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Fine, 23, has won the opening two rounds of the 2008 Australian Drift Championship after joining Adelaide-based outfit Team CTS during the off-season.

A win at Mallala, his home circuit, this weekend would make Fine (Commercial Truck Sales Nissan 180SX) the first driver to win three-consecutive Drift Australia rounds and put him in the box seat for the 2008 title.

Having scored 999 out of a possible 1000 points, Fine holds a massive 199-point lead over Luke Fink (Holford Motors Nissan Silvia).

"It's been a dream start to the year," Fine said.

"I joined Team CTS with the goal of winning this year's championship and so far everything has gone according to plan.

"We're really going for the win this weekend - winning at home and becoming the first driver to win three rounds in a row would be special, and great for our championship."

Fine has an impressive record at Mallala.

In four Toyo Tires Drift Australia Series starts, he has scored two wins and never finished lower than third.

Last year he finished second, after a controversial final battle with eventual series champion Robbie Bolger (VIP Petfoods Holden Monaro).

The pair clashed, with Bolger taking the win after Fine was forced to withdraw from the second pass with a damaged car.

"I was definitely angry and disappointed at the time and exchanged a couple of words with Robbie, but that's all history now," he said.

"I love drifting at Mallala, it's a great circuit and I've had a lot of success there - hopefully we can add to that this weekend."
 

Bolger is currently fourth in the championship as looks for back-to-back Mallala wins, 48 points behind Fink and 19 behind third-placed Christian Pickering (Senwill Civil Nissan Silvia) from South Australia.

Like Fine, Pickering is looking for a big weekend on home turf with a team he formed after finishing second in the 2007 championship.  

"To be third in the championship with a brand-new car and a brand-new team has been beyond our expectations," Pickering, who was third at Mallala last year to move into the championship lead, said.

"We've made even more progress with the car since Round Two in Queensland, so we can't wait to unleash it at Mallala."

Along with Fine and Pickering, South Australian drivers are expected to feature heavily this weekend.

Adam May (WheelWorx Nissan Skyline) finished fourth in the last round of the series and is eighth in the points, while the experienced Danny Vahoumis (Miluc Civil) will debut a new Nissan Silvia as he looks to improve on his current 10th place.

Brothers and Japanese Motorsport team-mates, Tom and Jack Monkhouse sit just outside the Top 10, with Tom a 2007 round winner and rally ace Jack continuing to improve, while Simon Podlewski (CMbmx Nissan 180SX) will make his Drift Australia debut.

The weekend will feature plenty of action, with the Toyo Tires Drift Australia Series and Toyo Tires Super Drift categories joined by Team Drifting, Expression Sessions and the Racing Logic 'Extreme Entry' competition.

Off-track entertainment includes a Show 'n' Shine, autograph sessions and a DJ.

Tickets are $20 for Saturday and $30 for Sunday, or $40 for the weekend, with kids under 14 free all weekend.

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

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