Darren is the 28-year-old driver of the 800+hp RB34det Straight 6 Nissan-backed R35 GTR. He has competed in professional competition for eight years and has never gone away from Nissan. Currently he has an R32, R34 (Pro Championship-winning car) and an R35 – all set up for drifting. Starting with an R32 chassis, he competed in many drift events becoming New Zealand Pro-Am Champion in 2011-2012 and then winning the D1NZ Pro Championship in 2013-2014 in the R34. Darren has also competed in other countries and has returned for the International Drift Challenge in Sydney, Australia. Darren is super pumped to be returning to Leadfoot Festival this year and put on a show for the crowd.

Darren Kelly - 2011 Nissan R35 GTR

Darren is the 28-year-old driver of the 800+hp RB34det Straight 6 Nissan-backed R35 GTR. He has competed in professional competition for eight years and has never gone away from Nissan. Currently he has an R32, R34 (Pro Championship-winning car) and an R35 – all set up for drifting. Starting with an R32 chassis, he competed in many drift events becoming New Zealand Pro-Am Champion in 2011-2012 and then winning the D1NZ Pro Championship in 2013-2014 in the R34. Darren has also competed in other countries and has returned for the International Drift Challenge in Sydney, Australia. Darren is super pumped to be returning to Leadfoot Festival this year and put on a show for the crowd.

2011 Nissan R35 GTR:

This car started as a bare shell from Dodson’s Motorsport and over the space of two years has been turned it into what we have here today. It was an extremely hard and long build with everything custom made and very few off the shelf parts. TTT Auto Engineering has done an amazing job with the car and helped with developing it to its gen2 version that we will be bringing to Leadfoot Festival 2018. Driveline: This GTR runs an 800+hp dry-sumped RB34det with a TTI sequential 6 speed gearbox, Winters 10.5inch quick-change diff and Driveshaft Shop axles which spin an 18×11 Work wheel coated in a 265 Zestino semi slick. Steering: Ireland-based TDP created a huge lock steering kit to bolt into the R35 chassis. Cooling: This car has a Fenix radiator mounted in the boot. ECU: Link ECU kitted out the R35 with the Link Thunder and their Link Dash 2 Pro.