Zac Green has a lot of work ahead of him in the next two weeks to get his Nissan Stationwagon ready for an exciting event in Taranaki.

After that, he’s prepping for the D1NZ national drifting grand finals in the Pro-Sport Series at Mercury Baypark on Anzac Weekend.

“I’ve got a lot to do, but thankfully Autohouse in Te Puke is on board to help out. I’ve got two weeks to sort it all out, and then it’ll look brand new,” Green said, noting that working as a panel beater at Autohouse makes things a bit easier.

Te Puke’s Zac Green leads Rotorua driver Guy Maxwell in Round Two of D1NZ at Taupo Motorsport Park in February. Photo / Ray Clarke Photography.

The D1NZ series includes five rounds – two in Taupō, followed by events in Auckland, Manawatū, and the final at Mercury Baypark in Mount Maunganui.

“I’m skipping the Manfield round in Manawatū because I’ve been invited to the Taranaki Back Beach Drift event in New Plymouth next weekend,” Green said.

“It’s the first time it’s been held in six years, and it’s invitational, so I’m very fortunate to get the invite. They’ll shut off a section of the road for a public demonstration; it’s not a competition. It’s a great way to involve the public and attract new people to the sport. I couldn’t afford to do both, so I’m focusing on Taranaki.”

Zac Green in his Nissan. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

He has just two weeks to get his car ready for the March 29 Centennial Drive event, run by the Taranaki Car Club.

“I’ll be back in time for the grand final at Baypark on Anzac Weekend.”

Currently sitting in 14th position in the D1NZ series, Green’s car has become a fan favourite, despite being one of the less competitive vehicles on the circuit.

“It’s unique because it’s a station wagon. It’s not a high-powered car, and it doesn’t have a fancy gearbox. I’m doing it on a budget,” he said.

His car runs a 460-horsepower, stock standard RB30 engine with only a few modifications.

“It still has the stock gearbox, rear end, and modified standard steering. It doesn’t have a lot of the fancy features other cars might have.”

Zac Green at the wheel of his Nissan. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

He bought the car 12 years ago when he was 23, originally as a warranted, registered streetcar with currently only 100,000km on the clock.

“Within two months of owning it, I took it to a drift day, and that was it. I started cutting it up,” he said.

Ahead of the Taranaki event, Green has some repairs to do after damaging his car in the last round of the series.

“I got a little bit greedy with the wall and ended up clipping it, which pushed the back of the car across and broke one of the chassis rails. I struggled with grip and kept clipping the wall. The wagon is less forgiving when you hit a wall because of the rear structure,” he said.

“Fortunately, I work as a panel beater, so I can do the repairs ourselves at work. I’m very thankful for the help they give me.”

The front of the car also needs some attention, but Green says that’s the easier part.

“To meet racing requirements, the fuel cell has to be sealed and safe to prevent fire risks. And I like to keep it looking presentable; there’s no reason I shouldn’t, given what I do for work.”

With 12-13 years of racing experience, Green and his car have generated a lot of interest.

“My car’s got quite a bit of a following and has even been featured on websites overseas, just because it’s so unique,” he said.

Zac Green with his Nissan outside Autohouse in Te Puke. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

He doesn’t have a dedicated support team when he races.

“It’s just me, I lean on my friends, and other drivers jump in and give me a hand. I can’t afford to pay for a full crew, so whoever’s around pitches in.”

He transports his car around New Zealand on a tandem trailer, though financially, competing in the D1NZ Championship is a challenge. The cost of the season is around $25,000, making sponsorship crucial.

“P1 Brick & Block Ltd – a local bricklayer in Te Puke have helped heaps. It’d be nice to get a few more sponsors, but I’ll keep doing my best and putting on a good show regardless,” Green said.

The back of Zac Green's car which was damaged during the last round of the D1NZ series has cable ties helping keep panels together until repairs are done. Photo/Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

The Grand Final of the 2025 D1NZ Championship on April 25 and 26 will be a family-friendly event at Mercury Baypark Stadium. As well as the back-to-back drifting action and Pro and Pro Sport classes, the 2025 season of the D1NZ National Drifting Championship will culminate in an epic final battle for the crown featuring a huge Monster Truck demonstration and NZ’s first ever Monster Truck backflip attempt.

This year’s grand finale also marks the return of X AIR, New Zealand’s largest action sports festival, supported by Tourism BOP and Tauranga City Council. Expect BMX, Big Air, FMX, Skate, Scooter, Rollerblade, and an all-new Action Lifestyle Exhibition Hall – alongside the D1NZ action. There will also be a Hard Park Vehicle Showcase and a VIP Paddock Club Experience.

Rounds 1 and 2 were held at Taupō Motorsport Park from January 31 – February 2. Round 2 was held at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on March 7-8, with Round 4 on April 11-12 at Manfield Circuit Chris Amon.