Fasten your seatbelts and get ready for two days of high-octane, adrenaline-fuelled action - the D1NZ National Drifting Championship is coming to Whangarei.
The Whangarei circuit will be the first street course of its kind in the country to allow drift battling in a legal situation, involving two cars simultaneously drifting
on the circuit.
About 55 to 70 entries are expected over the weekend.
Drifting is a complex and increasingly popular competitive motorsport that involves sliding rear-wheel drive vehicles, mostly turbocharged Japanese imports, through the corners of racing circuits.
Port Rd drifting competitor and businessman Glenn McFarlane said the many hours of voluntary work put in by locals was a result of their love for the sport of drifting.
"If they weren't dedicated, they wouldn't be doing it," Mr McFarlane said.
A section of Port Rd, south of the Dawson Rd intersection, will be closed off temporarily between 6am on August 14 and 7pm August 15 for the motorsport event.
Mr McFarlane said he and others had been working on sections of the course for about a month readying it for the event.
The Grand Final Port Nikau event will see renowned New Zealand drifting names such as Carl Ruiterman, Adam Richards and Mad Mike, widely known for his rotary-powered cars, competing.
Dargaville competitor Gaz Whiter, who was last year's drifting champion, will be the first drifter to win the title two years in a row if he comes out on top in the weekend's events.
Another top contender, "Fanga" Dan Woolhouse, from Whangarei, will be in action too.
Mr McFarlane will be out in force for the event, in his 1989 C33 Nissan Laurel.
He competed in rookie drifting events last year and is entering the D1NZ drifting championship this year. Brendon White, from D1NZ, said the event focused on the family aspect of drifting competition, to attract spectators and enthusiasts of all ages.
"Drifting's a technical sport. It's a lot harder to learn than just straight-line racing and it's far from 'hooning'," Mr White said.
Other activities and events on the day include BMX racing, freestyle motocross jumping and a paintball arena.
Gates open for the turbocharged action at 9am on August 14 and August 15.
Emergency services, local businesses and residents will have access to the roads during the event schedule.
