Fanga Dan to help Whangarei drivers
Ensuring kids are drifting their cars in the right place and giving back to the sport are the key motives behind Fanga Dan searching out local drifters to keep the sport growing in Whangarei.
Fanga Dan, also known as Daniel Woolhouse, is using his recent success in the D1NZ National Drifting Competition to promote the sport in Whangarei after fans told him to "get off his high horse".
Woolhouse and his team have sought out local drivers to bring drifters together and compete on an actual course, with the hope that a temporary course will turn into a permanent fixture.
"People have been saying since winning the national drift title this year 'Fanga, get off your high horse and get us a track', and, you know, it doesn't really happen like that," Woolhouse said.
"They looked at me in a different way before we started doing this, that sort of get off your high horse and do something sort of thing, and by doing something like this I am no different to them.
"I just started a lot earlier and have been doing it longer. Having said that, depends how this goes, they'll see how much work does go into it to get to where we are."
Woolhouse's own desire to give back was doubled with parents asking him to try to set something up so their kids stopped thinking they were drifters when they are being boy racers.
"Kids think they're doing drifting but they're just doing donuts and doing a bit of a snake, and ending up in the ditch or somewhere like that.
"I've always wanted to try and do something to try and get these young fellas off the road and myself getting somewhere to test a car before going away to events.
"And, also with the stuff the Advocate has done, heaps of people know about it and now we've got a few people who have said we've got a car park here where you can do it."
So far, 26 drifters have approached Fanga Dan to express their interest, three of which are females, in drifting properly on a Whangarei location, most likely to be at the end of Port Rd.
Being a loyal Northlander, Woolhouse said those who support him in the early stages will be rewarded with his loyalty as, hopefully, the drifting community grows.
"These guys [the drifters currently involved] are sort of worried that if it kicks off they'll miss out, but if they're going to be loyal to us and support us and what we're trying to do for them then they'll be the ones first in all the time."
Those who are interested in being part of the growth of drifting in Whangarei should check him out on Facebook and drop him a private mail. From there they will be added to a private event with the details on competition days.
Woolhouse said once it gets up and running drifters will be judged on their best time with bonus points given for style, with points being taken off when a drifting stops, as drivers will have to finish their run off by sliding into a garage.
