Boss BlackBee, Wereta Kake and Aratu Forests did not wait for D1NZ Drifting to discover Gisborne.
They built a circuit in Dunstan Rd that made it impossible to ignore.
Round 4 of the national drifting championships is being held there this weekend.
GRIT Motorsport received $65,000 from Trust Tairāwhiti to support its hosting of Round 4 of the D1NZ National Drifting Championship in Gisborne this weekend.
The H BlackBee Drift Park on Dunstan Rdat Matawhero exists because local men BlackBee and Kake decided it should, with the support of Aratu Forests.
They called D1NZ, made their case and got a date on the national championship calendar. It’s a first for the East Coast in the contest’s 20-plus-year history.
“A lot of people here never leave Tairāwhiti, so when a national championship comes to them, that means something,” Kake said.
“For me, it’s a long way to travel to compete, so having a home event is very special. But more than that, it’s an opportunity to bring the sport to people who wouldn’t otherwise see it up close, and maybe change how they think, or even change their path in life.
“We’re starting local track days, and the plan is to invest everything back in. This isn’t a commercial exercise, it’s about educating people, inspiring them, giving them the opportunity to try it.
Wereta Kake from Gisborne will contest the Pro Championship at the new drift venue on Saturday and Sunday.
“One of my crew was on the streets four years ago. Now he’s full-time in the sport, running tyres for the team. We showed him a different side of life, gave him the opportunity and he grabbed it. We want to do the same for others.”
Drivers like Gisborne 17-year-old Corbyn Wilson, a rising star of the sport, are making the most of such chances.
“A lot of us older guys wish we’d had that head start. Young people haven’t built up all the mental weight yet. They’re free, unguarded, not playing it safe.
“That open mindset is the best thing you can have in this sport. We’re trying to give that to as many people as possible.”
But in envying the carefree nature of youth, Kake points out that drifting “is about being completely in control”.
“That’s the hardest message to get across. We aren’t what you see left on the streets. This is about skill and what goes on behind the scenes to be at this level.
What they are creating will build for better and stronger competition.
“There’s a world behind what happens on track that most spectators never see. That’s my main purpose right now, educating.
Kake competes in the Pro Championship level of the sport and is in the unique position of having helped to build the track on which he will race.
D1NZ chief Brendon White said it knew Tairāwhiti would deliver a stronger national championship field due to the passion and commitment of BlackBee, Wereta and their whānau.
“What they are creating will build for better and stronger competition.”
Shaun Potroz, the 2021 D1NZ Pro-Sport champion and a Gisborne local, said he was really looking forward to seeing the region show up for the championships.
“I reckon it could be the biggest event D1NZ has seen this season.”
He also recognised the people who made the venue possible in the first place.
“A special thanks to Aratu Forests. They have been such a big part in allowing this to happen. The dream and vision Boss BlackBee and Wereta had then and what they have for the future ... without all of them, we wouldn’t be having a national championship event in Gisborne.”
The event starts with qualifying (solo runs) on Saturday, with each driver making multiple solo runs through the circuit.
Runs are judged on angle, speed, line and style. The top scorers earn the highest bracket seeds for Sunday’s battles.
Battles (tandem runs) involve two cars, one behind the other.
The lead car sets a line and the chase car tries to match it exactly – same angle, same proximity, same speed – while also looking better.
After the first run, they switch. Judges score both runs. The winner advances and the loser is eliminated.
Parking for the weekend: Dedicated spectator parking on the right-hand side as people approach the venue, signposted from the road. Short walk to the ticket gate, or wait for the shuttle.
Tickets can be bought in advance at www.d1nz.com, or at the venue on either day. Gates open at 1pm on Saturday and 9am on Sunday.
