Cole Armstrong in Drift Battle of the Brands this weekend

Cole Armstrong in Drift Battle of the Brands this weekend

Tauranga-based drifter Cole Armstrong is gearing up to show off his skills in the Red Bull Drift Shifters invitational event to be held in Auckland’s CBD this weekend against a field of New Zealand and some of the world’s best drivers.

The Red Bull Drift Shifter’s event is a first for New Zealand, and with international aspirations Armstrong is excited to compete against accomplished international drivers, including Daigo Sato (Japan), Matt Powers (USA) and Samuel Hubinete (Sweden).

“I’m really looking forward to competing against Daigo Saito even though it’s going to be a big test for me,” explains an enthusiastic Armstrong. “Saito is generally known as the world’s best driver, who holds the current USA and Asia Formula Drift Championships as well as the D1GP Japanese title too.”

Armstrong will be pushed onto the world stage for the second time after competing at the World Drift Series in China earlier this year, demonstrating his raw talent and is quickly gaining recognition in drifting.

The Nissan RB34 Skyline driver says this event will be a great opportunity to show the general New Zealand public who don’t completely understand the professionalism of the sport just what drifting is all about, and the skill level of the drivers in an electrifying setting.

Unlike traditional drifting events, the Red Bull Drift Shifter’s event negates the need for human judges and instead uses proximity sensors to determine how close a driver gets to obstacles, which are more commonly known as ‘clipping points’. Specifically designed software then determines how many points the drivers score as a result.

Armstrong says “The event will be like a real-life pinball machine. It’s all about getting close to the sensors and putting on an awesome show for the public.”

The iconic V-Energy Skyline will go head to head against the Red Bull Mazda RX7 with Red Bull driver ‘Mad’ Mike Whiddet behind the wheel creating a bit of friendly rivalry between the two, with both drivers’ determined to impress the crowd.

The event will be held in Auckland’s Victoria Street West (alongside Victoria Park) from 12pm to 3pm this Saturday, with spectator’s able to enjoy the action for free.

ENDS

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