Toyo Nsw Drift Series, Round 1 - Wakefield Park

[Boaty]

Opening round of the Toyo NSW Drift Series at Wakefield Park on Sunday June 3.

Media Release:-

Some of the best drift drivers in the country are headed to Goulburn’s Wakefield Park on Sunday June 3 for the opening round of the 2007 Toyo NSW Drift Series.

South Australia’s Christian Pickering who currently leads the 2007 Australian Drift Championship is just one of the big names on the entry list. Others include fellow South Australian Leighton Fine who is currently 2nd in the Australian championship and also finished in the runner-up position in the 2006 Australian Drift Championship and Fine’s Queensland based Team Peer team-mate 2005 Australian Champion, Darren Appleton.

“The series has a prize pool of almost $12,000 so we expected it to attract some of the top drivers but these guys are the best in the business.” said Wakefield Park’s Garry Willmington. “It will be fantastic to see them side by side and sideways at Wakefield Park.”

“Guys like Christian Pickering and the Team Peer drivers will be hard to beat but there are plenty of other young drivers coming up through the ranks who will be looking for an opportunity to shine. There are almost $5000 worth of encouragement awards for the series as well so we are expecting a strong field of entries.” said Willmington.

Other high profile drivers that will be competing in the event include Eugene Arendsen from Queensland, Nowra’s Nathan Weissel and Sydney’s Chris Easton. “I’d love to add the NSW Drift title to my resume but there is definitely going to be plenty of stiff competition out there.” said Appleton. “Christian Pickering and Leighton Fine are in outstanding form at the moment and I have had very tough battles with both Weissel and Easton recently when we were in Adelaide and Perth for the national series. It looks like most of the top 10 drivers in the country will be at this event.” he added.

Hard-charging Victorian driver Michael Truscott has also entered the event as Australia’s leading female drifter, Catherine “the Driftcat” Coleiro who is also from Melbourne. “As the only female in the field I seem to get plenty of attention but none of the guys like getting beaten by a girl.” said Coliero. “Wakefield Park is a fantastic drift circuit. I’m looking forward to kicking some butt.” she added.

Having started on the mountain roads of Japan as an ‘underground’ activity, drifting has exploded in popularity over the last few years and has now developed into the fastest growing form of motorsport in the world.

Unlike other forms of racing, drift competitions are not necessarily about who is the fastest or who crosses the line first. Two drivers slide their cars through a pre-determined course and judges assess the relative car control being displayed by the two drivers by looking at a number of factors including the angle at which the cars are sliding, the line they are taking through the corners, the relative speed of the cars, their proximity, their ability to emulate one another, etc. Winners are chosen from each tandem “drift battle” to progress through a series of elimination rounds to the final battle.

“I’ve been around motor racing for over 35 years” said Willmington and I’ve never seen anything as exciting as drifting. The top drivers throw their cars into a slide at unbelievable speeds before the corners. The speed, the smoke and skill involved make it an amazing spectacle.” he added

Edited May 28, 2007 by Boaty

[Boaty]

Full entry list:-

Darren Appleton - QLD

Eugene Arendsen - QLD

Catherine Coleiro - VIC

Glen Drysdale - NSW

Travis Dunstan - VIC

Chris Easton - NSW

Leighton Fine - SA

Scott Gibbs - NSW

Brad Green - NSW

Jason Greenwood - NSW

Ashley James - NSW

Josh James - NSW

Chris Jones - NSW

Chris Laverick - NSW

Mike Laverick - NSW

Andrew McGregor - NSW

James Mijoc - NSW

Marcus Newark - NSW

Sam Pass - ACT

Lee Pidwell - VIC

Christian Pickering - SA

Matt Porter - NSW

Ben Ryan - ACT

Azhar Sadien - NSW

Cameron Stubbs - NSW

Michael Truscott - VIC

Igor Tunjic - NSW

Jarich van Horek - NSW

Eiji Wakamatsu - ACT

Nathan Weissel - NSW

Dean Williams - NSW

Dion Yandle - NSW

[Sinful]

Awesome!!!

I reckon I will take a drive down there to watch and catch up with a few peeps

Thanks

[nuttsHunglow]

Looks good

[D_I_F]

Chris Easton - NSW

GO CHRIS! I love that car soo much! mmm.. 31 *drools*

[Trust33]

oi! i cant make that round as my bro and his wifey needd a hand to move their shizzle and they need me to drive a commercial van with a trailer on the back.so spewing about missing this 1.

EC DA then.

Craig.

[evil_weevil]

Dam sundays

I'll make it to one round - and hopefully get some skill one day and enter