Lee enjoys Taupo consolation win

Lee with son Mackenzie after winning his race. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED

It was a disappointing start to his national campaign, but Wanganui drift racer Ricky Lee made his absence from the big stage work for him in Taupo on Sunday.

The 31-year-old Lee did not qualify in the Top 10 of the first event of the D1Pro-Am at the national drifting series in Hampton Downs on Saturday, saying some set-up issues with the car kept them in 18th out of 38 entries.

"So due to not making the finals on Sunday we headed to another drifting event in Taupo as part of the Powercruise weekend."

Lee said they got the car "dialled in" and won the day, being the No1 judged drifter for the annual Taupo event.

Prizes included Supercheap Auto Vouchers, $300 cash and the trophy for the mantelpiece.

"This is my first 'win' in a drift event and the car performed amazingly thanks to the crew and Warren from Pulse Performance," said Lee.

"If only we got it sorted a day earlier."

At the D1Pro-Am at Hampton Downs, Nissan driver Troy Jenkins won the round, followed by Wellington's Shayne Giles and Kerikeri's Joe Marshall.

The next round is in Whangarei, over the weekend of December 14-15.