D1NZ

* 2012/13 CODY'S D1NZ National Drifting Championship Series 

   Rnd 2

   Toll Whangarei circuit

   Rewa Rewa Rd

   Whangarei

   Sat/Sun

   Dec 01/02

   2012

ROUND REVIEW

02-12-12

LOCAL HERO WOOLHOUSE WINS AT HOME

Local hero Daniel 'Fanga Dan' Woolhouse (Castrol Edge Holden Commodore) was the toast of a large and vocal crowd after dominating the second round of the 2012/13 Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship on a new temporary course in transport company Toll's Whangarei yard on Sunday. 

After pipping fellow Northlander Gary 'Gaz' Whiter (Tectaloy Nissan S14 V8) and Waiuku driver Jason Sellars (Wong's Kitchen 2JZ Nissan Laurel) for the top spot in qualifying in the morning Woolhouse beat last season's Pro-Am champion Cam Vernon (Skinny Mobile Nissan R32) in the Top 16, fast-rising young Auckland driver Zak Pole (Nissan Skyline R33) in the Top 8 then fellow series front-runner Andrew Redward (Achilles Tyre Mazda RX7 V8) in the Top 4. 

He then went on to complete a perfect day with victory over eventual runner-up Nico Reid (Luxury Sports Nissan S15) in the final.

Last season at the Northland round of the Cody's D1NZ series (at Ruakaka south of Whangarei) Woolhouse also got to the Top 4 only to have the top spot taken by Auckland-based drift international 'Mad' Mike Whiddett. At the opening round of this season's series at Manfeild, meanwhile, a broken front suspension component saw Woolhouse forced to relinquish what looked like certain victory to defending Cody's champion Curt Whittaker (The Mount Shop 2JZ Nissan Skyline R34).

This time the pendulum swung Woolhouse's way, with Whiddett (Red Bull/Speedhunters Mazda RX8 turbo) hobbled in qualifying by a gearbox problem then - having borrowed another gearbox for the battles - he was beaten by a hard-charging Zak Pole in the Top 32.

Round one winner Whittaker also struggled, this time with steering issues, rising to the Top 4 - amid some controversy and a protest from the Whiter team after he and Gaz Whiter clashed in their Top 8 encounter - but deciding enough was enough after being beaten in the Top 4 battle by eventual runner-up Nico Reid. 

Victory was especially sweet, Woolhouse said, because so many of his loyal local fans were at the Toll yard to see it.

"I've got a lot of support up here (Northland) but not many people can afford to travel when the next closest round is usually Pukekohe. It's awesome when we have a round here because we get people from here (Whangarei) but also from the Far North."

In the Pro-Am class Aucklander Darren Kelly (DKM Fabrication Nissan Skyline R32) proved the man to beat, topping qualifying on Saturday and winning battles against Russell Sifleet (Nissan S13), Jody Verhulst (Mad & Turbo Tauranga Toyota Supra), Joseph Kukutai (Freshly Whipped Nissan Skyline R32) and Jacob Hakaraia (DTM Nissan S13) to claim the top spot.

Auckland's Michael Thorley (Femme Fatale Nissan Laurel) and former motorcycle road-racing champion Sam Smith (Franklin Cams Nissan S15) qualified second and third respectively but both struck trouble, Smith a non-starter in Sunday's battles thanks to alternator issues, Thorley hitting the wall a glancing blow in his Top 8 battle with Jacob Hakaraia.

With his home round win, Woolhouse now takes an early lead in the 2012/13 Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship points standings from defending title-holder and round one winner Curt Whittaker with fellow Aucklanders Nico Reid third, Andrew Redward fourth and Daynom 'Slim' Templeman (NAC Insurance/Achilles Tyre Mazda RX7) fifth. 

With a class win at the opening series round third-placed Matt Lauder is the series points leader in the Pro-Am class, with Russel Sifleet second and Jacob Hakaraia third.

The 2012/13 Cody's series now moves south to a second new temporary course at the Bay Park Speedway complex in the Bay of Plenty over the January 19/20 weekend.

Ends

CAPTION

Whangarei driver Daniel 'Fanga Dan' Woolhouse (Castrol Edge Holden Commodore) proved to be the man to beat at the second round of the 2012/13 Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship at a new temporary venue in transport company's Toll's Rewa Rewa Rd freight complex. Sharing the podium with the former D1NZ series champion were Aucklanders Nico Reid (left) and Andre Redward (right). Young gun Reid battled injector issues early in the day but came right in the end. Winner of the Pro-Am class, meanwhile, was Aucklander Darren Kelly. He was joined on the Pro-Am podium by Rotorua's Jacob Hakaraia (left) and Wellington's Matt Lauder. The Whangarei event attracted a large crowd. Photo credit: Erron Soon for Cody's

2012/13 CODY'S D1NZ NATIONAL DRIFTING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Results Rnd 2

D1NZ Pro

1. Daniel 'Fanga Dan' Woolhouse (Whangarei, Castrol Edge Holden Commodore)

2. Nico Reid (Auckland, Luxury Sports Nissan S15)

3. Andrew Redward (Auckland, Achilles Tyre Mazda RX7 V8)

4. Curt Whittaker (Auckland, The Mount Shop 2JZ Nissan Skyline R32)

5. Gary 'Gaz' Whiter (Dargaville, Tectaloy Nissan S14 V8)

6. Zak Pole (Auckland, Bullet HD Nissan Skyline R34)

7. Carl Ruiterman (Pukekohe, GT Radials/Gull Nissan S14) 

8. Troy Forsythe (Christchurch, Southern Drifters Nissan S13)

9. Jason Sellars (Waiuku, Wongs Kitchen 2JZ Nissan Laurel)

10. Daynom Templeman (NAC Insurance/Achilles Tyre Mazda RX7)

Prepared by FAST COMPANY of behalf of D1NZ. For more information about the 2012/13 D1NZ National Drifting Championship contact Ross MacKay on 021 677 919 or via e-mail on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. If you would like to talk to D1NZ Director Brendon White he can be contacted on 0-9-534 6090, 021 274 5580 or on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . To check out the DINZ website go to www.D1NZ.com. You can also stay in touch with D1NZ by following its facebook page at www.facebook.com

Press release
For immediate release

2012/13 CODY'S D1NZ National Drifting Championship Series 

   Rnd 1

   Manfeild

   Feilding   

   October 26/27

   2012

RND 1 REPORT

27-10-12

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.