Bruce Tannock made history at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park becoming the first to win in the Demon Energy D1NZ National Drifting Championship Pro-Sport Series and take a Pro Series podium in the same weekend.
The Pro-Sport Series win is the second for Tannock this season after he won at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon for round two.
“It’s redeemed my pride knowing I can compete with some of the top guys,” Tannock said.
“I hope it gives the Pro-Sport guys a measuring stick if they come up against me and they get close or they beat me.
“I love to drift my car, I must’ve done 12 battles today. That was more than two seasons worth of drifting in my first two years.”
Having qualified second to Michael Thorley, Tannock breezed through to the top-16 after Ash Wasley made back-to-back errors. Wasley beached himself in the final corner, but Tannock followed him into the gravel trap. With the pair recovered, Tannock was given the pass through.
Round three Pro-Sport Series winner Zak Barlass was a shock early exit in the top-32 after getting knocked out by Jordy Cole. The Tauranga winner couldn’t keep pace with the faster twin-turbo V8-powered Mazda RX-7 FC3S.
There was controversy in the final battles of the top-32 as Liam Burke defeated Jase Brown. Following contact through turn one, Brown went wide and dropped a wheel onto the grass. The judges determined contact between the two wasn’t enough to cause Brown to go wide exiting turn one.
Burke was initially given the win, but on review by the judges a One-More-Time was called. Both drivers made a mistake in their respective OMT runs, but Burke was given the win. He then went on to beat Jordie Cole in the top-16.
In ‘Fanga’ Dan Woolhouse’s Holden Commodore VZ, Ben Jenkins fought hard to defeat Jared Coombes. However, a correction followed by a spin in the second run from Jenkins allowed Coombes into the top-16.
Pullen-Burry’s charge through the field from the top-32 battles continued as he smoke screened chaser Ra Hayder in his lead run. Pullen-Burry backed up his strong lead with an even better chase, which saw him go through to the next stage.
The drama continued in the top-16 battle between pole sitter Michael Thorley and 16th place qualifier Taylor James. Thorley ran too hot into turn one and spun into the inside giving James an easy run into the top-eight.
Fifth placed qualifier Tulley Puckey came up against Taylor Forward in the top-16. Despite some grievances by Forward’s team – with claims of bad sportsmanship – Puckey was given the right of way into the top-eight.
Despite a dirt drop in the top-16 against Liam Sykes; Puckey slotted into the top-eight after Sykes also dropped a wheel off. Meanwhile, Blair Gribble-Bowring in his Nissan Silvia S14 eased past Martyn Davies and Scott Dinsdale on his way to the top-eight.
Gribble-Bowring and Puckey came up against each other in the top-eight. Their first battle went to an OMT. Once again, they couldn’t be split, so another OMT was sent. Puckey was lucky to get away with a mistake through the final corner as Gribble-Bowring straight lined the second corner.
Tannock cruised through to the top-eight where he faced Jared Coombes. Tannock stretched his legs over Coombes and chased strongly to put himself into the top-four. He would go up against the winner of the top-eight battle between Pullen-Burry and Jackways.
Pullen-Burry chased on the first run and was right on the rear on Jackways’ Nissan 180sx. His lead was equally strong, meanwhile, Jackways went well wide at turn one and was soon off the road at turn two.
Pullen-Burry’s hot run of form took a hit in his top-four battle where he went too deep into turn one as he chased Tannock. On the lead, Pullen-Burry threw the car too hard into turn one, going past 90 degrees. He followed the unorthodox entry with a dirt drop, which allowed Tannock through to the final.
The top-four battle between Puckey and Burke saw Puckey lead on the first run. The pair each looked consistent, but Burke was just off the back of Puckey’s Nissan Skyline R33. Burke lead into turn one with blistering pace with several car lengths over Puckey.
Puckey was given the win over Burke sending the Aotearoa Roofing drifter into his first final where he came up against Tannock.
The judges couldn’t split the pair in their first set of battles, so an OMT was called. Their second run was just as close, but Tannock held the edge over Puckey with a consistent line, angle and speed – the judges awarding Tannock the win.
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