GAZ WHITER
Gaz Whiter
Age: 31
Home town: Dargaville
What did you want to be growing up?
A Builder.
What is your daily?
Toyota Hiace, I used to have a 89 corolla, I recently sold it to a young guy in Dargaville, it was a turbo 2 litre diesel which my old man actually turbo’d, it boosted like 30 pound, lasted years, it was just cheap, to Dargaville and back costs like 3 bucks, I’ve never had fast street cars, it’s always just been putters haha.
Dream car?
I obviously like Silvias but if I had the budget I could build something wild! I see a lot of guys out there which have the best cars but they’re not the best peddlers, its like you know ‘I wish I could drive that car, or have their budget’ I’d love to let Tony loose with an open cheque book it would be mean!
How long have you been drifting for now?
I haven’t really drifted that much in the last 2 years but I started back in 2005 so it’s been like 13 years, I don’t feel that old but I clearly am hahaha
Most memorable moment in drifting career?
My first championship win! And there was one time in Palmerston North where we blew three motors, my mum was sick and my partners brother died, it was this real bad run, we missed all the practice days and still won the event! That was memorable!
You’re a 4 time champion in NZ, have you considered moving to the world stage?
Yeah, definitely but it’s just budget and time, like I could barely manage time wise in New zealand when we were doing it, let alone putting my family aside to do a world thing. It’s money again you know, if I had the budget I wouldn’t need to work then I could focus on that, but it’s a big cycle you know, you gotta put the time in to get the sponsors to do that, so you’ve either got to fully commit and put people aside or just do what you can I guess, it’s a hard one, but I’d definitely love to compete overseas, but it’s just money. I know all the guys and I keep in contact with (fredric)Aasbo and they like ‘when are you coming over’ and I’m like ‘I can’t bro, I got a job’ a kid hahaha
What are some of the challengers you faced when it came to drifting?
The big one, Money! What else...motor problems, a lot of motor problems, umm and then going to the LS based stuff, everyone hates it but it was a huge positive for us, it allowed us to keep drifting for a few more years, it was a big blow when we went through 7 or 8 SR engines, and they were built hardout, and it just cost us that much money that it almost buggered us, so I went to the LS, should’ve done it earlier, I don’t care what motors in a car, I couldn’t care less. To me as long as it moves forward when you want it and does what you want it to do, like i’m not a huge car guy, but just like to drive, I don’t really care what’s in it as long as it goes you know.
What is the fastest speed you have driven?
I drove Andy Booth’s Super Tourer which was a blast, I don’t know what that does at hampton, it was 200km plus, we did a good lap time, I got 5 laps in it, they said it was up there with the qualifying times so I was stoked with that.
What about the fastest speed sideways?
It’ll be Puke I’d say, 200 and something.
Who is your favourite driver?
When I started looking at drifting it was (Yasuyuki)Kazama in Japan, but I don’t know what’s happened to him, and (Nobushige)Kumakubo he used to drive pretty hard so I used to watch him, I actually drove against Kumakubo at world time attack and beat him, I was stoked.
What is the best part of your drifting career?
I’ve met a lot of people and have a lot of friends now,, actually I’m going to Andrew Redward’s wedding in Rarotonga soon, so, and a lot of drivers are going to that, so it’s a good time, used to have some wild after parties haha now I’m like ‘nah man I’ve got a newborn haha he’s up all hours of the night haha but even away from cars and when you’re not talking about cars they’re all good dudes most of them.
When you’re on the grid what do you do to psych yourself out? What are you thinking in that moment?
I dunno, cause I’m a real calm dude, so I have to like amp up a bit, I’m quite quietly competitive, I like to push the car till you’ve gone a little bit too far, which is probably why I crash a little bit, but., you’ve got to do that til you’re a little bit scared.
Any plans from here?
Well I’ve built that other car just for doing one off stuff, like Leadfoot and Mikes events and stuff, just invite things, just so I have a car to use, rather than being invited and being like ‘oh nah, I’ve got no car I can’t do it,’ just cruisy events with no pressure, like Mikes event was mean because it’s only a one off thing so if you broke the car just go and have a beer and watch or something. I had meningitis the week before that (Mikes event-Summer Bash) so I was bugged man, I had like a spinal tap and everything.
