Valvoline D1NZ National Drifting Championship has announced the tyre-shredding event that will kickstart the competition again following the Covid-19 lockdown period.
This first round back will be moved from Hampton Downs to the ASB Showgrounds, where drifters will slide through a track built inside the three large exhibition halls.
This round will take place on July 3-4 with the D1NZ Pro Series and D1NZ Pro-Sport Series competitions. The final round for the year will take place at Pukekohe on July 31 and August 1.
For this indoor event, D1NZ has teamed up with Sky Sport to deliver drifting to the masses, as tickets will be limited to just 500 at the event. These VIPS will have access to two viewing areas, and the usual food and beverage options.
This is the second time D1NZ has held a competition indoors, with Dunedin's Forsyth Barr stadium holding the last event of its type.
To add to the indoor spectacle, Live Wire Audio Visual will be taking care of the lighting system surrounding the course which also includes flames and smoke effects.
“This has never been done in New Zealand and during lockdown the goalposts for the event industry kept moving,” D1NZ Manager Brendon White said. “We wanted to inspire New Zealanders and show that anything is still possible, so we catered for a show that we could execute during the restricted lockdown period to showcase the sport in a new light.
“Drifting is in its infancy globally and is relatively still new in relation to other codes of motorsport.
“It is unknown how it will evolve in coming years so it’s great to be given the freedom to present motorsport in such an engaging manner to fans."
A telethon-style fundraiser will accompany the event, with D1NZ hoping to raise $140,000 to provide beds and bedding for New Zealand families and children in need.