Sheldon Kneale has proved he is a force to be reckoned with in the drifting world, placing third overall in the drifting D1NZ Pro Sport competition this year.
Kneale was promoted into pro sport this year after winning the South Island competition last year.
“It was the next step up from what I was doing, competing on a national level not just the South Island.”
His entry into the national competition didn’t get off to the best of starts when his engine gave out before the first round.
“I was out for the first round and raced in a borrowed car in the second,” he said.
Thankfully his Nissan Siliva S13 was back up and running for the final four rounds where here he gained two second place finishes.
“That was one of those situations where I just could have given up, but I didn’t,” he said.
“To come back from nearly the bottom of the competition, and finish third was pretty cool.”
For Kneale drifting ticks all the boxes, he likens the drifting battles to his days of downhill mountain biking giving the same adrenaline rush, plus it has a slight nostalgic feel to it.
“Drifting started in Japan and they have would have been racing cars like Nissan Skylines and my Nissan Silvia S13 30 years ago and for us to still be doing that now is pretty cool.”
“When you hop into one it feels like you’re stepping into a late 80’s or early 90’s car.”
He said drifting has been quite a big sport in New Zealand for a long time, but thanks to live streaming through SKY Sport it’s getting more mainstream.
“Most people presume we have the cars tyres slippery and we do want them to slide, but you want as much grip in the car as possible, so you have more control.”
“It’s much like a race car; except we are trying to keep it on the track sideways, and hoping to avoid hitting the person in front.”
Kneale said he learns his drifting skills from ‘putting lots of seat time in’ and watching in-car videos of other drivers to see their technique.
“I drive with better people to bring my driving up a level.”
The talented drifter, a carpenter by day, works alongside his dad, Jason in the family business, Southern Traverse Homes.
Kneale said he could not do this without the support of wife Emily, mother Donna and dad Jason.
Also on the support crew is his three-year-old son Finley a third-generation car lover.
“This season was cool with the live streaming as he can watch me on TV and say ‘hey that’s my dad’.”
He also has plenty of valuable sponsors to back his motorsport journey.
Kneale will compete in the pro sport competition again next season after carrying out some car upgrades.
“We learnt a lot this season driving in a new series and we want to implement all the stuff we leant would be ideal.
‘‘It would be good to win the pro sport series, but I am not going to put that weight on my shoulders right now.”
“I want to go and enjoy driving new tracks, met new drivers and have some fun.”
