Sydney Motorsport Park has hosted it’s fair share of drift battles, but last weekend’s ADGP Australia Day Drift Festival on the newly-constructed South Circuit revived what is a national drifting series which has been missing in Australia’s automotive scene. Freshly paved and ready to be broken in, this tight section of track between turns 7 and 8 of the original grand prix circuit was the perfect location for some fast-paced drifting together with the skid pan and figure eight to the inside of the track and the Allstars Bikini Car Wash and Show ‘N’ Shine on the hillside. Competitors and spectators alike ventured from across the east coast of Australia to enjoy Australia Day in the best way possible – with a tyre-frying and smoke-filled day.
The recipe was simple: dish out session after session of practice time with the heated Top 16 battles ending the day in the setting sun.
This meant an almost constant stream of cars much to the fans’ (and drifters’) delight.
Spectators could view the action from multiple perspectives from the top of the track to the bottom, close to the Allstars Show ‘N’ Shine.
Many though, relaxed in the comfort of their cars shielded from the summer sun, which this pair seemed very happy about!
Nissans, including Harry Ballard’s rare DR30 Skyline…
…or the plethora of Silvias in attendance dominated the event and proved to be the manufacturer to beat.
Though Beau ‘The Show’ Yates, a Sydney Motorsport Park veteran in his 3SGTE-powered Levin was out to show off a little bit of Toyota power.
But it wouldn’t be Australia Day without a ute in the mix as well!
In the Top 16 Invitational battles drivers took every chance to show the judges and the crowd the best emulation, the most smoke, the greatest angle and the tightest line climbing the South Circuit. This Nissan duel between Luke Fink and Mitchell Bunney had it all.
Other battles were not so close.
It was definitely a stellar way to cap off Australia Day, but if 1 day just wasn’t enough to soak up the drifting, get ready because in 2014 ADGP will bring 2 days jam packed with even more!
