The body of a 22-year-old former Bethlehem College student has been found in Tauranga's Carlton Street Reserve.
Police have confirmed the body found on Sunday morning is that of competitive drift car driver Hamish Marsden.
His body was found lying in grass under raised seating near a softball park in the reserve
(pictured above) and an investigation was undertaken by Tauranga's Criminal Investigation Branch.
Acting senior sergeant Rob Lemoto said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, which has been referred to the coroner.
In 2008 Mr Marsden called for Tauranga City Council to allocate a safe area where car enthusiasts could practise drifting.
His website says he was the youngest top level competitor in the country.
He was also a trade-qualified sheetmetal engineer and had been working in Auckland.
On his Facebook page Mr Marsden had written that he was looking forward to the weekend.
Friends have since posted tribute messages.
A concerned resident contacted the police on Sunday morning after noticing Mr Marsden lying under the stands.
Police found him dead when they arrived and said he had been there overnight.
They are calling on anyone who saw activity in the Carlton Street Reserve overnight on Saturday to contact Tauranga Police on 0800 773 2587.
