| Category | Drifting |
|---|---|
| Country or region | New Zealand |
| Inaugural season | 2003 |
| Drivers | 25[1] |
| Constructors | Various |
| Drivers' champion | Gaz Whiter |
| Official website | D1NZ.com |
D1NZ is a production car drifting series in New Zealand. It began early in 2003 as a small competition consisting of several drifting teams from all over the country. Since then it has continually become larger and more professional, now involving professional drivers with sponsored cars. Despite similar moniker, the series is not related to the Japanese D1 Grand Prix series.
Contents |
The format of a round consists of scrutineering and a drivers briefing in the morning. This is followed by a warm up with cars being allowed out onto the track to warm up their cars and tyres.[2]
Qualifying is then held with the competitors trying to impress the judges to be let into the Top 16.[3] The drivers are judged based on line, angle, and speed.[3] Line involves taking a drift line rather than racing line to obtain fastest and most aggressive drift.The line shall be full track width apexing each corner. The preferred line is usually announced beforehand by judges. Angle means taking an aggressive entrance angle, angle throughout corner, getting car to ‘full lock’ and a smooth sideways exit. Speed is the speed entering a turn, the speed through a turn, and the speed exiting the turn; faster is better. Speed is also judged on the time taken to complete ‘judged section’ section.[3]
The judging takes place on just a small part of the circuit, a few linking corners that provide good viewing, and opportunities for drifting. The rest of the circuit is irrelevant, except as it pertains to setting up the car for the first judged corner.
The finals are held after the qualifying session, with only the Top 16 drivers competing, as per the judges decision in the qualifying. Drivers are paired off, and each heat comprises two passes with each driver taking a turn to lead. The best of the 8 heats go to the next 4, to the next 2, and then to the final. The passes are judged as explained above, however there are a few new rules such as:
Sometimes the judges cannot agree, cannot decide, or a crowd vocally disagrees with the judge's decision. In such cases more passes may be run until a winner is produced. Sometimes mechanical failure determines the battle's outcome, either during or preceding a heat. If a car cannot enter a tandem battle, the remaining entrant (who automatically advances) will give a solo demonstration pass. In the event of apparently close or tied runs, crowds often demonstrate their desire for another run with chants of 'one more time'.[4]
2008 is the first season to consist of just 5 rounds, down from the 6 rounds of previous years. Drivers will be battling it out against each other on racetracks all over the country.[5]
| Round | Date | Location | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 25 & 26[6] | Powerbuilt Raceway at Ruapuna Park | Gaz Whiter | Carl Ruiterman | Simon Hunter |
| 2 | February 8 & 9[7] | Manfeild Autocourse | Carl Ruiterman | Gaz Whiter | Mike Whiddett |
| 3 | March 14 & 15[8] | Taupo Motorsport Park | Carl Ruiterman | Jason Sellers | Mike Whiddett |
| 4 | April 5 & 6 | Mystery Creek Events Centre | |||
| 5 | May 3 | Pukekohe Park Raceway |
| Round | Date | Location | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 27[10] | Timaru International Motor Raceway | Carl Ruiterman | Nick Teeboon | Gaz Whiter |
| 2 | April 7[11] | Manfeild Autocourse | Victor Chapman | Gaz Whiter | Jairus Wharerau |
| 3 | May 5[12] | Pukekohe Park Raceway | Daniel Woolhouse | Gaz Whiter | Carl Ruiterman |
| 4 | July 7[13] | Mystery Creek Events Centre | Carl Ruiterman | Tiger White | Mike Whiddett |
| 5 | August 18[14] | Taupo Motorsport Park | Tiger White | Shaun Yearbury | Gaz Whiter |
| 6 | November 11[15] | Pukekohe Park Raceway | Gaz Whiter | Daniel Woolhouse | Carl Ruiterman |
| Final Standings[15] | |||||
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | |
| Carl Ruiterman | Gaz Whiter | Nick Teeboon | Daniel Woolhouse | Tiger White | |
| Year | Driver | Team | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Jairus Wharerau | Driftcorp | Nissan Cefiro A31 |
| 2004 | Justin Rood | Driftcorp | Nissan Cefiro A31 |
| 2005 | Adam Richards | WSR | Nissan Cefiro A31 |
| 2006 | Daniel Woolhouse | Driftcorp | Nissan Silvia S15 |
| 2007 | Carl Ruiterman | E&H | Nissan Silvia S14 |
| 2008 | Gaz Whiter | Toyo | Nissan Silvia S14 |
| 2009 | Gaz Whiter | Big Ben Pies | Nissan Silvia S14 |
A list of some of the drivers who compete in D1NZ on a regular basis.[1]
| Driver | Nickname | Team | Current Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Richards | WSR | Nissan Silvia S15 | |
| Daniel Woolhouse | Fanga Dan | Driftcorp | Nissan Silvia S15 |
| Gaz Whiter | Gaz | Driftcorp | Nissan Silvia S14 |
| Mike Whiddett | Mad Mike | Private | Mazda Rx-7 FD3S |
| Victor Chapman | Onions | Private | Nissan Silvia S13 |
| Johnny Udy | Private | Nissan Silvia S13 | |
| Sean Falconer | The Coach | Private | Nissan Silvia S13 |
| Steve Sole | WSR | Nissan Skyline R32 | |
| Dayna Jury | Fury Jury | Private | Nissan Cefiro A31 |
| Jairus Wharerau | JT | Driftcorp | Mazda Rx-7 FD3S |
| Carl Ruiterman | E&H Motors | Nissan Silvia S14 | |
| Tiger White | Tiger | Private | Nissan Silvia S13 |
| Nick Teeboon | Teaspoon | Private | Toyota AE86 |
| Will Cook | Crazi will | TRD | Toyota SUPRA |
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