BOLGER WINS 2007 TOYO DRIFT
AUSTRALIA SERIES |
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Holden
driver Robbie Bolger wrapped up the 2007 Toyo Drift
Australia Series and became the first V8 driver to win
an Australian Drifting title today, after a
pressure-filled final round at
Sydney
's Oran Park
Raceway.
Bolger (VIP
Petfoods Holden Monaro) went to Oran Park with a
50-point championship lead, but with 500 points on offer
and just 187 covering the top eight, the championship
would go down to the wire.
His lead
became 48 points after qualifying, when his
closest-challenger Christian Pickering (Commercial Truck
Sales Nissan 180SX) qualified two places ahead of
Bolger.
Third and
eighth in the series entering the weekend, Adam
Trewhella (Miluc Civil Nissan Cefiro) and Tom Monkhouse
(WheelWorx Nissan180SX) were the first title contenders
eliminated, bowing out in the opening round of
battles.
Team Peer
pair Leighton Fine (Nissan Onevia) and Darren Appleton
(Nissan Silvia) were knocked out in the top 16; Fine by
Bolger and Appleton by Josh James (SprayFX Nissan
Silvia), after qualifying a strong second in a borrowed
car.
When Bolger
moved into the final four with a win over reigning
series champion Beau Yates (Peer Industries Toyota AE86
Sprinter), the championship battle was between he and
Pickering.
Last-start
winner Fernando Wiehrl (Auto Salon Nissan Silvia) threw
a curve-ball into the equation, beating Bolger in their
semi final battle and advancing into the final.
The
Sydneysider had earlier eliminated Luke Fink (Holford
Motors Nissan Silvia), who put in a pair of sensational
runs to top qualifying.
Pickering
moved past Nathan Weissel (Gatorz Nissan Skyline) to
book his place in the final and create a tantalising
championship
conclusion.
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If
Pickering
beat Wiehrl in the final
or if Bolger finished fourth behind Weissel,
Pickering
would become
series champion.
In a tense
third-place battle, Bolger took third to keep his part
of the equation, and then became the 2007 Australian
Drift Champion when Wiehrl got the better of
Pickering
in the
final.
"It's
unbelievable, I'm over the moon," Bolger
said.
"We've
worked so hard to win the championship, not just this
year, but ever since we started building this car in
2005 - to win it and become the first V8 to do so is
sensational.
"We knew it
was going to be tough today, and we were progressing
well until Fernando beat me in the top
four.
"It got a
bit tight at the end, I knew Christian would get the
championship if he beat Fernando, but fortunately the
result went out way."
After five
rounds and over 160 battles, the final championship
margin between Bolger and Pickering was just 16
points.
"We gave
ourselves every chance of winning the championship
today,"
Pickering
said.
"We got
close, but didn't quite have enough to beat Fernando in
the final.
"It would've
been great to win the championship, but to finish second
is a great achievement for the whole Commercial Truck
Sales team in our first year working
together."
Wiehrl's
hometown success was his second win in a row, and
elevated him to third place in the
championship.
"It's
fantastic to get another win for the Auto Salon guys,
especially here in
Sydney
" Wiehrl
beamed.
"The first
few rounds were tough for us with the new car, but to
end the season with two wins is a great reward for all
their hard work."
Fourth place
today is Nowra resident Weissel's best result in the
series, eclipsing his previous best of
fifth.
Sydney
residents Yates and Chris Easton (JustJap.com Nissan
Skyline) were joined in the top eight by impressive
debutant Travis Dunstan (WinningBid.com.au Nissan
Silvia) and Josh James, in his first run aboard a new
car.
It was a
good day for local drivers, with Rob Arborlino (Gatorz
Nissan 180SX) sealing the Super Drift Series after
making the top eight.
Fellow
Sydneysider Anthony Bilic (Drift Racing Industries
Nissan Silvia) impressed all weekend, but struck
mechanical problems in the final, with Joel MacKerras
(WheelWorx Nissan Skyline) taking the
win.
Telecasts of
the 2007 Toyo Drift Australia Series grand final at
Oran
Park
commence on
Sunday 14 October on SBS' Speedweek, check
local guides for details.
For more
information about the Toyo Drift Australia Series, head
to www.driftaustralia.com.au
Toyo
Drift
Australia
Series
Oran
Park
top eight
1.
Fernando Wiehrl (NSW, Auto Salon Nissan
Silvia)
2.
Christian Pickering (SA, Commercial Truck Sales Nissan
180SX)
3.
Robbie Bolger (QLD, VIP Petfoods Holden
Monaro)
4.
Nathan Weissel (NSW, Gatorz Nissan Skyline)
5.
Beau Yates (NSW, Team
Peer
Toyota
AE86
Sprinter)
6.
Chris Easton (NSW, JustJap.com Nissan
Skyline)
7.
Travis Dunstan (QLD, WinningBid.com.au Nissan
Silvia)
8.
Josh James (NSW, SprayFX Nissan
Silvia)
2007
Toyo Drift
Australia
Series standings
1.
Robbie Bolger (QLD,
VIP
Petfoods Holden Monaro)
2045
2.
Christian Pickering (SA, Commercial Truck Sales Nissan
180SX) 2029
3. Fernando
Wiehrl (NSW, Auto Salon Nissan 200SX)
1984
4. Darren
Appleton (QLD, Team Peer Nissan 180SX)
1886
5.
Adam Trewhella (WA, Japanese Wholesale Spares Nissan
Cefiro) 1859
6. Beau Yates
(NSW, Team Peer
Toyota
AE86 Sprinter)
1842
7. Leighton
Fine (SA, Team Peer Nissan Onevia)
1805
8. Nathan Weissel (NSW, Gatorz Nissan Skyline)
1768
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For
Toyo Drift Australia Series media resources, click
here
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About
Drifting
Originating
in
Japan
,
Drifting is a form of motorsport where drivers are
judged on their speed, line and angle through each
corner on a course.
Like
extreme sports such as freestyle motocross, surfing and
skateboarding, drivers are awarded points by judges,
based on a number of factors.
Two cars
battle at a time, with the driver who scores the most
points in a battle - two passes of the course -
advancing to the next phase.
Competition
starts with an elimination round of 32, then progresses
through Top 16, Top 8 and Top 4 rounds before two
drivers battle to determine the event
winner.
Since it
first arrived in
Australia
just a handful of years ago, Drifting has become one of
the fastest growing forms of sport in the country, and
now has a strong following of spectator and commercial
support.
The Toyo
Drift Australia Series is the official Australian
Drifting Championship.
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