While drivers around the globe enjoyed the offseason, Red Bull took three and put them through a series of challenges to determine whether NASCAR, Formula 1, or drift is the best background to take on farm racing.
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The lineup of New Zealand motorsports figures included F1 driver Liam Lawson, drifter Mad Mike Whiddett, and three-time Supercars champion/six-time Cup Series winner Shane van Gisbergen. These drivers took part in a series of challenges where they could earn a decreasing number of points for first, second, and third place.
The first challenge put the drivers behind the wheel of a 400-horsepower ProLite stadium truck. They had to slide around Dalton Farm in Kopuku, New Zealand, while avoiding barrels. They then had to jump and hit a target hanging from a crane before ultimately crossing the finish line.
Whiddett, the owner of the truck, went first. He hit the target and posted a time of 1:04.00. Lawson, posted a faster time of 1:00.16, but he received a 5-second penalty for missing the target.
Van Gisbergen then took on the course to close out the first challenge. He hit the target and completed the blistering lap in under a minute. This locked up the win and 75 points.
The second challenge tasked the members of this trio with drifting the ProLite truck and hitting six hanging targets. The driver who hit the most won the challenge.
Once again, Whiddett went first. A fitting choice, considering that drifting is his specialty. He nailed five of the six required targets and set a high benchmark.
Van Gisbergen went next, but he encountered a problem. He slid to a stop in front of the targets on his opening run. So, he turned around and drove back to the starting point. He then hit five of the six targets on his second attempt, but the other two drivers voted to give him zero points.
Lawson went third in the drifting challenge. All he needed was one target to secure second place and 50 points. He went out and hit all six targets to score the event win.
This controversy shook up the leaderboard entering the final event. Whiddett had the lead at 100 points while Lawson sat in second place with 85 points. Van Gisbergen held third place with 75 points.
The final of the three challenges put the three racing stars on lawnmowers. They had to complete four laps around a course, and they had to hit the Joker lane on one of these laps. The winner of this race would take home the Rural Rumble title.
Van Gisbergen took the lead on the start, but he did not hold it for long. Whiddett and Lawson both took the Joker lane on the opening lap so that they could pass him. He then responded by taking the Joker lane on the second lap, which put him back into second place for the final two laps of the race.
The last lap of this race delivered plenty of drama. Whiddett had the lead, and it appeared that he would take the win, but van Gisbergen dove hard to the inside and used some contact to take the lead.
But he then went off the jump sideways, drove into the grass, and nearly hit a photographer. This opened up the path for Whiddett to take the lead for good. He cruised to the win while van Gisbergen and Lawson settled for second and third, respectively.
This may not have been a standard offseason for any of these drivers, but there is nothing wrong with that. They had the opportunity to tear around a farm in their home country while sharing some laughs and getting the competitive juices flowing.
