Motorsport: Whiter outshines series leader

Northland drifters couldn't stop the crowd favourite as the Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship heats up.

With Dan "Fanga Dan" Woolhouse going into the round as one of the favourites, it was fellow Northlander Gaz Whiter who outshone Woolhouse.

In the previous round in Tauranga in January, Whiter smashed into a concrete barrier which shattered his car's bodywork.

However, in Hampton Downs on the weekend, Whiter showed no signs of fear as he went on to be pipped for the podium and finish fourth.

Championship series points leader Woolhouse was knocked out in his top 16 showdown with eventual runner-up Andrew Redward, after having twice finished runner-up to former series champion Woolhouse this season.

Points-wise, despite an uncharacteristically early end to his day at the hands of Redward, Woolhouse still has a 50-point buffer over him with Mike Whiddett sitting third another 33.5 points back.

Redward also accounted for Whangarei's Whiter in their top four showdown.

The Hampton Downs round was the fourth of six for the series, with the fifth in Christchurch at the end of March and the sixth and final at Pukekohe Park Raceway in April.