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Posted
Feb 09 2012, 08:20 AM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 21 comment(s)
So far we've shown you the indoor show component of New Zealand's V 4 & Rotary Nationals. And now it's time to focus on the second day, which was all about who was the quickest down the quarter mile. Meremere Dragway, located just south of Auckland, plays host to the event each year and always draws a large crowd. And although this year's weather wasn't great, the grandstands still filled with people eager to see some drag racing action. It's open to a number of different...
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Posted
Feb 08 2012, 02:28 AM
by
Rod Chong
with 13 comment(s)
Today Mad Mike Whiddett and 9 top level D1NZ drivers cruised the streets of Auckland, NZ to raise funds for a good cause. Local New Zealand drift fan, Daniel Baxter was diagnosed with cancer last year but with the help of the D1NZ crew, drivers and New Zealand Police, he was given something sure to bring some happiness, in what can only be described as a very difficult time for him and his family. Daniel rode shotgun in one of the police cars, leading the convoy while the passenger seats in the drift...
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Posted
Feb 06 2012, 02:00 AM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 33 comment(s)
Our final part of show coverage from the 4 & Rotary Nationals 2012 looks at one of the largest categories from the show: the rotaries!
I'll also cover off the American classics and the few European cars that attended in this article too....
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Posted
Feb 04 2012, 06:06 AM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 31 comment(s)
Our next lot of coverage from the V 4 & Rotary Nationals 2012, in association with NAC Insurance and Hell Pizza is all about purpose-built machines. Drag, circuit and drift cars have dominated shows in New Zealand since they began and have definitely played an even bigger role this year. Not only were the machines on display inside the halls, but a handful also entertained the crowds in the NAC Live Action Arena. This Datsun 1200 drag car had been in the build for a while and only recently made...
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Posted
Feb 01 2012, 02:30 PM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 42 comment(s)
Lets kick off our V 4 & Rotary Nationals coverage with what was the biggest part of the show: the imports. There were a number of Nissan GT-Rs on display, such as this immaculate R33 V-Spec. Honda S2000s aren't too common down here. This one looked great sitting flush on a set of Work Meisters. Steel wheels have taken a little while to catch on here but a few of the cars at the show were sporting them in various colours. This Honda Civic was a member of the Untamed Motorsport Club display...
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Posted
Jan 31 2012, 11:00 AM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 30 comment(s)
The V 4 & Rotary Nationals 2012 is an annual New Zealand event that sits quite high in the priority list for local car enthusiasts. The event has two main parts, a large showcase in central Auckland and then drag racing on the following day at Meremere Dragway in North Waikato. This year marked the event's 15th anniversary and it was the biggest and best yet. The show covers a whole range of cars and trade stands to entertain any and all niches of the automotive fraternity. Azhar and the...
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Posted
Jan 04 2012, 11:00 AM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 5 comment(s)
It's the 4th of January, which means we will each choose one of our favourite S14s. My pick is Gaz Whiter's Silvia, which has played an integral role in netting him three New Zealand drifting championships in a row. Gaz's S14 runs an SR20DET in a field largely dominated by six and eight cylinder motors. And on behalf of S-chassis fans from around the world, thank you Gaz for reminding us that the SR20 is clearly still a very competitive power plant! - Photo by Roo Wills. S-Chassis Festival...
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Posted
Dec 22 2011, 01:00 PM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 19 comment(s)
After the beautiful weather during day one on Friday, D1NZ was welcomed back to Taupo Motorsport Park with some very gloomy looking skies. Now faced with drifting and time attack runs in the rain, we knew that this would make for a very interesting day. Drivers quickly began setting their cars up for the wet weather and many wondered how the elements would affect their game. Lets check out the action! The Time Attack cars were lined up and ready to get out onto the track. With Time Attack being a...
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Posted
Dec 21 2011, 11:30 PM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 9 comment(s)
While the Northern Hemisphere slips slowly into winter, here in New Zealand summer is heating up! Round 3 of the Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship was held at Taupo Motorsport Park in the middle of the North Island. And because of it's location, a lot of drivers call this track home. In the days leading up to this round, New Zealand suffered a pretty nasty storm with torrential rain and flooding in some areas. Drivers, staff and us media guys all crossed our fingers and toes in the...
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Posted
Dec 05 2011, 01:30 PM
by
Charles Kha
with 25 comment(s)
Mad Mike sent us this video of his recent exploits in New Zealand, where he is competing in the D1NZ drift series. For this year he is campaigning the newly revised MADBUL FD RX-7 which is lighter and more powerful (to the tune of 674hp at the wheels). The new formula seems to be working, with Mike claiming victory in the opening round at Manfeild Raceway.
