Though his birth name is Michael Whiddett, he is widely recognized as Mad Mike, the adventurous drifter from New Zealand famous for his love of rotary engines. He gained fame on the internet through his thrilling demonstrations with the 26B-swapped, twin turbo FD RX-7, affectionately dubbed the MADBUL. Following its success, he has led the car’s successor, the HUMBUL, to a victory in Formula Drift in Japan at Ebisu. Mad Mike hasn’t limited himself to RX-7 models; he also showcased his “RADBUL Gen2” at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he participated in their inaugural drifting event this year.
The RADBUL Gen2 is based on a third-generation Mazda MX-5 but is enhanced with modern fourth-generation bodywork. Instead of the original 1.8-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, it boasts a twin-turbo, quad-rotor version of Mazda’s iconic 26B racing engine. This engine gained fame through its appearance in the Mazda 787B, which won the prestigious 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans. Thus, Mazda remains the first, and as of now, the only Japanese manufacturer to achieve this remarkable feat, while Toyota has yet to replicate their success at the event.
For those interested in the highlights from this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Goodwood Road & Racing YouTube channel has uploaded many of the event’s standout moments, including runs featuring the latest Porsche 911 GT2 RS, the victorious journey of the Jaguar XJR-12D, and the impressive NASCAR Truck time set by Mike Skinner, also known as “The American,” a current test driver for Amazon’s The Grand Tour.
Alternatively, for those who are particularly keen on drifting, Goodwood has posted a series of videos focused exclusively on the drifting showcase. Enjoy!
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