New Zealand’s firstDriftRace

The Demon Energy D1NZ National Drifting Championship round four at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park on February 20–21 will feature some very interesting lunchtime entertainment in the form of a 10-car drift race, something often done in Japan by top D1GP drivers. D1NZ CEO Brendon White says the new format is something to liven up Hampton Downs and give fans a look at how the cars perform in both scenarios, with drivers grip-racing half the track and drifting the other half. Positions will be deducted for drivers that don’t drift the allocated section, which will end on the Barrel 51 Hairpin, and some new obstacles will be put in place on the track as well. This should make for a very interesting race as we finally get to see some of the country’s most powerful unibody race cars competing against the clock.

The drift race is not the only entertainment planned, with a hardpark, RC drifting, burnout and FMX demos, and of course the Pro and Pro-Am championships. We also hear a rumour the section might run in reverse for the first time ever.