‘Fanga Dan' fired up for Summer Bash

Daniel ‘Fanga Dan’ Woolhouse is confident his new RTR Ford Mustang, the result of a collaboration with US drifting star Vaughn Gittin Jr., will be ready for Mad Mike’s Summer Bash on December 9.

“I’m still waiting for parts from the US so we’ll be flat tack getting the car ready in time,” says Woolhouse. “It’ll be tight but hopefully we’ll make it and hopefully we’ll get the chance to do some test runs on the track before the Summer Bash.”

Woolhouse, a two-time D1NZ national drift champion from Whangarei, will get his hands on Gittin’s professional spec Mustang in February when the American drift legend comes to New Zealand to compete at the Leadfoot Festival in Hahei and he's hoping the new car will open up some opportunities for him to compete in the US or Japan next year.

In the meantime he’s building an exact replica, albeit with a little less horsepower, to run at exhibitions and domestic drifting events and he can’t wait to put it through its paces at Summer Bash.

“The first Summer Bash was such a laid back, fun event and it’s all about putting on a show for the fans,” says Woolhouse. “I can’t wait to get in the car. I’ve built plenty of cars in my time but this will be the first left-hand drive car I’ve built. The car coming from the States is 900 horsepower while our vehicle in New Zealand has about 700 horse so that’s quite a difference. I think the car that arrives in February will blow my mind. The guys that are building it are the best in the business.”

Woolhouse is still pinching himself about how the deal came about.

“I did some driving in a Ford Focus earlier this year for one of my sponsors, XForce Exhaust Systems. We shot the video at a Ford corporate day at Hampton Downs and I met some good people, including Sam from CTB Performance. They do a lot of work with Ford and we started talking about building a Mustang."

"Sam got in touch with Ford Performance in the US who introduced us to Ian Stewart, an ex-pat Kiwi who is the co-owner of RTR Mustang with Vaughn. Ian offered to build a car and put me in it and six months later, here we are!”

“Vaughan is my favourite driver so it’s been cool to talk to him about the car and what to expect. He rang me a few weeks ago and told me it will be everything that I’ve ever dreamed of. He’s all about having fun which is how I approach drifting as well.”

‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett, the organiser of the Summer Bash, is looking forward to seeing Woolhouse in his new Mustang.

“It’s cool to see another driver get support from a big international brand and prove that you can make a career out of drifting out of New Zealand,” he says. “It’s an incredible opportunity for him and I’m stoked that this will be the first opportunity for New Zealand drift fans to see Fanga in his new Mustang.”

Woolhouse and Whiddett will feature in the Top 32 Shootout at Summer Bash. Entry to the Top 32 is by invite only but there are plenty of other opportunities to get on the track at the Summer Bash.

The Mazda Skidpan Gymkhana and International Track Cruise will be open to the public. The International Track Cruise is a rare opportunity for anyone to have a drive around Hampton Downs, in a controlled manner. You can cruise the 4km international circuit in your own car with family and friends at lunchtime.

Off the track there will be the Meguiar’s Hard Park Show ‘n Shine for people to display their cars, there will be a Family Fun Zone, VIP Trackside Lounge, including a private lunch with ‘Mad Mike’ and New Zealand’s top drift stars, a new viewing platform and grandstands so the fans can get up close to the action.

A star of the show will be Whiddett’s RADBUL, a 1200hp, 4 rotor, twin-turbo Mazda MX5 which he will run alongside several other machines that make up Mad Mike’s fleet. All pre-purchased tickets go in the draw to win a ride in Whiddett’s new MADCAB drift taxi with two friends, or a seat in one of the other cars in ‘Mad Mike’s’ garage.

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