We are proud to announce that Mad Mike Whiddett will be competing in the Tectaloy International Drift challenge at Eastern Creek in the crazy 4 rotor peripheral port RX7.
With backing from energy drink giant Red Bull, Mad Mike has carved out a career in the world of professional drift and currently competes both in D1 NZ series in the RX7 and Formula D in the USA in a 20B powered RX8.
This is exciting news for both rotary and drifts fans, as this will be the first time Mad Mike has ever competed on Australian soil, and is definitely not to be missed. The normally aspirated 600 plus horsepower 26B rotor engine really needs be heard to be believed and sounds not unlike a Formula One car and coupled to a HKS sequential gearbox makes for a for an extremely formidable combination. We thought we would catch up with Mike and have a chat about coming to Australia.
Superlap: Hi Mike it is awesome news that you will making the trip over for the Tectaloy International Drift Challenge in that crazy Red Bull 4 rotor Rx7! This will be your first time to drift in Australia is that correct?
Mad Mike: Yeah dude, super pumped to be able to bring the MADBUL to Australia for the 1st time! I have a huge fan base on your turf so it’s going to be wicked for the locals to be able to hear the screaming rotang for real!
Superlap: So you competed in Formula D in the US last year tells us a bit about that?
Mad Mike: That was an awesome experience and a MASSIVE learning curve. The teams in the US are completely mind blowing with their knowledge, data base, support and the unreal budgets to build the cars and run their programmes. They have revolutionized drifting and brought it to the mainstream. To help describe my situation, I liken it to competing in the Formula 1 Championship in a Ford escort. The RX8 certainly looks superior, though when comparing the functionality of the car against those built in the US we quickly realized we weren’t just pages, we were chapters behind. Still though despite this we won most improved driver of the year which was a massive highlight for me and also best looking car. These awards were voted on by the officials, teams and fellow drifters in the series.
Travel was another issue, I would fly 14hrs to LA then drive days on end, only to get to the event unload and straight into testing (and sleeping at the track). A bonus I guess was that as a driver I love to drift new tracks and battle new drivers and I had that all year, it was sweet.
Superlap: And are you driving in the US again this year?
Mad Mike: As much as I want to, the RX8 just isn’t a championship winning set-up. I have a good database on set-ups for each track now and I know I have what I takes to battle with those guys, I just need the right weapon underneath me. I don’t want to go up there and play around I want to claim the FD championship one day.
Superlap: And you have a turbo 3 rotor RX8 in the US but the car you will be bringing to Australia is a peripheral port 4 rotor normally aspirated RX7. How do the two cars compare?
Mad Mike: They’re nothing alike, it’s like saying the RX8 is a 450 ‘4banger’ motoX bike and the RX7 is like a 125 ‘2banger’ you have to drive the RX7 hard, right foot stays flat to the firewall and then smash through the HKS sequential box to keep it in its power band. I feel like the RX7 is much more fun to drive however the RX8 is the more competitive of the two. In saying that if I had to sell one I would by far keep the RX7! Ha!
Superlap: That is a real interesting choice of engine in the 4 rotor, how did this come about?
Mad Mike: It was a progression from the N/A 3 rotor, I have always been a N/A rotary fan. I like to be different and try new things and you can’t beat that sound! I remember when we were building the N/A 3rotor Peripheral Port for the FURSTY FD before I had even drifted on a track everyone was saying it wasn’t going to work, that it wont produce enough torque, power, bla bla I knew we would make it work I mean this was my 27th N/A rotary powered vehicle, it’s that kind of talk that makes my team and I make everything succeed. I was also inspired by the 92 Lemans winning Mazda 787B that got banned from further Le Mans competition after its win.
Superlap: It looks like D1 New Zealand series has grown exponentially in recent years. How does it compare on world scale?
Mad Mike: Yeah we have a great bunch of talented drivers and crazy concept builds, I think NZ has some of the most unique conversions I have seen in the drift scene. It’s great to see D1NZ now runs D1Rookie (with a huge field of cars) this not only allows them to improve their drifting/battling skills rapidly but they also get to run their top 8 battles on the D1NZ day for maximum exposure. D1NZ is still growing and with the help of the TV partnerships will continue to do just that. On the grand scale Formula Drift is most definitely the F1 type series of the Drift world.
Superlap: Lastly I know many of the young drifters look up to you as a role model, as you are one of the few guys that have managed to turn something that a few years ago was surely just a hobby into a career that sees you travelling the world as a paid professional. This is surely a dream for many a young guys out there. What advice can you give to aspiring young drifters?
Mad Mike: Work hard, Play hard. I can tell you that I never got here with lots of money. I have never met my father and my mum sure doesn’t have big budgets to feed my dreams. It was all passion, determination and respect that got me to where I am today. This is definitely a dream come true for me, however I always planned to travel the world competing and entertaining on motoX bikes not 4wheels. Don’t just think good fortune will find you, get out there and make it happen.
Superlap: Well I can tell you the Australian fans cannot wait to hear that crazy car of yours at full noise and with your arch rival (and good mate!) two time New Zealand Champion Gaz Whiter also confirmed from New Zealand this is set to be a Trans-Tasman drift showdown like no other!
Mad Mike: Hell Yeah! Gaz and I aren’t afraid to push each other and swap a bit of paint along the way. We are sure going to do the kiwis proud and I can’t wait to put on an explosive show for the Australian supporters.
Read Mad Mike’s Driver Profile here.
NZ’S MADMIKE TALKING ABOUT THE UPCOMING D1NZ SEASON ON FUJITSU MOTORSPORT from D1NZ on Vimeo.
