MGNs Post Season just for fun drift awards

So the serious stuff is done, Curt Whittaker is the new Codys D1NZ drift champion with Mad Mike Whiddett in second place and Fanga Dan Woolhouse 3rd.

We’ve had a fair amount of fun and equally a fair amount of drama over what was the closest season ever with the new points formula, so I thought I would take a light hearted look at the season and award a few “special” titles. Some are based on fact, all are just my opinion…most are just random things that are stuck in my head for whatever reason.

These are not things like “Angle King” and Battle of the year as those will be part of the actual D1NZ awards.

The first award for the season is the “Hoff” award…..for being a straight boss and triumphing over all (just like Michael Knight) and that goes to Curt Whittaker. Curt also wins the ” refuse to wear shoes” and ” Mr Consistent” awardsThe “out of the blocks” award and also the “promotional model liason officer” award goes to Cole Armstrong in the V Energy R34, Cole I think shocked all including himself by debuting a brand new car at Manfield and grabbing the #1 qualifier spot. Could also possibly be considered for the rollercoaster award given some of the inevitable new car issues. Armstrong also narrowly takes the hotly contested “afterparty ambassador” awardThe “roller coaster” award for the most up and downs would be pretty hotly contested as I mentioned, but I’m going to award it to Daynom Templeman and his team, seem to have had a heap of troubles but in the middle of the season achieved a 1/1 result at Taupo

The “Jack lives here” award for simply being so laid back that he could almost fall over, goes to Fanga Dan Woolhouse. Fanga also gets the “Jekyll and Hyde” prize as the fire is definately still there on occasion when things don’t go to plan.

Winning of the “edge of control” award is ‘crazy’ Dimitri Amos. We didn’t see as much of Amos this season as I would have liked as the wild corolla wagon is always a spectacle to watch and Amos can beat anyone when he strings a run together.

The ‘Qualifying superstar” award took me a bit of time to work out, but on average it was ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett only just over Gaz Whiter, Curt Whittaker and Cole Armstrong who had the best qualifying results. Whiter on average had the best “median” result, but didn’t claim a number one spot during the season for the first time in a number of years.

The under the radar award I think should go to Brad Lauder. Lauder is a talent and that was known when he moved up from Pro-Am, but he missed out on the same spotlight that his fellow grads got. He simply goes out and goes about his runs, is never spectacular in qualifying but stood on the podium twice this year in 3rd spot. Lauder some say also gets the “lucky son of a b1tch” award as no one else has had both Fanga Dan and Gaz Whiter spin against them in the same event.

The “allergic to battles” award for the car that just seems to not want to behave once it gets time for the top 32/16 goes to Bruce Tannock. The Rocket bunny lays down some impressive runs and achieved a best run in qualifying of 4th, but would be plauged by brake and gearbox issues. Once this car is 100% and with more battle time, Tannock will be a real force.

The disputed call of the year would go to Gaz Whiter. Don’t think we need to cover which battle this was, Whiter is a competitive bugger and will be frustrated with a slow season start where he was too casual and will rue the spin at Mt Smart which took him off the podium for the first time in 6 seasons. I expect an angry and driven Whiter to show up for World Time Attack with a point to prove.

The “sick of the sight of you” would be Steve Sole and Gaz Whiter, somehow the two seemed to meet more than any other combination this season and I imagine the Soletrain would be thinking if it weren’t for Whiter his season may have turned out a little different

Oddest mechanical incident, perhaps a tie here between Andrew Redward and Cole Armstrong, Redwardos twisting turbo and resulting bolt stretch vs Armstongs motor deciding to inhale stones at considerable cost. Redward is another who was on a bit of a rollercoaster with a strong season start and decent qualifying, only to face mechanical demons.The “instant missile” award for taking a well presented and repaired car, and pretty much destroying it in a single event goes to Hugo Mclean. The Whangarei round saw Mclean destroy pretty much his entire car over the course of 24 hours, but to his credit it was all repaired again and looking even better for the final round.