After winning last month’s Toyo Tires Drift Australia Series season opener, South Australian Leighton Fine has made it two wins from two starts in 2008, with victory at Queensland Raceway today.

Fine (Commercial Truck Sales Nissan 180SX) now holds a sizeable lead at the top of the Australian Drift Championship standings, while Queensland drivers Danny Kenneally (Hogs Breath Café Nissan Cefiro) and Robbie Bolger (VIP Petfoods Holden Monaro) completed the podium.

Having topped the field in qualifying, Fine booked his place in the final after beating 2006 Champion Beau Yates (Toyota Racing Developments Toyota AE86 Sprinter) in the top eight and defending series Champion Bolger in the top four.

In the final, he executed a passing manoeuvre on Kenneally to seal the win in style, in-front of a strong crowd.

The 22-year-old will head to his home round at Mallala Motorsport Park - where he has never finished lower than second - next month, having scored 999 out a possible 1000 championship points thus far in 2008.

“It’s been a dream start to the season,” Fine said.

“We gained a lot of confidence from our Symmons Plains result, the car is working really well and there’s a good atmosphere among the team - things couldn’t be going any better at the moment.

“Now we’ll head to Mallala and try to make it three wins in a row.”

Making his first start for 2008, second place is Kenneally’s best-ever result in the series.

“I’m very happy to be up here on the podium among this company,” he said.

“We went back to the Cefiro for the weekend and it did the job together with the new tyres from Toyo.

“Leighton just had too much for us in the final, but to finish second is a sensational result.”

Bouncing back from a tough run in Tasmania last month, Bolger recorded wins against Tom Monkhouse (Japanese Motorsport Nissan Silvia), Luke Fink (Holford Motors Nissan Silvia) and Darren Appleton (Peer Industries Nissan Silvia) in the early battles.

He looked on-track for a finals berth until losing to Fine in the top four, but still claimed third place.

“We needed a big bag of points this weekend, so a podium finish is a good outcome,” Bolger, who leaps from 14th to fourth in the standings, said.

“After Symmons Plains, we did a lot of engine and suspension work and it paid off; the car didn’t miss a beat and we’ll be looking to carry this form through the rest of the year.”

Adam May was fourth in an ailing WheelWorx Nissan Skyline, equalling his best finish in the championship.

Yates and Appleton were joined in the top eight by Khudar Elhaouli (JDS Auto Imports Nissan Silvia) and Nathan Weissel (Federal Tyres Nissan Skyline).

In his new car, Appleton eliminated Christian Pickering (Senwill Civil Nissan Silvia) in their top 16 battle, where Luke Fink (Holford Motors Nissan Silvia) and Chris DeJager (Turtle Wax ICE Nissan Silvia) were also knocked out.

Defending Queensland Raceway winner Fernando Wiehrl (Auto Salon Nissan Silvia) crashed heavily on Saturday and was forced into a borrowed car.

He was eliminated by Matt Mingay (CAPA Holden Commodore) in the first round of battles, with Mingay unlucky to strike mechanical problems in next round against Elhaouli while performing strongly at his home circuit.

Queensland drivers took a clean sweep of the Toyo Tires Super Drift Series podium, with Joshua Coote (Nissan 180SX) moving into the series lead after taking the win from Travis Roberts (Nissan Skyline) and Robby Mounfield (Nissan Skyline).

The next round of the 2008 Toyo Tires Drift Australia Series will be held at Mallala Motorsport Park, north of Adelaide, on 24-25 May.

In the meantime, the Queensland Raceway action will be broadcast on SBS’ Speedweek on Sunday 27 April and on Channel 9 on Sunday 4 May, check local guides for times.

For more information about the Toyo Tires Drift Australia Series, head to http://www.driftaustralia.com.au

Toyo Tires Drift Australia Series Queensland Raceway top eight

1. Leighton Fine (SA, Toyo Tires Nissan 180SX)

2. Danny Kenneally (QLD, Hogs Breath Café Nissan Cefiro)

3. Robbie Bolger (QLD, VIP Petfoods Holden Monaro)

4. Adam May (SA, WheelWorx Nissan Skyline)

5. Khudar Elhaouli (VIC, JDS Auto Imports Nissan Silvia)

6. Nathan Weissel (NSW, Federal Tyres Nissan Skyline)

7. Beau Yates (NSW, Toyota Racing Developments Toyota AE86 Sprinter)

8. Darren Appleton (QLD, Peer Industries Nissan Silvia)

Toyo Tires Drift Australia Series Standings

1. Leighton Fine (SA, Toyo Tires Nissan 180SX) - 999

2. Luke Fink (VIC, Holford Motors Nissan Silvia) - 800

3. Christian Pickering (SA, Senwill Civil Nissan Silvia) - 771

4. Robbie Bolger (QLD, VIP Petfoods Holden Monaro) - 752

5. Chris DeJager (VIC, Turtle Wax ICE Nissan Silvia) - 713

6. Nathan Weissel (NSW, Federal Tyres Nissan Skyline) - 707

7. Beau Yates (NSW, Toyota Racing Developments Toyota AE86 Sprinter) - 705

8. Adam May (SA, WheelWorx Nissan Skyline) - 699