A fantastic Line-up has been announced for the last round of the Irish Drift Championship (IDC) which takes place this weekend at the Monster Energy Jap-Fest at Mondello Park. The fifth and final round of the 2013 series will run over two days on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th of September, with the Semi-Pro event on Saturday and the main event on Sunday.
The Irish Drift Championship will be the centre piece of Sunday's Jap-Fest modified car show, which this year is backed by Monster Energy for the first time. Also on the bill will be the final round of the Irish Time-Attack Championship and stunts featuring the legendary Terry Grant and the Stunt Ireland motorcycle stunt team, which will in keeping with the event include Motorcycle Drifting for the first time.
The top spot on the IDC entry list has to go to James Deane with his NKC Falken Mazda RX7. Deane has dominated the first season of the IDC and has already been crowned the 2013 Irish Champion. Sunday's event will be a no pressure event for the champion who will be out to really entertain the crowds.
Deane's competition will be tougher than normal with the addition of a number of overseas competitors to the line-up. Ireland's most successful International drift star, Darren McNamara makes his traditional return home for Jap-Fest and he will pilot his very popular, Rotary powered AE 86 Toyota. Japspeed will also make their customary Jap-Fest appearance with Shane Lynch joining Shane O'Sullivan in a pair of S15 Sylvias.
Three British Championship regulars will also make an appearance headed by James Fuller with his Nissan 180 SX. Fuller will be joined by two drivers whose cars will add some variety to the field. Saudi Arabian Drift Champion Abdulhadi Al-Qahtani will drive a fabulous Ford Mustang while Stephen Evans will add a little Retro style with his Toyota Starlet.
The presence of the International Stars will not phase the strong local contingent which will include 2013 British Championship points scorers, Martin Ffrench, Brian Egan and the WKD team made up of Wesley Keating and Barry Leonard. The current Championship top ten will all be present at Mondello as will eleventh placed Jack Shanahan who despite competing as a Semi -Pro driver has twice made the top sixteen run-off's in the Pro class.
While Drifting will be the centrepiece of the track action Jap-Fest will also include the final round of the Irish Time-Attack Series which will run on the National Track in the reverse direction. In between Drifting and Time-Attack sessions spectators will be entertained by stunt action from Terry Grant and Stunt Ireland Off track there will be plenty to see and do in the car display and trade areas, including the Monster Energy Theatre, which will showcase some of Monster Energy's extreme sports activities in a free film show taking place in the Mondello Park Pit Complex.
Tickets for Jap-Fest are still available for advance purchase through the Mondello Park web site www.mondellopark.ie where purchasers will receive a free Grandstand seat worth €5 with each ticket.
Admission on the day of the event will be €20 for adults, €5 for 12 -16 year old's with under 12's admitted free. Unsold Grandstand seating, if any, will also be available for purchase on the day.