Runner-Up at Drift Nationals

After testing a few weeks before the event, the team arrived well prepared and ready to go with the Team CTS 180SX fast straight out of the transporter. The team arrived early on Friday to service the car at Toyo Tires Australia headquarters after the demo at WSID the week before. With preparation the key the boys knuckled down and had the car ready to run in a few hours while taking in the sights of the massive Toyo Tires HQ.

Saturday saw the team ran a number of practice laps to ensure a good setup for the Sunday qualifying and battles. Simon Podlewski. “The car is great, nothing unusual there, I think the track is a little hotter since we tested but the Toyo R1R’s hooked up well and I think we have a good package for tomorrow.”

The Sunday morning qualifying session saw the team secure 3rd place in a tough DA field. With a few regular teams missing Team CTS had to be wary of some of the wildcard guys who were there with something to prove, most notably South Australian Jake Jones and Queenslander Josh Coote.

Top 16 saw the team up against Jason Greenwood. With Greenwood in his second year of DA, he had clearly improved a lot pushing Simon “The Pitbull” Podlewski in both runs. The Team CTS lead run is what sealed the deal though with Greenwood struggling to get the Corolla sideways through the centre sector of the track.

As the top 8 battles began the rain started to fall turning the already tricky track into an ice rink. With “The Pitbull” up against DA veteran Nathan Weisell Team CTS lead out for the opening stoush. Podlewski and Weisell showed great skill in the prevailing conditions with one of the closest battles of the day. With neither of the two wanting to blink, the judges had no choice but to call a re-run.

The first re-run was made on a still slippery but quickly drying track. Once again though the pair could not be separated and another re-run was called. After a quick pit stop to change tyres the track had dried enough to enable the pair to speed up proceedings. The second re-run would see Nathan Weisell make the slightest of mistakes to go down to “The Pitbull”, proximity being the judges sore point for a great series of battles.

Next on the program, Top 4 battles and the path to a finals birth. For Team CTS Drift moving through this far was considered a major achievement, with Simon still considered a novice in the Drift Australia competition. “The Pitbull” found himself against long time DA competitor Dan Mackie in the Sureflow 300Z.

Mackie led out but straightened through the middle sector, allowing Podlewski to have a sniff of a finals birth in his first DA event with the team. Mackie experienced mechanical issues with the big Z in his chase lap handing “The Pitbull” and Team CTS a free pass to the final battle with Luke Fink.

The championship battle would see an in form Luke Fink against an equally in form Simon Podlewski, shaping up for what would be a fantastic battle. Fink led out in the opening exchange with both guys pushing each other to the limits. “The Pitbull” made a minor error on the transition through the middle sector and knew he had to push hard in the next run. In usual fashion, Fink leap into the first turn sticking with the Team CTS 180 leaning on the car all the way through the first turn. With Simon a little surprised by Finks aggression he pushed too hard and over cooked the entry for the transition in the middle sector. Both drivers ended up on the dirt but Fink fared slightly better and re-started his drift earlier to take the win. In what was considered a learning event in preparation for a full Drift Australia Championship assault in 2010, Team CTS Drift can be nothing but happy with a second place for the 2009 “Drift Australia “Drift Nationals”.

Simon ”The Pitbull” Podlewski “What a great result. I learnt a lot more about drifting under pressure today, Fink pushed me really hard, I know why I made the mistake and I know I won’t be making the same mistake again. I have to thank Bill Bromley for putting such a great package together as well as Davon and Adam for giving me such a reliable car to drive. It’s a hell of a lot more than we expected.”

Bill Bromley Team Principle “Absolutely fantastic. Simon is still a rookie compared with some of the guys he beat today. He showed great resolve in the re-runs against Weisell and he can hold his head high knowing he gave it everything against Fink. It has definitely prepared him well for next year. I have to send a massive thank you to the sponsors, for helping to make this all happen. Toyo Tires, Commercial Truck Sales, Rhemac, Cross Keys Paint and Panel, Castrol and Nizencool Fabrications. It’s been a lean year in the financial world but these guys have kept backing the team so we can do what we do. ”

Next event is the South Australian G1 final round at Mallala in November where Team CTS Drift will be aiming to take out the State title.