Speed Freaks: Darren Kelly

It’s our birthday month and to celebrate, we’re giving away 10 full throttle Hypercar experiences in some of the world's most innovative modern luxury and performance sports cars.

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We've been chatting to some friends of the fuel, and legitimate speed freaks, to find out more about their passion for going full throttle. Meet Darren Kelly, a legendary international drift king on the track with a passion for extreme sports and going fast. With multiple championships under his belt, this thrill seeker is a speed freak at heart.

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Tell us about how you became a speed freak behind the wheel. What was the first car you owned, or your first driving experience?

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As soon as I could walk, I was looking for anything to get behind the wheel of, which fuelled a passion for motorsport and as I grew, so did the engine capacity. From go karts and dirt bikes, to GT3 and 1000hp drift cars.

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Drifting is a very technical skill. What got you into this and what is it about the motorsport that got you hooked?

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Drifting for me, like many others, started from watching the sport develop and grow in Japan and rapidly spread throughout the world. The fast pace and requirement for massive commitment and the challenge of making zero mistakes is part of what got me hooked and keeps me coming back.

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You’re clearly not adverse to high risk, extreme sports. Do you have any other interests along these lines or do you like to keep things low key outside of drifting?

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It’s in the blood - I love all kinds of extreme sports and being active. Dirt bikes are something I have tried to keep in my life as much as I can, although, it's not always a mutual agreement with my wife or sponsors haha.

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Tell us about your car and why it’s your current model of choice? 

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Drifting is largely about having the freedom to build something unique. There are set rules to work to but mostly free to get creative. For me, I’ve always been a strong supporter of Nissan chassis’s and with years of developing the RB engine, we have built these into a strong combination. The R35 was the next step to building a unique competitive drift car.

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You’re clearly well-seasoned when it comes to the D1NZ Champs podium.  What do you consider your career highlight to date?

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I can never choose one, so many have been huge highlights in their own way. Winning three Pro Drift Championships and three GT3 Championships all came with their own challenges which made them all unique. Then there’s unforgettable events like RedBull Drift Shifters, Leadfoot Festival and the International Drift Cup where we’ve driven with some of the best in the world.

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If you could pick your ultimate dream car, what would it be?

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Aston Martin Valkyrie or Koenigsegg Jesko.

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Do you have any other machines in your garage that we should know about? Working or otherwise.

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Lots! I have a huge passion for the car industry and over the years I've tried to collect some of the easter egg cars from my generation before they became unattainable. Most are built for a purpose but some are just to enjoy when going to get bread and milk. A few favourites include:

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Competition cars - R35 and R34,  a 4 seater drift taxi - R32, a Track day/teaching car - S13 and Road cars - Evo 5 and 200sx

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And of course, do you have a favourite BurgerFuel burger?

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Ford Freakout, add cheese + jalapeños.

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