As the 2007 drifting season came to a close, Korean tyre manufacturer, Nexen Tire Corporation, confirmed that they will enter the 2008 drifting market as a partner to Europe’s leading drift series, Prodrift.

Recently, at a high profile sponsorship signing ceremony held at Mondello Park Circuit outside Dublin, General Manager for Nexen Tire London Bong-Wan Lee and General Manager of Nexen Tire Europe John Bosco Kim met with members of Prodrift management and the drivers of the 2008 Team Nexen to confirm the details of this exciting 2008 drift programme.

Included as part of the 2008 partnership is a selection of high profile European drifting demonstrations as well as tyre support to a three-car team competing across both the Prodrift Irish and Prodrift European Series. The Prodrift team are now famous for their promotional and demonstration activities in Europe. From the Paris Tuning Show to DTM and major tuning festivals, Prodrift drivers regularly entertain motorsport and tuning audiences with spectacular live action drifting demonstrations. On top of these demonstrations Team Nexen will also compete as part of the most fiercely contested drifting leagues in Europe, the Prodrift Irish National Series and the new and international Prodrift European Series, which travels to Ireland, U.K, Sweden, Belgium and Finland and contains Europe’s best drift drivers and teams.

Making up the 2008 Team Nexen are three young, exciting and competitive Irish drivers with a proven track record in drifting competitions and international appearances. Leading the team is Europe’s newest drifting star and one of the youngest drift competitors in the world, 16-year-old James Deane. In 2007 James was awarded the Prodrift rookie of the year prize due to his amazing performances driving his Nissan Sylvia S14A and enters 2008 as a favourite for the Prodrift Ireland title as well as a contender for Prodrift European Series honours. Joining James Deane is another Irish talent, Dennis Healy. Dennis also scored highly in the 2007 Prodrift Series and will aim to improve on his 10th place finish to the 07 season. Finally, Miguel Marini will make up the third place in the 2008 Team Nexen. In 2007 Miguel travelled across Europe promoting the Prodrift brand & performing at events such as Paris Tuning Show, Galiexpo Spain, Tuner GP, DTM Zandvoort, Xtreme Drift Finland and Belgium and the Nurburgring 24hour. Awaiting delivery of a new car from Japan, Miguel’s inclusion as part of the team will guarantee high profile exposure of the Nexen Tire brand at Europe’s most exciting tuning and motoring festivals as well as branding on one of Europe’s most amazing drift cars.

For 2008, Team Nexen will compete on the Nexen N3000 tire, a product with proven event winning potential. In 2007 Prodrift Ireland Champion Eric O’Sullivan used the N3000 product to win 2 out of 6 Prodrift Championship events. Next Nexen Tire will launch N6000 at the beginning of 2008.

Commenting on the 2008 partnership agreement, Prodrift Sales & Marketing Director Karl O’Sullivan said “ We are delighted to partner with Nexen Tire Corporation for our 2008 activities. Nexen Tire is a progressive global organisation with a professional and exciting reputation, and products with a proven track record in drifting success. I am confident that with this strong team of drivers, for 2008 Nexen Tire will make an extensive impact on the European drifting scene. We look forward to welcoming Nexen Tire Corporation into our 2008 Prodrift events and are excited by the promotional partnership that will commence with immediate effect”.

Welcome to the new online hub for the Prodrift European Series. Here you will find all information relating to the events, drivers, teams, gossip, rumours and news releases concerning Europes premier drift league.

Over the coming weeks and months we will be busy adding new content and features to the site so please check back often for updates. Better again, please take the opportunity to register with us by entering your email address into the designated field at the top of the page and you will be guaranteed to receive all news, promotions, offers and information from Prodrift as it happens.

 If there is anything that you would like to see more of, less of or if you feel that you have a great drift story suitable for Prodrift please contact us with all the juicy details.

With just over 4 months until the official launch of the Prodrift European Series things are going to take shape rapidly. Ensure that you are first to hear about it all, right here, www.prodriftseries.com.

The Dutch have been driving sideways for some time now so it was inevitable that from this crop of talent a driver of particular significance would emerge. Hailing from Rotterdam is a young man with no fear, big power, great sponsors and an uncanny ability to laugh his ass off whilst pitching a DBM R34 Skyline Sideways at 100mph. We talk to Lennard Wanders about his experiences so far.

Name: Lenard Wanders
Date of Birth: 05-nov-1985
Hometown: Rotterdam, Holland
Website: www.lennardwander.nl

Car: Nissan Skyline ER34 GT-T
Engine: RB25DET
Transmission: Osgiken 5-speed
Year: 1998
Power: 510 BHP
Powerband: 3500rpm => 7500rpm

PD When did you first start drifting and why?:
L.W The first time I started drifting was about 3 years ago. When some friends from street racing came up with the idea to beat up some old sierra’s , and after a while someone came up with welding the diff… from that day on I got that disease , that I had to go sideways around every corner….

