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Regional | Competition

Reid at top of table in D1NZ competition

This D1NZ Championship kicks off this weekend in Pukekohe with amateur and professional drifters from all over the country competing for the prestigious titles. Te Kāea caught up with a few rising stars of the track world.

22-year-old Nico Reid from Te Arawa is drifting in the fast lane to success.

“It’s a very fine line that you can take out there and I just can't wait to get this weekend over and done with.”

This season of D1NZ Nico re-wrote the history books taking out 4 round wins in a row. He currently sits at the top of the table Demon Energy standings and isn't putting on the breaks for tomorrow's final championships.

“Definitely nervous you know. Its 200 k entry here and we've got a good chance of winning it. Very fine line and I can't wait. Bring it on.”

This year also sees close friend and only Māori female competitor Bex Bennett going head to head against the boys. Introduced by Nico to the D1NZ world 5 years ago, this will be her second time competing.

“In that small moment when you're sideways and smokes coming off the back, it's only a really small moment, maybe 30 seconds but you're adrenaline is pumping and there is nothing else like it,” says Bex Bennett  from Te Arawa and Ngāti Kahungunu.

“Definitely, it's cool you know to bring a few people especially Māori into the sport and you know show that we can do it too and it’s in our blood. We're natural born wreckers and we keep doing it until the wheels fall off,” says Reid.

Both Nico and Bex say that there are not many Māori who compete in the sport, however Bex hopes to see more woman taking shot gun in the future.

Bennett welcomes more females to the sport, “We do need a lot more females. I know there are a lot that is interested and it would be awesome if they could take the next step and just compete. I know it is a bit daunting because there're so many males but I'm telling you I've been doing this for 5 years and the guys are just so supportive.”

This weekend Pukekohe Raceway will be packed for the final championships. Sunday will tell if these Māori competitors take out this year's top titles.