A new motor racing series five years in the making is finally starting to take off in Upper Hutt, but don’t expect to see just one or two types of cars out on the short circuit.
Marty Smith has already signed up his 1989 Subaru Legacy for the event, although he admits the unknown territory is a little bit out of his comfort zone.
"The concrete walls are a challenge," he said.
"We don't really have them out on the rally stages!"
But if you thought his car looked out of place on the track, Jaron Olivecrona's V12 monster is an even stranger sight.
The car is the real deal too - with an engine designed by none other than Formula One Kiwi Brendon Hartley's brother.
"His brother Nelson has built and assembled the whole engine," Olivecrona said.
"Everything inside of it, Nelson has custom made - literally everything."
Olivecrona said he can't wait to swing his car sideways around the Upper Hutt Speedway as part of a revamped motor series, set to cater for every kind of petrol head.
"To bring drifting to Wellington, D1NZ bringing it there – it's something pretty special."
Essentially, organisers are transforming the speedway by adding a tarmac section to the dirt track, allowing it to cater for rally cars, drifters, UTV's, and even two wheelers - all at the same event.
The series is much like the one held last year inside Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Work is well underway with the event to take place in mid-January and with over 140 entrants already confirmed, the series is looking to expand throughout several regions across New Zealand.
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