[Video] Hillclimb hosts heroic antipodean action | GRR
New Zealand is well known as a location for doing some fairly gnarly extreme sports in beautiful surroundings but drifting a lorry up a hillclimb is a new one even for us. Welcome to the perfectly named Leadfoot Festival where corners are only taken sideways and tyres must be spinning at all times.
The event was the brainchild of Rod Millen, favourite of the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard and multiple Pikes Peak winner. You would perhaps think that, having competed in almost every conceivable type of dirt racing event in the US, the 24 Hours of Daytona, the Baja 1000, the WRC and even had a go at Formula D, that Millen might want to take it easy after returning to his home land. Instead, along with wife Shelly and sons Rhys and Ryan, he created the Leadfoot Festival and we couldn't be more grateful. Where else will you see tandem drifting on a hillclimb course, Mk2 Ford Escorts with big wings competing on the same said course along with Renault Gordinis and Abarth 500s, plus a monsterous assortment of be-winged modern machines? This clip doesn't do justice to the wondrousness of the event but it's worth it for the drifting truck.
Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a mid-morning helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Screaming 10,000rpm V10 Supra dyno run