THE PAST
21 YEARS
The Evolution of New Zealand's Premier Drifting Championship
D1NZ has stood as the pinnacle of drifting in New Zealand, weaving a rich tapestry of adrenaline-pumping action, innovation, and community spirit. From its grassroots beginnings to its position today as a major player on the global drifting stage, D1NZ’s journey is a testament to the passion and dedication of its drivers, organizers, and fans.
The Early Days
D1NZ emerged from a collective vision to elevate drifting events beyond traditional formats
and retain broadcasting in-house for D1NZ. Just 5km from Mt Smart Stadium, D1NZ was born at what was the trendsetter of the time - GT Motorsports.
Now headed by a team of seasoned professionals with a passion for both drifting and Motorsport entertainment, the company is set out to blend the adrenaline-pumping action of drifting with cutting-edge production techniques allow fans easier access and interaction.
Growth and Development
As the sport evolved, deals began to flow in, allowing for more professional setups and larger venues. The addition of iconic tracks like Pukekohe Park Raceway and Hampton Downs Motorsport Park helped elevate the competition's profile.
These circuits not only provided challenging layouts for drivers but also enhanced the spectator experience, drawing larger crowds each year.
During this period, D1NZ introduced a more structured championship format, with a series of events held across the country. This allowed for greater competition and the emergence of rivalries that captivated fans. The scoring system, based on factors like speed, angle, and style, became more refined, ensuring a fair and exciting contest.
Early Tracks saw D1NZ Visiting - Taupo, Manfeild, Pukekohe, Christchurch but also the introduction of events such as the Rotorua Street Round, The Mystery Creek events, Timaru, Waikaraka Park and many more over the years...
2008-2012 Era
In the late 2000s and early 2010s, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, an action movie, brought drifting into the spotlight, contributing to the rise of D1NZ and its expansion across New Zealand. The series included events in various locations, from the bottom of the South Island at Invercargill to Christchurch, and further north with rounds at Manfield, Taupo and Pukekohe.
This era also saw the emergence and majority of notable New Zealand drifters such as Mad Mike Whiddett, Curt Whittaker, Adam Richards, Gaz Whiter, Carl Ruiterman and many more notable names, the sport was maturing as fans had 10 years of following and learning drivers.
The growth of the South Island Drift South Competition provided a platform for drivers to develop their skills before entering D1NZ. The connection between D1NZ and Drift South remains strong, with many drivers competing in both events and the likes of Phil Sutherland, Troy Forsyth, Joel Counter and many more featuring.
Towards 2010, the opening of Hampton Downs, a new race circuit in Waikato, further accelerated the expansion of drifting, leading to what is now considered the golden era of the sport. Fans and drivers alike experienced a surge in interest and participation during this time and had cemented a strong NZ Motorsport following.
2011 Brought a new category to the D1NZ Family with a feeder category for newer drivers, the Pro-Am class brought about nurturing the new young guns into the sport and creating a pathway from Grassroots to Pro.
New Champions emerged of the class with the likes of Nico Reid entering the scene, Cameron Vernon and Troy Jenkins in the early moments of the restricted class.
The introduction bolstered NZ Drifting and saw the growth of many track days and events across the country such as Driftopia, NZ Drift, Drift Motorsport and NZ Matsuri in subsequent years. The sport attracted more fans and even NZ-bred Supercar champion Shane Van Gisbergen alongside many Australians.
OUR FIRST 10 YEARS OF CHAMPIONS
2003
Jairus Wharerau
Nissan Cefiro A31 - Driftcorp
2004
Justin Rood
Nissan Cefiro A31 - Driftcorp
2005
Adam Richards
Nissan Cefiro A31 - WSR
2006
Daniel Woolhouse
Nissan Silvia S15 - Dunlop Direzza
2007
Carl Ruiterman
Nissan Silvia S14 - E&H Motors
2008
Gaz Whiter
Nissan Silvia S14 - Toyo Tyres
2009-2010
Daniel Woolhouse
Nissan Silvia S14 - Big Ben Pies
2010-2011
Gaz Whiter
Nissan Silvia S14 - Big Ben Pies
2011-2012
Curt Whittaker
Nissan Skyline R34 - Whittaker Motorsport
2012-2013
Daniel Woolhouse
Holden Commodore VE - Castrol Edge
2013-2014
Gaz Whiter
Nissan Silvia S14 - Tektaloy Coolants
2016-2018 Custom Circuits
D1NZ and Drifting established themselves as significant pillars in the motorsport community, marking a transition towards a more professional and well-organized sporting landscape. In aiming to enhance the experience for our drivers, we endeavoured to push the boundaries and pioneer new initiatives within the industry. This journey led to the organization of the inaugural drift event in a covered stadium in Dunedin, which was followed by a spectacular showcase at the ASB Events Stadium in Auckland.
While these standalone events were monumental, our focus has since shifted towards securing more versatile venues that can be utilized repeatedly. To achieve this, D1NZ has forged long-term partnerships opening up the possibility of utilising Speedway circuits during the off-season. This innovative approach allowed the sport to create custom drift tracks, generating new regional fans and venues outside traditional Motorsport as the circuits can be reverted to their traditional Speedway configurations once the off-season drift events conclude.
