The sport of drifting virtually started in Whangārei and one of the city's best, Gaz Whiter, has fittingly won the inaugural Red Bull Drift Shifters in Liverpool, UK.
The event was a first for the UK and saw 12 of the world's top drifters, including Whiter and fellow Whangārei drifter Fanga Dan Woodhouse, take part in a serious of races around the streets of Liverpool, including past the famous Cavern Club, where the Beatles started, and the iconic Royal Liver building.
The drifters made the entrance flying out of the Mersey Tunnel, on to a custom-built track full of objects with Liverpool links, such as The Yellow Submarine and the red telephone box, which was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott the architecture of Liverpool Cathedral.
![Whangārei drifter Gaz Whiter, centre, with his trophy for wining the inaugural Red Bull Drift Shifters in Liverpool, UK](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/QX4ODDEF3QECF5DAVZ7EICSPIM.jpg?auth=3b179f0050afbdaeed85fc605d6edaec3cd0628dc5166b3582ccc69b5d6c4ed0&width=16&height=24&quality=70&smart=true)
The drifters could take any route they wanted around the course which allowed them to strategically gain the most points. The track was fitted with sensors, which set the 'pinball' style bells ringing every time the cars got within 30cm.