Drew Donovan

DREW DONOVAN IS ONE HALF OF TEAM DMNZ, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE JODIE

What are you driving?

My Supra is my wife Jodie’s old car, the V8-powered jza80 Toyota Supra we brought back from Australia. We had a car each based out of Australia for Australia and Japan competitions. I had always idolised the Supra but it was Jodie who first got one. That was when I realised how much potential they have as drift car.

Main differences between your track and road driving?

On track I consider myself a calculated and aggressive driver. There is a certain amount of that in my road driving style as well.

What do you drive off the track?

I spend a fair bit of time behind the wheel of “Big Toot“(our race car transporter) getting the cars around the country or in our ute running around getting car parts.

Manual or automatic?

Definitely a manual on track, ideally a sequential shifting dogbox but on the road I’d choose an automatic with cruise control any day of the week.

Who taught you drive?

Dad started teaching me to drive at age 3, I’d sit on his lap and steer the car up our 3km gravel driveway. I failed my licence the first attempt due to a blown tail light bulb so I didn’t even leave the car park. This was probably my first taste of how PC the world is.

Advice to young drivers?

Have your fun on one of the many racetracks around the country. It’s safer and way more fun.

First car you owned?

Dad gave me my first car, a rusty Toyota Corona I named The Beastics when I was still at school. It was a pile of junk but I learnt lots in that car, power-sliding it up and down our driveway. Eventually we took it to the dump but that was after five years of abuse, which must be testament to how tough Toyota builds its cars.

Your dream car?

It changes but right now it would have to be the newly released Supra. It looks awesome and I’d love to build one as a drift car.

Your most memorable road trip?

It was a loop trip we did from Christchurch to Queenstown. We had two events a week apart in Christchurch so we decided to take a few of the team to go check out the breathtaking views.

If you could take a road trip to any motor racing event?

I’d love to do an event called Gatebil in Norway and Sweden. Europe has so many countries packed into one area and an extremely rich motorsport history.

Favourite movie car scene?

Fast and Furious has a lot to answer for in fuelling my passion for cars.

Favourite racing car driver?

My wife Jodie but I’m biased. Jodie and I are a bit of a guy’s dream relationship: Jodie loves cars just as much and I get to have as big a workshop and as many toys as we can afford.

Tell us about your side project to introduce people with lower limb disabilities to drifting?

I have a lot of respect for anyone who has lost the use of their legs

. . . but not let it stop them enjoying life. I’ve often pictured what it would be like to have to live with it. My goal is to create controls that will easily enable people with lower limb disabilities to drift a car. I would love to give anyone with this type of disability the opportunity to do what I do.

The move towards electric?

From what I understand, the detriment to the environment in creating electric cars is substantial and there is always talk of conserving power consumption of the national power grid so it leaves me a little stumped. I can’t imagine why hydrocarbon energy is not utilised and refined but that might be above my pay grade.

And driverless cars?

Now that’s something I’m happy to support. I would love to one day punch in where I wanted to go and just sit back and enjoy the ride.