Motorsport: Drifter changes gear for superstock

Shane Allen gets familiar with the superstock he will race tomorrow night. Photo / John Faulkner

Aucklander Shane Allen knows how to put on a show when competing in the New Zealand D1 Drifting Series.

Allen, 22, has been doing it for four years and has established a sizeable following. However when it comes to superstock racing, he hasn't had much luck. "I had the chance to do one race at a Christchurch meeting a while back and one of the tyres popped before the end of my first lap. That was my night's racing because it was somebody else's turn in the car after that," Allen recalled.

The Rattla Motorsport Team racer has the opportunity to redeem himself on the dirt track when he lines up alongside 23 other starters in the Wiseys Pies & Bakehouse Limited Under-25 Superstocks meeting at Hauraki Meeanee Speedway tomorrow night. He will race the superstock normally driven by former Hawke's Bay drifter Mac Kwok.

"I came down to Meeanee for a recent training session and it was quite good. I had a lot of fun. Naturally I want to do the best I can ... there may even be a bit of contact from me," Allen said.

The Hampton Downs conveyor technician is a son of retired superstock racer Chris Allen who has become a Targa Rally fanatic since leaving the speedway scene.

Before getting into drifting, Allen raced ministocks. His best placing was a third in the Young Achievers Series and he also raced in the Rotorua-hosted Ministocks in Paradise meeting.

"I've also raced a super saloon so I've had a bit of experience on the dirt track," Allen said.

Despite his past experience on dirt, Allen has no immediate plans to leave the drifting ranks. "I finished third out of 26 starters at Taupo last weekend and my big goal is to podium in the national series," Allen said.

Round 5 in the series is in Christchurch over Easter Weekend. Experienced superstock driver Shane Warner is hosting Allen this weekend and Warner's car will be raced by his son Brandon. Between Warner, Kwok and his father, Allen won't be short of advice if required.

Along with Allen, Hawke's Bay sprintcar racer Sam Neil and Hawke's Bay's multiple national karting champion Maddie Wise, will be attempting a different form of motorsport tomorrow night. Wise will race Matt Demanser's car. Fancied visitors include Rotorua's two-time champion David Elsworth and Gisborne's Asher Rees. Hawke's Bay's best hopes for the title are former 3NZ Thomas Stanaway, Quinn Ryan and Jarrod Lindsay.

Other classes tomorrow night will be ministocks, super saloons, saloons, stockcars and streetstocks.

The field
Thomas Stanaway, Kairyn O'Brien, Maddie Wise, Brandon Warner, Quinn Ryan, Sam Neil, Sam Bartholomew, Zack Lawrence, Jarrod Lindsay, Stacey Smith, Randal Tarrant, Steven Hausman (all Hawke's Bay); Lance Elsworth, David Elsworth, Shane Bracken (all Rotorua); Scott Tennant, Shane Allen (both Auckland); Asher Rees (Gisborne); Karl Ross (Mount Maunganui); Kenley Brown, Zane Dykstra, Benji Sneddon, Cole Lucas, Rebecca Barr (all Palmerston North).