Motorsport: Whittaker prevails with power deficit

Curt Whittaker is New Zealand's new Drift King, with the Auckland driver claiming the Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship title in front of a record 5000-strong crowd at the final round of the 2011/12 series at Hampton Downs.

Whittaker won the title off three-time and defending D1NZ champion Gary "Gaz" Whiter, of Dargaville.

Heading into the Easter weekend round Whittaker was 27 points behind Auckland's "Mad" Mike Whiddett.

However, Whiddett lost his top four battle when he tapped former series champion from Whangarei - "Fanga" Dan Woolhouse - into a spin, leaving the way open for Whittaker, who beat Waiuku driver Jason Sellers in their top four clash, to face Woolhouse for round, and with it overall championship, honours.

With two round wins already to his credit, Whittaker had the stats on his side but after blowing his good engine at the penultimate round of the 2011/12 series at Ruakaka last month he was running a serious power deficit when up against the 7-litre Chev V8-packing Woolhouse.

Both drivers threw everything into their final clash and with the scores even, the judges called One More Time.

Incredibly, they still could not split the pair after that run so a second One More Time was called and the pair went head-to-head for a third time.

It remained close but this time Whittaker clinched the round victory - his third from six this season - and the 2011/12 National Drifting Championship Drift King title.

Woolhouse was second for the round and third overall with Rotorua driver Brad Lauder claiming the final step on the round podium after also having to go One More Time to get an advantage over eventual fourth placegetter Jason Sellers.

Earlier in the day, Tauranga driver Cole Armstrong had topped the qualifying order only to lose his top 16 battle with the young gun in the series Nico Reid when his car's engine overheated when the pair went One More Time.

Other notable top 16 casualties were Taupo round winner Daynom Templeman who was beaten by Jason Sellers, and the visiting Australian driver Nigel Petrie driving Matt Sellers' Nissan S15.

The 2011/12 Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship Pro-Am title, meanwhile, went to Cam Vernon from Pukekohe.

He claimed his fourth round win in a row at Hampton Downs on Friday from Matamata's William Foster and Hamilton driver Jacob Hakaraia.