INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE CLUB THE COMMITTEE JOIN OUR CLUB MOTORSPORT DRIVER TRAINING DRIVER PROFILES TECHNICAL MERCHANDISE MX-PRESS CHAT ROOM CLUB HISTORY IMAGE GALLERY VIDEO GALLERY CLUB DOCUMENTS LIFE MEMBERS MAZDA DEALERS NEWS ARCHIVE EVENT ARCHIVE CONTACT US

MX-5 NEWS

01/11/03 - Drifting Exhibition

Wanneroo Raceway on Sunday will host the first official drifting exhibition in Australia.

The lunchtime entertainment will form part of the annual Coca Cola combined categories and the OEM 100 HQ Holden enduros which will see some 100 local drivers clash over three 30-lap races involving pit stops.

Drifting is a relatively new sport where the idea is for the driver to go through a series of corners producing and sustaining oversteer while demonstrating an ability to control the vehicle.

“It’s enormously popular in Japan, where enthusiasts in high powered cars have turned it into an art form, it’s started to take off in the US, and now it’s happening in Perth in a safe environment,” said raceway general manager Adrian Chambers.

“Promoters around Australia are always looking at ways to get more young people interested in motor racing and we must keep up with what they want to do and try to cater for them.

“The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport has been quick to identify these activities and I’m delighted to see that they’ve been proactive in setting realistic regulations under which track operators can run these extraordinary events.”

Chambers, a member of the Australian Motor Racing Commission, is chairman of the national Circuit Operators Advisory Council which advises the CAMS board on motor racing issues.

In the coming year Wanneroo Raceway will run regular drifting and burn-out competitions at the circuit during race events, as well as trialling cruising and whoa-to-go, where competitors move from a standing start, accelerate over 150m and stop at a given point.

Sunday’s endurance racing features many of State’s best drivers including Grant Johnson and Kerry Wade - who finished well at Bathurst this year - Geoff Kendrick , Graham Stones, Simon Emmerling and Michael Minshall. Racing starts at 10.50 am and support categories include Formula Fords and Formula Vees

Note : the demo is meant to be at 12 ish , for half an hour, with about 8-10 cars demo'ing, 6 at a time on the track..