Danni bought her first drift car in 2008, a Nissan 180sx imported from Japan. The car was very basic, only being upgraded safety wise to adhere to competition rules. Danni attended her first competition at Rosegreen in Ireland and qualified 13th.
Unfortunately her beloved 180sx was written off after a motorway accident on the way to a drift event in Portugal, Danni broke her ankle in the accident but still continued onto Portugal and competed in a borrowed car!
In 2010 she imported a much more competitive car, her SR20 powered S14a from WKD Imports. It has since changed looks wise a fair bit earning it's nickname, 'The Green Monster'!
The car is now running an Owen Developments T2868 turbo with custom housing and WRC bearings, 800cc injectors, Wiseco pistons, a Cosworth head gasket and Tomei Poncams. The car was mapped by the well respected, Greg Gush at ProTuner and is now running approximately 380bhp with 410ft/lbs torque. This makes for a very competitive car not only in the BDC but also championships throughout Europe.
Danni has always been a consistent qualifier in competition events however her performance in the 2011 season of the British Drift Championship has definitely raised her profile, she started the season off by winning the Semi Pro class of Round One at Donington's Launch Pad.
At Round Two, Norfolk Arena, she was permanently moved up to the Pro Class, she then continued to qualify in the Top 16 in the remaining rounds giving her a final championship place of 8th in Pro.
So let's find out a bit more about the woman behind the smoke!
Hey Danni, firstly congratulations on your brilliant result in 2011 and moving up the Pro class in BDC! Which event did you enjoy the most in 2011?
Thank you! The event I most enjoyed surprisingly was Round 1 of the BDC at Donnington Park, not only because I won my class and also qualified for the class above me, but just purely for the enjoyment factor and the feel of driving The Green Monster on that particular track, I could have driven it all day long!
You also competed in the very popular, Wembley round of the Drift Allstars championship with some of the best drifters in Europe. Did you find the crowds and wall lined track a bit daunting or do you find that you drive better under a bit of pressure?
To be honest that particular event wasn't so daunting at all, my car was playing up mechanically and I was fighting it with on a power basis with each lap i drove, it was horrible! But I still done as best I could and qualified, but unfortunately had to withdraw after setting off on my first judged twin battle run due to suspension failure, which was just Murphy's Law!!
Aside from the troubles, I love driving at Wembley because it's always on another par to other competitions, the walls don't scare me as that's what I've learned to drive against from my first ever competitions with Prodrift.
Everyone over judges the "walls" every now and then, but it takes a lot of skill and excuse the expression; "balls" to head for a wall flat out in 3rd or 4th gear, knowing if you've made the slightest mis-judgement, your car and potentially you are going to have a sore body afterwards!
Without danger, there's no adrenalin or challenge.
The Green Monster is under-going major renovations for 2012! There was a lot of things I didn't like about the car this year so for next year its getting a complete overhaul wit the engine, suspension and exterior. I'm comfortable with the way the car responds power wise so I'm not looking for much over 400bhp, I like how the car responds at 380bhp and know how to work it, I just want to improve its quality internally.
The suspension is well out-dated and I feel by replacing it all for newer parts will increase the stability of the car on track as I had some minor issues with the front suspension throughout this year.
As for the exterior of the car, lets just say I have a great new sponsor along with my current sponsors EP Racing who have mega plans, The Green Monster will be a Monster!
More and more women are starting to get involved in competitive drifting nowadays but drifting is still a very male dominated motorsport, do you feel like your viewed or treated differently because you're one of a handful of female drift competitors?
Ive got two answers to this question... In the paddock amongst other drivers I am treated as I like to be, as another driver and respected as a driver regardless of my sex, my driving has earned that respect from fellow drivers both male and female. But on the other side of the coin, meeting people outside of the paddock is a very different and proud feeling.
A lot of women (and men)have approached me with nothing but praise and support, it has added value to their thoughts and dreams that there is no reason why they cannot try drifting or other motorsports, just because their boyfriend, husband, brother etc is doing it.
I think the comment which stands out to me mostly from 2011 was from a member of one of the Italian drifting teams who visited to compete at Drift Allstars in Wembley, he said: "Danni, we watch you drifting, we do not believe this is a woman driving when people tell us as we watch you, when you drift, you drift with as much aggression and speed like a man, but when you step out of the car you are very much a woman and definitely not a man!"
I am very thankful and privileged that I am within a number of very few women in this sport that has made an impact on results and Championship tables. This is my hobby and passion, to get the results I've achieved to date in a "male dominated sport" is an incredible feeling words cant even describe!
I'm also very grateful to each one of my current sponsers who have supported me right through and who continue to support me for 2012 along with some new sponsors... Watch this space for The Green Monster and some great news to come for 2012, it has the ingredients for a great year ahead. ;-) x
If you are interested in gaining exposure for your company on 'The Green Monster' in 2012, please contact Danni using the Contact page on her website Danielle Murphy Drifting
You can follow Danni on Facebook by 'Liking' her Drift page.. Danielle Murphy Drifting Fan-Page
Images courtesy of the BDC, Mark White Photography and others.
