South African motorsport fans can look forward to a day of screeching, smoking tyres as SA’s top drifters gather in Durban for the Red Bull Car Park Drift. As a qualifying event for the World Drifting Championship taking place later this year in Oman, the stakes could not be higher – and the event will feature a stellar line-up of Motul Athletes including two-time winner and current champion, Jim McFarlane from XS Promotions.
McFarlane’s skill at sliding his car, and the flow and style he brought to last year’s event, saw him crowned South African National Champion. It’s a feat that he aims to repeat this year, but he’ll face stiff competition from Andre Leibbrandt and Mikey Skelton (both from Skellywags Drift), Chris Long AKA Some Drift Guy and Eric “The Viking” Van Eyssen.
In addition to partnering with these top athletes, Motul will once again be the official lubricant partner for the Red Bull Car Park Drift. The event takes place at Durban’s Suncoast Casino on Saturday, 13 April 2024 – and this year, the fan experience will be better than ever. As well as the excitement of watching extreme sliding and control and seeing top local drifters tackle the challenging course, enthusiasts can get even closer to the action by experiencing two Motul-hosted simulations.
Fans can take part in either an authentic drift experience simulation or a hot lap race around the track, complete with a live scoreboard. The Motul Athletes will be challenging their followers on social media to beat their Sims scores, making this the perfect opportunity for aspiring drift drivers to see if they’ve got what it takes to compete at the highest level.
“I’ll be doing my utmost to defend my ‘King of Drift’ title in Durban and help showcase the passion, tenacity and technical skill that can be found in the South African drifting scene,” commented 2023 winner, Jim McFarlane. “I love the camaraderie amongst the drivers, but all of that will be temporarily put on hold as we compete for the chance to go to Oman for the World Championship,” he added.
“I may not have made the top step last time out, but I’ll be fighting tooth and nail as I take on the five obstacles in the specially designed course,” promised Mikey Skelton. “Fans can look forward to more sound, more smoke and more exciting sliding than ever before – after all, there’s a great deal at stake,” he added.
“Drifting is one of the fastest growing motorsports in the world, and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular,” commented Mercia Jansen, Motul Area Manager for Southern and Eastern Africa. “The Red Bull Car Park Drift makes a great family day out, and Motul is delighted to be a lead sponsor as part of our mission to make motorsports more inclusive and accessible.”
For Red Bull Car Park Drift tickets, visit Computicket.
