Tauranga’s Dave Steedman comes from behind to win the 2026 D1NZ Pro Championship at home — beating his own teammate in the Grand Final to seal the crown.
In a championship finale that delivered everything promised and more, Dave Steedman has been crowned the 2026 D1NZ Drift King — winning on home soil at Mercury Baypark Arena in front of a walk-up crowd that voted with its feet on a clear ANZAC weekend evening.
Steedman went into Round 5 trailing championship leader Connor Halligan by 26 points. He didn’t just survive the night — he dominated it. The championship swung in the Top 16, when Taupo’s Halligan clipped the wall, flipped onto his roof and slid down the track in a shower of sparks — eliminated on the spot. From that moment, Steedman cut through the draw without fault: accounting for Scott Dinsdale in the Top 8, before lining up a Grand Final few could have scripted.
Waiting in the final was Adam Davies — Steedman’s own teammate and close friend. The two traded blows in a genuine see-saw battle that had the crowd on its feet. Steedman prevailed; Baypark erupted.
Clear skies, calm air, and a cool ANZAC evening made for a picture-perfect backdrop. Despite the pressures of a tight economic climate, the crowd that poured through the gates was bigger than expected — a genuine walk-up response from a region that turned out to watch one of their own make history.
A visibly emotional Steedman, speaking moments after the championship was confirmed, was generous with his first words:
“I’m gonna struggle for words here. The sponsors that make this happen — MIMICO, Rex and Adam, NAPA, NMT Shipping, my own business, Vehicle Service Centre — without those partnerships, we wouldn’t be doing this. It’s a crazy, very expensive sport. And as we’ve seen tonight, teamwork makes the dream work. I’ve come into battle after battle and just said ‘see what happens and have fun.’ And that’s what I’ve had today — a massive amount of fun. To come out with the trophy was the icing on the cake. I honestly was not expecting this,” said Steedman.
During the trophy presentation, his first duty was to hand the outgoing champ, Luke Fink, a forever trophy to recognise his reign.
2026 D1NZ PRO SERIES — FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
- Dave Steedman – 410 points
- Connor Halligan – 394 points
- Ben Jenkins – 264 points
- Luke Fink – 242 points
- Scott Dinsdale – 240 points
ROUND 5 BAYPARK — PRO BATTLE RESULTS:
- Grand Final – Dave Steedman defeated Adam Davies
- Third Place – Luke Fink
- Top 8 – Steedman defeated Dinsdale
- Top 16 (Championship deciding) – Steedman defeated Halligan
PRO SPORT SERIES — BLAKE MYLES CLAIMS THE CROWN
Blake Myles claimed the 2026 D1NZ Pro Sport Championship with a commanding 534-point tally, finishing well clear of Riley McKeown (334 pts) and Sheldon Kneale (260 pts). Like Steedman, Myles credited the people around him as the real story.
“It has been pretty smooth — and that’s thanks to the support from my team and my fiancée, Michaela. Without them, this isn’t possible. This is such a team sport. I get all the praise for winning, but I can’t keep my car out on track without my pit crew and team. That’s the secret. And that feeling — it feels pretty good,” said Blake Myles, 2026 D1NZ Pro Sport Champion.
D1NZ GOES GLOBAL: HOTPIT AUTOFEST INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP
Drift King Dave Steedman to be the first D1NZ representative on the HOTPIT Autofest stage in California, as New Zealand’s national series steps onto the international platform
Capping a landmark night at Mercury Baypark Arena, D1NZ has confirmed a strategic international partnership with HOTPIT Autofest — one of the United States’ fastest-growing motorsport and car-culture platforms, based in California.
Newly-crowned Drift King Dave Steedman will be the inaugural D1NZ representative at HOTPIT Autofest, carrying New Zealand’s championship standard onto a global stage for the first time under this partnership.
“Partnering with D1NZ represents a pivotal moment for HOTPIT Autofest as we continue to expand our footprint. We see a powerful opportunity to connect our ecosystems, create international pathways for drivers, and deliver a more unified global drifting experience,” said RJ Contreras, COO, HOTPIT Autofest
“Drifting has always been rooted in community and progression, and this collaboration allows us to extend those values beyond our respective regions. Together we’re creating new opportunities for drivers to rise, for brands to engage on a broader stage, and for fans to experience drifting at an even higher level,” said James McManaway, Executive, D1NZ / Grit Motorsport
The 2026 season was one of the most expansive in D1NZ’s history — five rounds spanning Teretonga Park in Invercargill to Pukekohe Park, and including Pro Drifting’s first-ever visit to the East Coast at Gisborne’s H BlackBee Drift Park, before the championship was settled under the lights at Baypark.
D1NZ is the world’s longest-running national drifting series, sanctioned by Motorsport New Zealand and broadcast on Sky TV, YouTube via Oversteer TV, and Fox Sports.
Header Image: Ray Clarke