PD. Previously you drive the DBM Firenza R33 Skyline, how does the R34 Compare?:
L.W I had that R33 for 2 years and built it myself… I did stupid things to the car trying to make it better but I wasted too much money on stupid parts that I didn’t really need. The car was ok to drift and it was a nice car. After that DBM built the engine for it and the car was pretty good.
But that R34 is so much better in every way. DBM has a lot of experience in racecars so they are taking the drift car very seriously.

PD.What’s your favourite part of the R34?:
L.W The looks of the car, and the sound of the screaming external waste gate!

PD Explain why your car has the biggest spoiler in the world?:
L.W.hahaha, Mitto (UK Drifter) Olaf (Falken Team Mate) & I started the battle of the spoilers… and I won

PD This year you have competed and done some Prodrift demos, what were the best bits?
L.W The shows are always really cool and when you travel to countries like Spain and Portugal the spectators just go crazy for you. I could hear them above all the crazy sounds the driftcars make.

PD Who is your favourite Prodrift driver and car?
L.W Buttsy, he’s funny and really dumb at the same time…
And that Bee-R Skyline looks awesome!

PD Which Prodrift driver would you least like to battle – why?
L.W Eric O’Sullivan, he’s just to good with that Corolla… that car is so light with so much grip.. and then I come with my heavy tank skyline..

PD Which Prodrift Driver would you most like to battle – why?
L.W Miguel Marini in his BN Sports Supra, his car looks so crazy!! I would like to have some pictures twin drifting with him…

PD What in drifting always makes you laugh?
LW.Just everything (exept having a broken car)…
Travelling with the guys, making the show, going crazy in our ridiculous fast cars…
And the best thing about drifting, there’s no rules about BHP. If you want to put 3483bhp in the car it’s allowed. That puts a smile on my face.

PD What has been the funniest moment when travelling with Prodrift?
L.W The show in Porto at maxi tuning was the funniest…. Eric, Buttsy and I were walking around the Show in our race suits on the show.
I said to guys..: ‘it’s weird man.. People here think we are heroes … but we are just a bunch of monkey’s with racing suits doing stupid things with cars’…
Eric: “speak for yourself”
Buttsy: he almost died laughing

PD What was your Highlight of 2007?
L.W The event ‘’NIGHT FIGHT UK vs IRL,
It was supposed to be a big fight between the Irish an de English… but I knew the organizer and he invited me as well.. and brought my team mate Olaf with me also..
The first time for me competing with the UK and IRL guys!! Promised to be an awesome weekend.. hoping to end up in top 16…
After qualifing 14th a was a bit scared, scared of the Irish an English…
But yeah, when the battle starts the thinking go’s away and the will to win is there..
After sending 2 Irish guys home and even mr BonBon, I was in the final.. against Brett Castle..
And even Brett needed a re-run to win! Brett was awesome.. and I really happy with the 2nd place, and my team mate Olaf in 3rd place…….

PD What are your plans for 2008, events, car upgrades, travel?
L.W We keep working on the car.. DBM is building an RB28 for me @ the moment.. so in 2008 I should have about 700-800BHP, that should be enough to make some crazy smoke @ the PRODRIFT events!

PD What are you looking forward to the most about next season?
L.W Hanging out with all the crazy people of PRODRIFT, always good fun!

DBM Nissan Skyline R34, Specification

Engine modifications:
Greddy TD06 Single turbokit
Greddy Polished intakeplenum
Greddy Throttle adapter
Greddy #8 iridium
Greddy Billet Fuelrail
Greddy injectors 550cc
Greddy Timing belt
Greddy Airinx luchtfilter
Greddy Aluminium Radiator
Greddy Breathertank water
Greddy catchtank
Greddy twin oilcooler
Greddy waterpipe sensor kit
Greddy Type-R Dumpvalve
Splitfire coilpacks
Transmission:
Osgiken 5 speed Close ratio gearbox
Osgiken reinforced centre plate
Carbonetics Carbon twin plate clutch
Carbonetics 2 way Carbon LSD
Custom rear propshaft
GTR R32 rear Diff. conversion
4.4:1 Ratio differential

Suspension:
Tein tierod/ends
Tein Tension rods
Driftworks Front lowerarms
Driftworks Rear lowerarms
Cusco Rear Traction rods
Whiteline Rear upperarms
Whiteline upperbush
Whiteline swaybar V+A
Whiteline difflock bushings
Whiteline front camber bushes
Racing Logic complex Suspension

Braking:
Greddy 360mm 6 pot front brakes
Greddy 360mm 4 pot rear brakes
Racing logic Hydraulic handbrake
Willwood brake balancer
Driftworks line locker