- Charles Kha
Video by Max Fouhy
Mad Mike's RX-7 Feature on Speedhunters
D1NZ Coverage on Speedhunters
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Posted
Dec 01 2011, 06:00 AM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 10 comment(s)
Let's pick up from where we left off from Round 2 of the Castrol Edge D1NZ National Drifting Championship. The second round saw New Zealand's drift series converge on the high speed Pukekohe circuit. As mentioned in yesterday's instalment, the track had very strict noise restrictions on the cars. Many of the drivers had used up their one warning during practice, so were on their last chance heading into the competition. Justin Rood and the other judges went over their revised lines for...
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Posted
Nov 30 2011, 02:00 AM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 24 comment(s)
Round 2 of the Castrol Edge D1NZ National Drifting Championship took place at the notorious Pukekohe Park Raceway just outside of Auckland city in New Zealand. The track is advertised as having the fastest drift corner in the world... ...With drivers entering sideways at close to 200kph. And because of these speeds it can also be very, very unforgiving. Pukekohe Raceway always brings plenty of carnage, so let's check out all the action from day one. Drivers gathered in the early morning to hear...
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Posted
Nov 21 2011, 01:00 PM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 26 comment(s)
Sup Speedhunters, we just kicked off the 2011/12 drift season here in New Zealand and for me, it couldn’t have started any better. Really. Having won the 2011 NZDRIFT Nationals it was great to follow it up with this D1NZ win at Manfield Raceway. This season I’m full of determination and confidence after the generation 5 rebuild of the MADBUL 4rotor FD RX7. The car feels insane and it’s a total blast to drive. Could this be my first Full D1NZ Championship showing? The only NZ drift...
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Posted
Sep 02 2011, 02:30 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 12 comment(s)
As we all know '86 Day' passed a couple of weeks ago and large numbers of old Corollas convened all over the world to celebrate. In previous years I hadn't seen much emphasis put on this day by AE86 enthusiasts in New Zealand but thankfully this year broke that trend. An AE86 trackday was arranged at Taupo Motorsport Park in the central North Island. In typical old car fashion some owners ran into troubles leading up to the event so a few other makes and models lined up to fill the spots....
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Posted
May 06 2011, 05:00 AM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 21 comment(s)
I strongly feel that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take them away. As a 22 year old Speedhunter from New Zealand I've been struggling to find a worthy way to describe a moment that I will never forget for as long as I live. It was the afternoon practice session before the grand final of the Rockstar D1NZ National Drifting Championship in New Zealand. I can remember it quite clearly; you could feel the warm autumn sun as it barreled down across...
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Posted
May 03 2011, 02:00 AM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 60 comment(s)
Hugo Maclean is the owner of this very cool looking Toyota from New Zealand, which competes in our national Rockstar D1NZ series. Starting life off as a street car, this AE86 has now grown into a turbocharged Honda F20C (S2000) powered pro drifter. So let's have a closer look shall we? The AE86 rolls on a set of 16x8.5 -6 and 16x9.5 -16 Work Meisters wrapped in Toyo rubber, with shortened TRD shocks and custom links. This car has evolved from a street car, to an amateur drift car and then right...
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Posted
Apr 29 2011, 05:00 PM
by
Matt Malcolm
with 23 comment(s)
This was the day that really mattered at the Rockstar D1NZ National Drifting Championship Grand Final. The drivers look more focused than ever as they geared up for another huge day at the Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in New Zealand. At the start of the day I couldn’t believe we were there with only 50 points separating the top two drivers going into the final round. To give you an idea of just how close it was there were 60 points on offer just in qualifying. This was going to be good! A...
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Posted
Apr 12 2011, 05:30 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 8 comment(s)
Here's another cool image from your Honda Month submissions. This one was sent in by Sean from New Zealand who captured his DC2 Integra Type R sitting alongside his brother's Honda Stream in what looks like a tire shop.
Somehow they look poised for a night of VTEC-themed fun...
Thanks for the photo Sean!
-Mike Garrett...
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Posted
Apr 06 2011, 11:41 AM
by
Mike Garrett
with 15 comment(s)
How do you celebrate your 60th birthday when you are hillclimb legend Rod Millen? Well, you invite some of your close friends over a day of hooning on a stretch of custom-built private road that runs through your property.
Inpsired the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the "Leadfoot Festival" included some of Rod's most famous competition vehicles including his Pikes Peak Celica and Tundra. The video clip above shows Rod running the course in the Celica.
For more, you can check out the NZ Herald's coverage of the event.
-Mike Garrett
Video by Alastair Ritchie
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Posted
Apr 02 2011, 03:12 PM
by
Rod Chong
with 81 comment(s)
Those of you who used to read Speedhunters back in 2008, will remember Mike Garrett would occasionally shoot the popular Car Sightings stories in Japan. His old Car Sightings posts are the pure essence of Speedhunting in many ways: you arm yourself with a camera, head in to a city/town and shoot any interesting cars that happen to drive past. Now I've never done this in Japan, but I thought I'd try my hand at bit of local Car Sighting during a recent extended vacation in Nelson, New Zealand...
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