What would you say to anyone that wants to get into drifting?
It would be ‘drive more’, don’t spend so much time on the car. That’s what I’ve got with my new car is I can chuck it in the shed, get it out, drive it, don’t have to worry about the maintenance so much, but yeah just spend more money on days rather than outrageous parts. It’s simple a lot of guys over think things, like with setting up their car , it’s just basic stuff, like there is nothing in my car that’s better than anyone else’s, it’s just basic stuff, and if you just learn to drive it, even though it may be wrong, you know how it feels.
Scariest moment drifting?
The last round that I drove in D1NZ at Puke back in 2015, when I went off on the sweeper, I thought sh** I’ve stuffed it here cause I entered way early and fast, I’m like ‘uh oh, I’m going in big’ and it only just stayed off the wall, yeah that was pretty scary. And nervous moments at World Time Attack in Aussie, I had done one qualifying run and I only had one more but I had stuffed up my first one, I’d never done that before, that was when Kumakubo was there and Tectaloy was the main event sponsor and I was their car so I had a lot of pressure on me, and it was at night so everyone was complaining because all the practice was during day time and it just stuffed everyone up, I’ll always remember that, pulled it off and I was like Yussssssssss! Oh when I crashed at Baypark, that was pretty hard out, that was like 100km backwards into the wall, that was cheap wheels, I clipped the wall and it just snapped a piece out of the rim and the tyre just fell off, so I had no drive and it just stayed the same speed backwards into the wall, the ‘in car’ footage was wild, it’s yuck watching that the seat was like back and my knees hit my chest, I had imitation seats in my car at the time but never again, I’m buying flash seats. I’m surprised the car didn’t go up cause the fuel tank was shredded and there was gas pissing out everywhere .
Who are your biggest supporters?
The old man!(Tony) and family, I would love to do it more but I can’t be selfish haha
Do you think you’ll get your son into it?
Ahh I think I’ll steer him into fishing haha it’s a bit cheaper hahaha
Engine of choice?
2JZ like a fully worked hardout 2J, not a half ass one, like a Hardcore one.
Who does all your engine work?
Tony does all the building but Dick at Hi-tec does all the machining so they just work together.
Future plans /events?
Just leadfoot and Mikes events, but nothing in the next 20 weeks as I’m doing my house.
Sponsors?
Big brown(Jerry)
Fenix
Elwood parts
BGW Wheels
Tri-ace
Hi-Tec(Dick)
Tien
Hitachi
BNT
How long have you been drifting for now?
2005, 13 years, I don’t feel that old but I clearly am
Most memorable moment in drifting career?
My first championship win! And there was one time in Palmerston North where we blew three motors, my mum was sick and my partners brother died, it was this real bad run, we missed all the practice days and still won the event! That was memorable!
You’re a 4 time champion in NZ, have you considered moving to the world stage?
Yeah, definitely but it’s just budget and time, it’s a hard one, but I’d definitely love to compete overseas. I know all the guys and I keep in contact with Aasbo and they like ‘when are you coming over’ and I’m like ‘I can’t bro, I got a job’ a kid
What are some of the challengers you faced when it came to drifting?
The big one, Money! What else...motor problems, a lot of motor problems, going to the LS based stuff, everyone hates it but it was a huge positive for us, it allowed us to keep drifting for a few more years, it was a big blow when we went through 8 SR engines,they were built hardout, and it just cost us that much money that it almost buggered us, should’ve done it earlier, I don’t care what motors in a car, I couldn’t care less. To me as long as it moves forward when you want it and does what you want it to do, like i’m not a huge car guy, but just like to drive, I don’t really care what’s in it as long as it goes you know.
What is the fastest speed you have driven?
I drove Andy Booth’s Super Tourer which was a blast, I don’t know what that does at hampton, it was 200km plus, we did a good lap time, I got 5 laps in it, they said it was up there with the qualifying times so I was stoked with that.
