Thrills aplenty at the 2022 Red Bull Car Park Drift

Last weekend Durban hosted the country's top drifting talent as they faced off at a wet and slippery Suncoast for Red Bull Car Park Drift SA Qualifier 2022. Johannesburg's Jason Webb drifted his way to victory and took home the trophy.

Webb had to go head-to-head with defending champion Jim McFarlane, local hero Joey Govender and Mathys Naude in the final. Webb, in his Ford Mustang, proved to have the best skills on the day and took the win from McFarlane by a narrow margin. Despite the challenges that came with the wet weather, he was able to tackle the full eight-obstacle course with precision and smoking flair.    

“Driving a convertible in the rain was challenging. The team and I had to make a plan to keep dry by cutting out a piece of cardboard for the roof to keep out the rain. It was also a mental game. Going up against those guys in the last round meant I needed to go the extra mile and not make any mistakes,” said Webb.

“I am really excited about the win and honoured to fly the SA flag at the world finals,” he said.  

The competition kicked off on April 8 and saw drivers from all over the country showcase their best drifting skills to earn a spot in the finals on Saturday afternoon. Among the top 20 to make it into Saturday's final were father and son duo Paulo Gouviea Snr and Paulo Gouviea.

This year's tournament had a live audience for the first time. Durbanites were treated to tyre-screeching action when their favourite drifters were tested both mentally and physically on the course while having to impress the panel of judges.

Returning as part of the judging panel this year was world-renowned motorsport champion and Guinness Record holder Abdo Feghali, who also thrilled the audience with his drifting skills as he took to the course in a BMW M2.

Feghali was impressed by the growth in the competitors since last year's event.

“Even though there have been no other drifting events for them to train, it was great to see how much the drifters improved since our first edition, especially in this weather.”

“I was happy to see Jason win. We saw that spark in him last year and with all the experience he has now, with the right package and the right car, he will do SA proud at the Red Bull Car Park Drift World Final in Saudi Arabia later this year.”  

Final results:   

1. Jason Webb: Ford Mustang

2. Jim McFarlane: Nissan 350Z

3. Mathys Naude: BMW E36

4. Joey Govender: Nissan 200SX