There was plenty of smoke-free tyre spinning during the inaugural Ashburton RC Club drifting event at the Hotel Ashburton this month - and not a police officer in sight.
Miniature racers, some with LED lights, and plenty of speed, powered around an indoor track specially set up for drifting action and it ended with RC drifters from Christchurch and Dunedin taking home the spoils.
Christchurch RC drifters Steve Walsh and Zach Huria took out first and second place (respectively) and Patrick Solis, of Dunedin, third.
Ashburton RC Club organiser Steve Kyles was pleased with the event and planned to make it a regular item on the Wheels Week programme.
“It was very good, I’m very happy,” he said.
They competed on a track set up in the Gardenside room of the hotel.
Competitors came from as far away as Christchurch and Dunedin, but there was also a contingent from Mid Canterbury including top-placed Ashburton RC drifter Stephen Hurst (eighth) and an enthusiastic six-year-old Eli Kyles, the son of Steve.
A steady stream of spectators also turned out during the day to have a look at the event and to see the thrills and spills of miniature drifting.
RCs included rear wheel drive trucks, utes and cars, all drift specific and came in a range of models such as Toyota Starlets, Toyota Corolla Levins, Nissan Cefiros and Toyota Supras. There was even a Ferrari.
Steve bought his ready to run remote control car (a MST rmz 2.0) last year to get back into a cheaper version of motorsport he could enjoy alongside son Eli, who now has his own remote control (a yokomo yd2s) and was quite the seasoned operator.
Steve has organised an event in Timaru and organised the Wheels Week event with plans to make it part of the annual calendar.
There are seven keen remote control users in Ashburton, with many more in Christchurch but it was hoped more might get interested.
The club has a Facebook page for anyone wanting to make contact and Steve is planning another event in Ashburton around August, as a prelude to the 4andRotary South Island Champs in Timaru on November 12.
