nissan Laurel).
 
That means Poulton leads the ProAm point standings heading into the Taupo round from Allen, Matamata's William Foster (SR20 Toyota AE85) and Joe Kyle.
 
Supporting the D1NZ championship this weekend is the D1NZ organisation's new NZ Time Attack series.
 
In stark contrast to Drifting - where drivers are judged on the speed, angle and amount of tyre smoke produced by their opposite lock action - Time Attack is all about keeping a car straight so that it can produce the quickest lap time possible.
 
Like Drifting, Time Attack has its origins in Japan. Though in the past three years it has expanded into the United States, the UK and Europe and here and Australia.
 
At the first round of the inaugural 2011/12 series at Pukekohe a month ago Pro-Am class competitor Harry Dodson set the fastest lap time of the weekend in his Nissan GTR-35 but Pukekohe's Hans Ruiterman claimed Pro class honours in his Nissan Silvia S14.
 
Ends
 
CAPTIONS
'Mad Mike' Whiddett will be in fight back mode at Taupo after winning the first round of the 2011/12 D1NZ National Drifting Championship but blowing a diff at the second. Curt Whittaker (flanked by Cole Armstrong and Darren Benjamin on the podium) won the second round at Pukekohe. Top 'local' driver at Taupo will be Rotorua's Brad Lauder seen here battling with Taranaki's Mark Burling. Photo credit: Fast Company/Roo Wills
 
D1NZ National Drifting Championship
Series Points after Rnd 2 of  6
1. Cole Armstrong (Tauranga) 179
2. Mike Whiddett (Auckland) 167
3. Curt Whittaker (Auckland) 162
3. Darren Benjamin (Taranaki) 154
5. Daniel Woolhouse (Whangarei) 153
6. Gaz Whiter (Dargaville)133
7=. Brad Lauder (Rotorua) 127
7=. Steve Sole (Taranaki) 127
9. Andrew Redward (Auckland) 119
10. Mark Burling (Taranaki) 111
11. Sky Zhao (Auckland) 109.5
12. Nico Reid (Auckland) 109
13=. Daynom Templeman Auckland) 87.5
13=. Mac Kwok (Hastings) 87.5
15. Bruce Tannock (Hamilton) 83
16. Chris Trundle (Taranaki) 82.5
17. Matt Jackson (Waiuku) 80.25
18. Dave Steedman (Tauranga) 80
19. Robee Nelson (Whangarei) 79.5
20. Dimitri Amos (Wellington) 55
 
ProAm
1. Shane Poulton (Auckland) 166 points
2. Shane Allen (Waiuku) 161
3. William Foster (Matamata) 154
4. Joe Kyle (Auckland) 138
5. Ryan Johnson (Auckland) 124
6. Vincent Langhorn (Auckland) 120
7=. Vincent Hopkins (Auckland)118
7=. Raymond Robertson 1(Auckland) 18
9. Ricky Lee (Auckland) 117
10. Eddie Hayman (Auckland) 112
 
Calendar
Rnd 1: Oct 28-29 2011 Manfeild Feilding
Rnd 2: Nov 25-26 2011 Pukekohe Park Raceway
Rnd 3: Dec 16-17 2011 Taupo Motorsport Park Taupo
Rnd 4: Feb 10-11 2012 Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Rnd 5 March 09-10 2012 Whangarei Street Course, Whangarei
Rnd 6: April 06-07 Grand Final, Hampton Downs, northern Waikato
 
Prepared by FAST COMPANY of behalf of D1NZ. For more information about the 2011/12 D1NZ National Drifting Championship contact Ross MacKay on 021 677 919 or via e-mail on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. If you would like to talk to D1NZ Director Brendon White he can be contacted on 0-9-534 6090, 021 274 5580 or on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To check out the DINZ website go to www.D1NZ.com
 
EDITOR'S NOTE: More hi-res jpgs of cars and drivers contesting the 2010/11 D1NZ National Drifting Championship can be sourced by e-mailing Ross MacKay at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.