Formula D Singapore Update

Hey Team full story from Formula Drift Singapore:

Day 1: Arriving at quarter to seven in the morning the heat was already over 30! We were picked up by the team at Goodyear and taken to our motel where we were amazed to see the huge "Welcome from Goodyear" banners. Goodyear had booked over 150 rooms for drivers, support crew and Goodyear staff.   After booking in and dropping off our luggage Goodyear then shouted our crew to the zoo for the morning which definitely was an experience to remember (especially the smell of the warthog and baboon enclosures). We then went to town and had a look at a few shops then upon returning to the motel we had 45mins to get ready and they then took us out for an awesome dinner where we ate ALOT of crazy sea food we never thought we would have tried.

Day 2 MEDIA DAY: We were picked up by a lavish double decker bus equipped with lounge suites and flat screens down stairs but thats not all!  The bus had chilled water and karaoke! (only in asia). As we head out to the track we could not believe the amount of money they had put into all the HUGE bill boards and banners throughout Singapore. We arrive at the track and the temperature was well over 30 again with no breeze and scorching black tarmac.  

I see the cars for the first time and Im so relieved that everything was there unloaded in pit bays and in one piece.   My car was already fitted with new Goodyear REVSPEC RS02 tyres and all polished up as they had used it on display in Singapore's Orchard Road with their Maserati and a genuine new Ford GT40!!! I fired up the car and had a couple of hours practice on the track then a heap of interviews for the media.

DAY 3 TESTING: This was not a good day!!! I noticed the top Japanese and USA drivers were running on semi slick tyres so I made the switch to run Goodyear RS SPORT semi slicks. The first corner was a large sweeper and the outer wall was made of solid concrete blocks which I was told weighed two tonnes each.   As I flew into the entry for the first corner I gave the car a big clutch click to send it into a drift but instead the car launched straight ahead!!  The tyres had too much traction for our power output and they sent me smashing the car heavy into the wall! The front bumper was now in my window, the front guard had folded backwards over the door, the sideskirt and rear bumper had been torn off and the car wouldn't drive a straight line!
It was a mess...

We dragged it into the pits then spent the rest of the day bolting all our spare body parts on (thanks to NZSPAS!!!) and it was looking brand spanker again! We then had to make a new brake line, rebuild the brake calliper, re-adjust tie rod ends and re-align the wheels and suspension geometry. Unfortunately the day was over for all the testing so I didn't get any laps in at all!! But my hat goes off to Ivan at On the Limit for his effort and work getting the car back on the track!

DAY 4 Formula D: On site at 6.30am for drivers briefing, they gave us one hour to practice starting at 7am but with 50 cars in the field we would be lucky to get 4 runs each and for my first run I had to check our repairs and roll the track.  After a few laps I felt very confident setting our TEIN suspension to full soft front and rear. Now by this stage the place was alive with a sell out crowd of over 11,000 fans!   A quick fill up of racegas and Castrol TTS a new set of Goodyear REVSPEC tyres and I was in line for qualifying. We were given only 2 runs to impress. The judges wanted a fast early and aggressive entry then we had to maintain the drift and slide within 30cm off the outside concrete wall on the first sweeper then clip the three inside points as marked on the corners. For my 1st run my idea was to set myself up with an average run with no mistakes to get me into the top 16 then for my final run I could go all out. We had two flawless runs where I was millimetres off the wall and hit the rest of the clipping points perfectly with an arm out the window.  I couldn't believe it when they announced my name as the top qualifier at the drivers/press meeting.

     For the lunch break the pits were opened to the public for an hour. Our pit bay had soo much traffic and I had a long line of fans waiting in the scorching sun for a signed poster - I even got writters cramp! Many took photos with me and I didn't get a chance to eat! 
    Each driver would now come out onto the track and do a demo as they announced what country we were representing then we were to line up for the national anthem then it was straight into action!

TOP 16 battles commence...
  First battle I was paired up against JANSEN TAN beating him by maintaining the drift line and passing him as he swept wide allowing me to dive through, the crowd went wild. 
TOP 8: The same went for YUENG WA HUNG he left the door wide open so I snuck in.
TOP 4: this is where it gets confusing, they then brought into the equation another 3 drivers from the USA and Japan and the top scoring driver (from the ones already eliminated) was brought back into the competition effectively giving him a 2nd chance and creating what Formula D calls the "GREAT 8" 
BACK TO TOP 8: next was TAN TAT WEI (he had just knocked out fellow kiwi Jason Sellars in the previous top 8 and I was not going to suffer the same fate!) I had a very tight chase and I pulled away from him in my lead run awarding me an easy win.
TOP 4: I was paired up against RYUJI MIKI 2005 D1GP world drift champ in the Apexi RX7 we flew into the first corner and I made a full pass on him as he slipped wide like the others the whole place went crazy!
 When I got back to the grid I had the Apexi team manager congratulated me on my win they then announced the win to MIKI and called it a foul? We were surprised and couldn't work it out as that was how I won my other pass battles. I was then paired up against CONRAD GRUNEWALD from the USA for the 3rd and 4th spot.  Our battle was so close but then he slid off his line allowing me in, he then tried to take his line back and collided with my rear wheel breaking his steering arm. They announced I had the win so that was us, we were on the podium! Wow I couldn't believe it! 

They then held a very professional prize giving followed by press conference meetings for the top 3 drivers for all the media like you see for Formula1 and WRC etc the weekend then came to a close.

Now I have gained my Formula Drift licence so I can compete in events all over the globe.  I have recieved many emails of support after the weekend from my new asian fans who are visiting my website and cant wait for me to return. However I am happy to be home where it's cooler even if it's raining!

This has definitely been the highlight of my drifting career to date and I look forward to getting the car home, unfortunately it arrives back on the 18th so I will have to be a commentator at NZDRIFT series on the 17th May @ Manfield. 

BIG thanks to Goodyear, Red Bull, DC shoes, Tein, Castrol, Fusion, TengTools, Redline Performance, NZspas, Magwarehouse, I.T.S, Ivan & Matt.

Thanks

MADMIKE