Robbie Bolger Looking To Become First V8 Driver To Win Australian Drifting Series Championship

Steve Tanti

Sep 18, 2007

Eight drivers will battle it out at Sydney’s Oran Park Raceway this weekend to become the 2007 Australian Drift Champion, in the final round of the Toyo Drift Australia Series.

With 500 points on offer, the top eight are covered by 187 points - a group which includes two former series champions and seven drivers who have won a Toyo Drift Australia Series event.

Holden driver Robbie Bolger (VIP Petfoods Holden Monaro) leads the way and is looking to become the first V8 driver to win an Australian Drifting series.

Bolger has a 50-point advantage over second-placed Christian Pickering (Commercial Truck Sales Nissan 180SX).

While he is the only driver in the top eight without an event win to his name, Pickering was an early championship leader after podium finishes in the opening two rounds.

“It’s going to be a big weekend - everyone will be out there to win and anyone can do it, “ Pickering said.

“We’ve had a good season, all year we’ve had a fantastic package that’s capable of winning the championship.

“Hopefully we can move up a position in the order this weekend. “

Adam Trewhella (Miluc Civil Nissan Cefiro) started his season on the best possible note, winning at Barbagallo Raceway in February.

It set up the West Australian’s championship challenge, and he’s currently third.

“We’re just going to take it one battle at a time this weekend, “ Trewhella said.

“There’s so many strong drivers in the field that you can’t afford to think about anything other than your next run.

“It’s been a big year for us; after winning at Barbagallo and then expanding from a one-car team to a three-car team, winning the championship would be the icing on the cake. “

The 2005 and 2006 Toyo Drift Australia Series Champions, Team Peer’s Darren Appleton (Nissan 180SX) and Beau Yates (Toyota Sprinter), enter the weekend fourth and sixth in the championship.

Appleton is looking to bounce back from an early exit at Queensland Raceway driving a borrowed car, dropping him from first to fourth in the standings.

While Yates is currently sixth, 147 points behind Bolger, the Sydneysider overcame a 132-point deficit to clinch the title at Oran Park last year.

“It was really close last year, “ Yates recalled.

“I was third going into the weekend, but then Leighton [Fine] had problems and was knocked out early which left it for Robbie and I to fight it out in the final battle.

“This year there’s a lot more guys fighting for the championship, but I’d love to win back-to-back titles. “

Like Yates, Fernando Wiehrl (Auto Salon Nissan 200SX) will be looking for a strong hometown run.

The Sydney resident took his breakthrough win at Queensland Raceway last month, eclipsing his previous best result, fifth at Oran Park last year.

“Queensland was a great result, it was really satisfying after all of the hard work we’ve put in this year with the new car, “ Wiehrl said.

“Oran Park is where we do a lot of our testing and it was where I scored my best result last year, I feel really comfortable there and I’m looking forward to the weekend. “

Last September, Leighton Fine (Peer Industries Nissan Onevia) held the championship lead entering the final round.

A blown engine in practice necessitated a change of machinery, and Fine was knocked out early on race day, finishing second in the championship.

While Fine has had a quiet 2007 by his high standards - with a best result of second at Mallala - he has claimed six podium finishes from 12 Toyo Drift Australia Series starts and can never be discounted.

A win when the series last raced in Sydney - at Eastern Creek in July - vaulted Tom Monkhouse (WheelWorx Nissan 180SX) into championship contention.

187 points behind Bolger, Monkhouse rounds out the title-fighting eight looking to become the 2007 Australian Drift Champion.

In addition to the Toyo Drift Australia Series action, the Super Drift season finale, expression sessions and team Drifting, the 22-23 September weekend at Oran Park will be a high-octane extreme sports fest.

Two-wheel Supermoto action will be part of Sunday’s entertainment, along with extreme stunt bike and moto trials demonstrations, freestyle minibikes, and the Auto Salon Show ‘n’ Shine.

Tickets are $20 for Saturday and $30 for Sunday, or $40 for the weekend, with kids under 12 free all weekend.