Pitstop: Japan's drift kings on the way

The fast and furious world of Grand Prix Drifting comes to New Zealand for the first time at the end of the month.

The first event, at Pukekohe Park Raceway on May 28, will feature two of Japan's top Drifters, 2003 D1GP champion Youichi Imamura, driving an APex 13B turbo-engined Mazda RX7 Batmobile, and old favourite Michihiro Takitori, driving a Nissan Cefiro.

Also coming is the man they call the Drift King, Keiichi Tsuchiya. Tsuchiya is the driving force behind the D1 Professional Grand Prix Series and has been instrumental in taking the sport to the world.

The second event will be at Christchurch's Powerbuilt International Raceway on August 27.

At each meeting Keiichi Tsuchiya will cast an eye over the local drivers competing to see if they are worthy of a full D1 Grand Prix international licence. There are eight licences up for grabs, the idea being that the eight New Zealand drivers meet eight of Japan's best at a special New Zealand v Japan meeting at Pukekohe Park on November 26.

New Zealand was one of the first countries outside Japan to embrace Drifting as a bone fide motorsport and top local drivers such as Adam Richards and Dan "Fanga" Woolhouse should have no problems qualifying for one of the international licences.

MANFEILD SERIES

The North Island's annual three-round Endurance Series starts at Feilding's Manfeild Autocourse today with a four-hour daytime race.

The event has attracted 37 confirmed entries, ranging from NZ V8 Touring Cars such as the Holden Commodore V8 of young Kart and Star Car graduate Shane Charlton and Ken Starnes, to the VW Jetta TDI diesel of endurance race stalwarts Maurice O'Reilly and Wayne Moore.

EVANS JUNIOR

The Formula First class is also running an enduro race at Manfeild today, with a one-hour hit-out in the morning. Set to join the regulars for his first major event in a single-seater racing car is 15-year-old Simon Evans, eldest son of Porsche stalwart and New Zealand land speed record holder Owen Evans.

WOMEN'S MOTOCROSS

Pukekohe 17-year-old Katherine Prumm is in Germany this weekend, competing at the first round of the two-round 2006 world women's motocross championship.

Last year Prumm stunned the close-knit world of women's MX racing by finishing second to favourite Stephanie Laier at the one-round inaugural world women's MX championship at Uddevalla in Sweden.

This year the Kawasaki rider plans to go one better.

VICTORIA VICTORY

The Kiwi rout of the Australian motocross championship continues, with Honda's Cody Cooper and Suzuki's defending champion Daryl Hurley taking another win each at the third round of the 2006 series at Wonthaggi on Victoria's south coast last weekend.

Hawera-based Hurley, who finished third in the first race, has a 26-point lead in the overall points standings over Australian international Craig Anderson (Honda) after three rounds of the 10-round Australian championship.