Rāwiri Heyder, who recently raced in the Valvoline D1NZ pro-sport championship in Waikato, has some stern advice for Māori who want to enter the sport.
Drifters from all over Aotearoa compete in this competition and go head to head in five rounds of motorsport drifting.
The 2022 competition started in Taupō in April and will end in Baypark Tauranga at the end of July.
Heyder (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu) gave his take on what he admires about drifting competitively.
"I love it. I've just always loved cars and skids really, it's just like the next level from burnouts and stuff. I feel drifting has been my calling for a long time.”
Heyder has been drifting professionally for five years. But the 33-year-old, who is ranked in the top 15 in his area, has some advice for Māori drivers who want to pursue a career in racing.
Just dedication
"Once you come to the track and you dedicate yourself to it, it's just dedication to the sport. Just having the backing that you need to carry on is the hardest part I feel.
“Having a mean job [he is self-employed] has helped me. It's so expensive. Other than that, just 'full send' and give it your everything. We can all do it. If I can do it, everyone can do it."
Being a semi-professional drifter isn't all rainbows and unicorns, and he says his success relies heavily on whānau support.
"There's a lot of time that goes into them [the cars]. A lot of the time we're in the garages working on them. It takes a lot of time away from the family.
"My missus is inside with our two kids and I reckon you need a partner who understands it or you just won't be able to do it.”
“The times I'm at home and not inside is crazy. That's probably my biggest challenge: being away from my family for so long.”
The drivers compete in a one-against-one style to see who can score the most points from the judging panel, then it's a process of elimination until one driver emerges as the victor.
Going pro
Spectators race in large numbers to witness a real-life version of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
Motorsport drift cars are capable of speeds of 160 to 200 km/h. Racers are scored not only on where they finish but also on their drift line and style.
Heyder has yet to exceed 200km/h, although he admitted that drifting at 185km/h can be dangerous.
“I think the fastest we got was 185km/h and that's really scary stuff.
“You can't even see around the corner, you just gotta throw it in."
He plans to compete in the pro-championship tournament next year, which is the top level of drifting in Aotearoa, with the goal of competing against the best drifters in the country.
“I don't want to stop. The only reason I stop is to save up money - and we're back into it again.
“I just want to become the best in New Zealand, if not, the best in the world."
