The Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship Round 1 - Manfeild Raceway

CODY'S D1NZ NATIONAL DRIFTING CHAMPIONSHIP
WHITTAKER DELIVERS ON PROMISE AT FIRST CODY'S DINZ ROUND
He promised more power and aggression and that's exactly what defending Cody's D1NZ Drift King Curt Whittaker (Mount Shop 2JZ Nissan Skyline R34) delivered at the opening round of the 2012/13 National Drifting Championship series at Manfeild over the weekend.
Though he was overshadowed in qualifying on Saturday morning by high-profile rival 'Mad Mike' Whiddett (Red Bull/Speedhunters Mazda RX7) who top scored with 85 points, Aucklander Whittaker - who qualified tenth with a 66-point run - battled his way through the field to eventually come up against and beat former D1NZ series champion 'Fanga Dan' Woolhouse (Castrol Edge Holden Commodore) in a Final clash which had to be repeated before a winner could be declared.
Even then it was a close run thing, the result only finally cut-and-dry when Woolhouse broke a hub after contact with Whittaker in his chase run and couldn't replace it in the five minutes allowed before the result of a battle is declared.
Third overall was last year's Cody's D1NZ Manfeild round winner Whiddett who won battles against young gun Nico Reid (GT Refinishers Nissan S15) and Cole Armstrong (V Energy Nissan Skyline R34) before losing to Woolhouse in the Top 4 but beating series newcomer Ben Belcher (Green Brothers Racing Mazda RX7) for the final spot on the Finman Software Solutions round podium.
Earlier in the day Kiwi V8 Supercar ace Shane van Gisbergen (SP Tools/Monster Energy Ford Falcon V8) enjoyed a real baptism of fire in his drift debut, only getting one lap to qualify after his car blew a power steering line but beating his first ever battle partner, 'Fanga Dan' Woolhouse, on his chase run only to lose out to Woolhouse with a short straight-line through the first left-hand corner in his lead battle.
Local driver Shane Rutland took the final Top 32 qualifying spot behind van Gisbergen but lost out in his Top 32 battle to Rotorua driver Brad Lauder.
In the Pro-Am class contested earlier in the day victory went to 18-year-old Wellington rookie Matt Lauder (Nissan S13) from last years' Manfeild class winner Russell Sifleet (Nissan S14) from Auckland and former motorcycle road racing star Sam Smith (Nissan S15) from Pukekohe. The country's top female drifter, Tauranga's Jodie Verhulst (Toyota Supra), impressed by qualifying second, lost out to Joe Kukatai in their Top 16 battle but still ended up seventh overall.
Like the premier D1NZ Pro category, Pro-Am attracted a field of over 30 cars, the biggest yet seen at a Cody's D1NZ series drift round and proof, said series CEO and organiser Brendon White, of the healthy state of the sport in this country.
"At the end of the day, "White said on Saturday evening, "it's about engaging the fans and that's exactly what we've done today. We're celebrating 10 years of D1NZ championships this year and today has been a great way to start."
The weekend's meeting was the first of a new BP-backed Triple Crown series-within-a-series which also includes the third round in Tauranga in January and the penultimate one in Christchurch in March.
Before the new Tauranga round however the series heads back up to Whangarei for the second 2012/13 round over the December 01-02 weekend.
2012/13 CODY'S D1NZ National Drifting Championship Series Rnd 1 Manfeild Feilding
October 26/27
Results
D1NZ Pro
1. Curt Whittaker (Auckland) 102 points
2. Fanga Dan Woolhouse (Whangarei) 92
3. Mad Mike Whiddett (Auckland) 90
4. Ben Belcher (Tauranga) 73
5. Daynom Templeman (Auckland) 71
6. Cole Armstrong (Tauranga) 64
7. Bruce Tannock (Hamilton) 62
8. Sky Zhao (Auckland) 61.5
9. Carl Ruiterman (Pukekohe) 61.5
10. Brad Lauder (Rotorua) 60
Qualifying
1. Mad Mike Whiddett 85 pts
2. Daynom Templeman 82
3. Bruce Tannock 80
4. Brad Lauder 79
5. Fanga Dan Woolhouse 77
6. Ben Belcher 76
7. Andrew Redward 74
8. Cole Armstrong 74
9. Gaz Whiter 67
10. Curt Whittaker 66
Pro-Am
1. Matt Lauder (Wellington) 112 pts
2. Russell Sifleet (Auckland) 91
3. Sam Smith (Pukekohe) 82
4. Vincent Langhorn (Auckland) 75
5. Michael Thornley (Auckland ) 69
6. Gareth Grove ( Auckland) 65
7. Jodie Verhulst (Tauranga) 64
8. Quentin Waretini (Auckland ) 64
9. Joe Kukatai (Auckland) 62
10. Nathan Murray (Auckalnd ) 57
Qualifying
1. Matt Lauder 77 points
2. Jodie Verhulst 76
3. Michael Thorley 76
4. Vincent Langhorn 74
5. Gareth Grove 72
6. Sam Smith 69
7. Russell Sifleet 67
8. Nathan Murray 62
9. Quentin Waretini 59
10. Trevor Cairns 56
2012/13 CODY'S D1NZ NATIONAL DRIFTING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Calendar
Rnd 2: Dec 01-02 2012 Whangarei
Rnd 3: Jan 19-20 2013 Tauranga
Rnd 4: March 01-02 2013 Hampton Downs incl. Legends Challenge
Rnd 5 March 30-31 2013 Powerbuilt Tools Raceway @ Ruapuna Park Christchurch
Rnd 6: April-May 2013 Grand Final Pukekohe Park Raceway

[@forged177]

Thanks for uploading on youtube D1NZ, missed tv coverge.

[@D1NZOfficial]

Thanks guys the Enhancement has be taken off, give it a bit and it should be a lot better - Cheers D1NZ

[@MrElpajita]

Thanks for the upload!!!!!

[@dsrturbo]

Rollei Bullet 5S HD Sports Cameras- Available from BNT NZ

[@setra23]

Please, please, please, please get rid of the crappy youtube stabilization. It makes the vid nauseating to watch.

[@minazmorgul]

Very nice video:) Though, New Zealand accent is always hard for me to understand:)

[@tmmtmm]

i swear i watched this earlier and it didn't have youtubes stupid motion stability thing turned on, i guess it was still processing. Ruins the whole video :(

[@cee-life]

Fanga for DK13

[@artdamage0]

aarrrggghhh remove automatic stabilization please...

[@MrElpajita]

Idk but for me Mad Mike beat fanga gan...@35:50

[@onefastkiwi]

Something is terribly wrong with the video, feels like I am watching it through a fish tank...

[@BuzzzdLightyear]

$10k to get on the track??? That's such a ripoff.

[@N0SK1LLS]

this is bullshit,mad mike shoulda had a slight advantage over fanga dan,he woulda probably nailed the final as well.