2016 witnessed the first-ever Trans-Tasman Series where several Kiwis took on the Australians, D1NZ Drivers shipped cars and hit Australia including Jodie Donovan, Drew Donovan, Daniel Woolhouse, Adam Davies, Dave Steedman, Andrew Redward and Darren Kelly then the Australians hit NZ - it was a great door opener in Trans-Tasman rivalry alongside many other international events like World Time Attack that kiwis are now regular features at and major events like Supercars.
2019 Onward
D1NZ had firmly cemented itself into the fray as one of the leading Drift Competitions across the globe alongside Formula DRIFT, D1GP, and the Irish Drift Championship. New stars were emerging and old stars had given 15+ years to the sport and started to retire from competitive D1NZ season campaigns.
Darren Kelly and Fanga Dan jostled for championships over the next 5 seasons with both getting 2 each. Darren Kelly's success it launched him into the FormulaDRIFT ring with Darren being one of the first full-time drivers to compete in FormulaDRIFT, we had already seen Mad Mike take NZ Drifting to new heights with his consistency in Japan and across the globe.
Like the world, D1NZ was not exempt from the global shutdown and it allowed the virtual drift space to really take off and the virtual side is as strong today still. 2021 would see the last D1NZ event held at the fastest Drifting corner in the world and the eventual closure of D1NZ’s home of Drifting - a new home was born.
OUR PAST 10 YEARS OF CHAMPIONS
2014-2015
Darren Kelly
Nissan Skyline R34 - HiTec Oils Australia
2016
Curt Whittaker
Nissan Skyline R34 - Rattla Motorsport
2017
Cole Armstrong
Nissan Skyline G35 - Cole Armstrong Drift
2018
Cole Armstrong
Nissan Skyline R34 - Cole Armstrong Drift
2019
Darren Kelly
Nissan GTR R35 - The Heart of Racing
2020
Liam Burke
Nissan Silvia S13 - Kiesel 888 Motorsport
2021
Darren Kelly
Nissan GTR R35 - The Heart of Racing
2022
Daniel Woolhouse
Ford Mustang GT - Castrol Edge
2023
Daniel Woolhouse
Ford Mustang GT - Century Batteries
2024
Kase Pullen-Burry
Nissan Silvia S14.9 - P-B Drift
THE FIRST EVER BACK TO BACK PRO & PRO-SPORT CHAMPION
PRO
Kase Pullen-Burry
2024 CHAMPION
In the world of drifting, few stories are as inspiring as that of Kase Pullen-Burry, the 2024 NZ Drifting Champion. Kase's journey to the top is a testament to his talent, determination, and passion for the sport.
From a young age, Kase was captivated by the roar of engines and the thrill of drifting, setting his sights on becoming a champion. What makes his story even more remarkable is that he achieved this dream while still in his teens, becoming the first to rise from a Pro-Sport competitor to an NZ Pro champion, and the youngest ever to hold the title.
JAPAN STYLE HITS NZ WITH OUR NEW PRO-SPORT CHAMPION
PRO-SPORT
Keisuke Nagashima
2024 CHAMPION
Since his inception in 2007, Keisuke Nagashima from 86Fighters has cemented himself within the grassroots drift community worldwide and now a NZ Champion. From showcasing the sport of drifting, to actively participating across countless events. Keisuke has become synonymous within drift culture for AE86 Corollas and Japanese drift style.
In recent years 86 Fighters has expanded outside the realm of AE86 Corollas, focusing on driving progression & drift culture to inspire DRIVERS WORLDWIDE, with the front man; Keisuke drifting his way through New Zealand & Japan.
DRIFTING IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING MOTORSPORTS In THE WORLD!
Over the last two seasons, we have seen the convergence of Drift and Circuit where we saw circuit racing during the day and the afternoon switched to Drift. This gave greater exposure to both disciplines and enabled teams to get exposure to some of the country's top circuit racing minds and teams across the Tasman. With advancements in technology, D1NZ has been able to leverage it to help our judges make better decisions and continues to focus on aiding its judges and drivers for the fairest and most transparent competition possible in future.
The series is in a strong position with big grids across Pro and Pro-Sport and many new drivers coming through from grass-roots events like MSC Challenge, Drift South and other club-run events around the country, alongside the need for drifting to expand moves Drifting back to its entertainment show in 2025.
A new golden era is among us as the next generation of drivers become household names and their fan bases tip hundreds of thousands, we witnessed a golden era between 2008-2012 where drivers had created a huge fan base for themselves, now another 11 years on we see the new stars emerging and the next golden era arriving.
D1NZ has very strong ties to the Drift South Series where we still have several drivers that compete in both, there is a smorgasbord of events for Drifting in NZ - MSC, Drift Matsuri, Choice Events, Mad Mike Events and many more, D1NZ’s goal is to ensure we foster growth across the entirety of the sport and ensure the National Championship is one strived to win in many years to come.