Interior:
Defi BF Watertemperature
Defi BF Oiltemperature
Defi BF Oilpressure
Defi BF Fuelpressure
Defi Link meter Turbopres. 115mm
Defi Link meter Tacho 115mm black
Defi DF Indicator II
Defi Controlunit II
AEM air/fuelmeter
Blitz SBCIII boostcontroller
Apexi powerFC + commander
Sparco steeringwheel
Sparco EVO seat
Sparco 3″ harnass
Sparco seatmounts
ATL fuelcell
Wiechers rolecage
FIAA Carbon Batterycase
Fire exthinguisher

Sponsors:
Dbm engineering
Falken
Greddy
ceemo
wiechers
kosei wheels
de wild bestickering
TW Steel watches
Wim hofland
autostyle
whiteline
Racing logics
driftworks
silcolene
coronel
YamYam

Return of D-Mac

In 2007, European drifting witnessed the rise of a trans Atlantic sideways superstar. Following championship victory in the 2006 Prodrift Irl Series, 22-year-old Darren McNamara took his skills, and his Toyota Corolla, stateside to compete as part of the Formula Drift championship.

Darren’s American adventure began at a D1GP invitational event staged at Irwindale speedway Los Angeles in December 2006. Top 8 finishes in both the D1GP event and the D1GP All Star World Series competition meant that this young Irish driver had arrived on the international scene with a bang and was attracting the attention of many top American Teams.

As 2006 came to a close, it was announced that Darren’s giant killing SR20 powered Corolla would indeed remain stateside and reside in the Team Falken stable of drift machinery. With the support of Americas leading drift outfit, Darren could now look forward to a year of American competition, and many long commutes, to compete in what is arguably the most competitive drifting championship in the world.

April 2007 saw the Formula D season kick off at the famous Streets of Long Beach street circuit in California. Having progressed from the un-seeded qualification, Darren’s efforts fell short of making the first Top 16 competition of the year, a blunt wake up call to the level expected at Formula Drift.

Returning for Round 2 at Road, Atlanta, D-Mac was determined to put right the disappointment of Long Beach. This time out the Falken Corolla of McNamara again battled its way out of un-seeded qualification and through to the all important Top 16 elimination battles. Confident in his ability to mix it with the best McNamara set about eliminating all opponents en route to a final showdown with Maxxis sponsored Chris Forsberg. A close battle for victory eventually fell in favour of Forsberg but Darren McNamara had now officially arrived on the USA drift scene and with it earned the respect and admiration of both competitors and fans.

As the Formula D championship rolled on, D-Mac continued to collect regular Top 16 & Top 8 finishes, adding to his tally of championship Points. As the final event in Irwindale speedway arrived D-Mac stood as the leading Team Falken Driver. An unfortunate collision with the infamous Irwindale wall at the Formula Drift finals meant that Darren failed to make Top 16 and with it slipped from 5th to 9th in the overall championship rankings. Nevertheless, in his first season competing on foreign soil, the young Irishman had managed to scoop the coveted Rookie of The Year title and has put himself in an excellent position to mount a serious challenge on the 08 Formula Drift Series.

Closer to home Darren was also keeping active, a new MCN Sport 4AG Corolla was prepared to compete as part of the Prodrift Irl Series and he re-joined his old sparring partners at Championship Round 4, Rosegreen; a circuit that McNamara would consider home turf. However, things had changed slightly since Darren last competed in Ireland, the level of competition had gone through the roof, and McNamara was left watching the Top 16 from the grandstands having narrowly missed out on tin drift qualification.
Undeterred, Darren returned to Championship Round 5, Mondello, confident that the faster circuit would favour his lightweight Hachi Roku, and it did. McNamara was back in the Top 16 and claiming scalps all the way to a Final showdown with Championship Leader Eric O’Sullivan (Also driving an AE Corolla). How fitting, the 2006 champion versus the 2007 champ O’Sullivan. Although Darren put up a strong contest, O’Sullivan once again stamped his authority on the Irish series winning 6-4, 6-4 and added his 4th Prodrift Irl winner’s trophy to a growing collection.

As the dust settles on what has been an incredible 2007 for Darren McNamara, there are many rumours and whispers about his ambitions and plans for 2008. Prodrift competitors take note, D-Mac will return to Europe in 08. Plans are afoot to prepare the MCN Sport Corolla (Trueno) for Irish Competition, the USA based SR Corolla is making a return to take on the European series, which leaves a serious question over the Formula Drift American package. Darren assures us that there is big news on the horizon regarding his ride for FD 08 but the young Irishman remains tight lipped. Rest assured, when the covers come off D-Mac’s 2008 American machine, we’ll be there to bring you all the info first.

images courtesy of www.everythingdrift.com