What about the fastest speed sideways?
It’ll be Puke I’d say, 200 and something.
Who is your favourite driver?
When I started looking at drifting it was (Yasuyuki)Kazama in Japan, but I don’t know what’s happened to him, and (Nobushige)Kumakubo he used to drive pretty hard so I used to watch him, I actually drove against Kumakubo at world time attack and beat him, I was stoked.
What is the best part of your drifting career?
I’ve met a lot of people and have a lot of friends now,, actually I’m going to Andrew Redward’s wedding in Rarotonga soon, so, and a lot of drivers are going to that, so it’s a good time, used to have some wild after parties haha now I’m like ‘nah man I’ve got a newborn haha he’s up all hours of the night haha but even away from cars and when you’re not talking about cars they’re all good dudes most of them.
When you’re on the grid what do you do to psych yourself out? What are you thinking in that moment?
I dunno, cause I’m a real calm dude, so I have to like amp up a bit, I’m quite quietly competitive, I like to push the car till you’ve gone a little bit too far, which is probably why I crash a little bit, but., you’ve got to do that til you’re a little bit scared.
Any plans from here?
Well I’ve built that other car just for doing one off stuff, like Leadfoot and Mikes events and stuff, just invite things, just so I have a car to use, rather than being invited and being like ‘oh nah, I’ve got no car I can’t do it,’ just cruisy events with no pressure, like Mikes event was mean because it’s only a one off thing so if you broke the car just go and have a beer and watch or something. I had meningitis the week before that (Mikes event-Summer Bash) so I was bugged man, I had like a spinal tap and everything.
What would you say to anyone that wants to get into drifting?
It would be ‘drive more’, don’t spend so much time on the car. That’s what I’ve got with my new car is I can chuck it in the shed, get it out, drive it, don’t have to worry about the maintenance so much, but yeah just spend more money on days rather than outrageous parts. It’s simple a lot of guys over think things, like with setting up their car , it’s just basic stuff, like there is nothing in my car that’s better than anyone else’s, it’s just basic stuff, and if you just learn to drive it, even though it may be wrong, you know how it feels.
Scariest moment drifting?
The last round that I drove in D1NZ at Puke back in 2015, when I went off on the sweeper, I thought sh** I’ve stuffed it here cause I entered way early and fast, I’m like ‘uh oh, I’m going in big’ and it only just stayed off the wall, yeah that was pretty scary. And nervous moments at World Time Attack in Aussie, I had done one qualifying run and I only had one more but I had stuffed up my first one, I’d never done that before, that was when Kumakubo was there and Tectaloy was the main event sponsor and I was their car so I had a lot of pressure on me, and it was at night so everyone was complaining because all the practice was during day time and it just stuffed everyone up, I’ll always remember that, pulled it off and I was like Yussssssssss! Oh when I crashed at Baypark, that was pretty hard out, that was like 100km backwards into the wall, that was cheap wheels, I clipped the wall and it just snapped a piece out of the rim and the tyre just fell off, so I had no drive and it just stayed the same speed backwards into the wall, the ‘in car’ footage was wild, it’s yuck watching that the seat was like back and my knees hit my chest, I had imitation seats in my car at the time but never again, I’m buying flash seats. I’m surprised the car didn’t go up cause the fuel tank was shredded and there was gas pissing out everywhere .
Who are your biggest supporters?
The old man!(Tony) and family, I would love to do it more but I can’t be selfish haha
Do you think you’ll get your son into it?
Ahh I think I’ll steer him into fishing haha it’s a bit cheaper hahaha
Engine of choice?
2JZ like a fully worked hardout 2J, not a half ass one, like a Hardcore one.
Who does all your engine work?
Tony does all the building but Dick at Hi-tec does all the machining so they just work together.
Future plans /events?
Just leadfoot and Mikes events, but nothing in the next 20 weeks as I’m doing my house.
Sponsors?
Big brown(Jerry)
Fenix
Elwood parts
BGW Wheels
Tri-ace
Hi-Tec(Dick)
Tien
Hitachi
BNT