Photo: Auckland international 'Mad' Mike Whiddett Thousands of Aucklanders stopped, stared, smiled and took photos on their cell-phones and digital cameras as a convoy of Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship competitors rumbled up Queen Street yesterday (Wednesday).
In a Police car at the head of the 'train was North Shore teenager Daniel Baxter, whose battle with cancer inspired the organiser of the Cody's D1NZ championship, Brendon White, to put together the spectacle on his behalf.
"Daniel's been dealt a pretty rough hand so it seemed the least we could do to help him in some way," he said.
That help consisted of a Trademe auction and raffle, the former won by Wellington drift fan Kim Macauley, the latter by Rosmini College student Luke Duignan.
Each won an all-expenses-paid trip to this weekend's Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland round of the 2011/12 Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship plus a ride in one of the D1 cars in the Drift Train, which started at Auckland Airport at 9.00am and ended at Mt Smart via the Southern Motorway, Queen Street, Aotea Square and return.
This is the second drift-themed Trademe auction Macauley has won and he says the $3,500 he spent was small price to pay 'to help Daniel on his journey.'
"It was out of a combination of interest and charity, really, "he said. "A mate of mine told me about it so I got on line, saved it to my watch list and kept an eye on it."
Having already won an earlier auction for a ride with Red Bull-backed Auckland-based international 'Mad' Mike Whiddett (with funds raised that time going to the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind) Macauley says he thought he knew what he was in for. But the ride alongside Whiddett from the airport to Aotea Square and back via Auckland's Southern Motorway was something else altogether.
"It was unreal," he said. "There were just hundreds and hundreds of people lining the streets, smiling, taking photos, really getting into it!"
As well as the ride to and from Aotea Square with Whiddett, Macauley also won a drive himself in the Cody's D1NZ series V8-powered Mazda RX7 with Whiddett providing the instructions from the passenger seat at the Mt Smart Stadium Rnd 4 drift course before heading into town.
Guest of honour Daniel Baxter also enjoyed the day, riding shotgun in the Police Car at the front of the nine-car 'Drift Train.'
"It was cool being in a cop car," said the 16-year-old." And Queen St was the best bit."
The 'Drift Train' was organised with the assistance of the Counties Manuaku District of the New Zealand Police. They provided an escort using two Police motorcycles and two Police cars.
"We've come along to assist and support the event," said the officer in charge, Sergeant Mark Fleming. "Obviously it is for a good cause, but we also try and promote the safe and legal use of motorsport in a controlled environment rather than on the streets so we are fully supportive of what D1NZ is trying to do.
"Unfortunately there is too much negative publicity around modified cars and the so-called boy racer type scene where actually it is the people who are doing it professionally, safely and properly in controlled environments who need to be promoted so that the general public realise there is a legal alternative to street racing."
This weekend at Mt Smart Stadium one of those alternatives will be on display with over 60 of the country's top drifters gathering to contest the fourth round of the 2011/12 Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship.
So far this season there have been three different round winners, 'Mad' Mike Whiddett in his Red Bull and Need For Speed-backed Mazda RX7 at Manfeild, Curt Whittaker driving his Whittaker Motorsport Toyota 2JZ-powered Nissan Skyline R34 at Pukekohe and former off-road and circuit racing star Daynom Templeman in his NAC Insurance-sponsored Mazda RX7 at Taupo.
Consistency, however, has rewarded Tauranga's Cole Armstrong (V Energy Drink Nissan Skyline R34) with the series points lead heading into this weekend's round with Whiddett second, three-time and defending D1NZ champion Gaz Whiter (Tectaloy Nissan S14) third, Whittaker fourth and another former D1NZ series champion, 'Fanga' Dan Woolhouse (Castrol Edge Holden Commodore) from Whangarei fifth.
Drivers to look out for, meanwhile, in Pro-Am are Pukekohe's Cam Vernon (Nissan Skyline R32), Aucklanders Vincent Hopkins (Nissan Skyline R32), Shane Poulton (AOSC Nissan S14), and Matamata's William Foster (Toyota AE85).
Competition at the round will be split over two days with the Pro-Am (for first-time competitors) series qualifying and battles on Friday and the Pro class qualifying and Top 32 battles on Saturday afternoon and evening with the final Top 8 battles under lights at the Mt Smart Stadium car park (Maurice Rd end) venue.
